The Know Daily - Thursday 20 July 2023

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A family of four beavers has been released onto National Trust land in a bid to regenerate habitats damaged by climate change. Beavers, which were hunted to extinction in the UK in the 16th century, have been described as “ecosystem engineers” for the way their dams store water and help prevent flooding downstream. What dam hard workers! 🦫

🗞️ Headline news

A report by Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has found that TikTok is now the most popular source of news for 12-15-year-olds, followed by YouTube and Instagram.

Tell me more.
Ofcom’s News Consumption in the UK 2022/23 report - published today - found that the Chinese-owned app’s popularity as a source of news is growing, with one in every 10 adults using it to keep up with the latest headlines.

For the first time, the regulator’s annual report found that TikTok has overtaken BBC Radio 1 and Channel 5 as a news source.

But “despite the rise TikTok, 45% of 12 to 15-year-olds said they were not interested in the news - with almost half saying they found it ‘too boring’”, pointed out Sky News. “A further 16% said they found it ‘too upsetting’.”

What else did the report find?
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and BBC One are the top five most popular news sources among 16-24-year-olds, with the latter the only traditional media source on the list.

Ofcom also found that older teens and young adults are much more likely to consume news online than adults generally (83% vs. 68%) and usually via social media on their phones (63% vs. 39%).

Did more traditional media get a look in?
Yep - BBC One held its position as the most-used single news source across all platforms for adults, followed by ITV 1 and then Facebook. Almost half (49%) of those aged 16+ said they used the channel for news - although this was down from 53% in 2022 and 56% in 2020.

What’s the bigger picture?
Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith described the news about TikTok as “immensely dangerous”, adding that the app is “under the control of the CCP [Chinese Communist Party]”.

A similar view was echoed by Tory MP and former children’s minister Tim Loughton, who told The Telegraph: “Western TikTok is banned in China itself because of the harmful impact it can have, and yet we do nothing in the UK to counter the addictive and potentially damaging effect it can have on our children.”

Do you get your news from TikTok - and have you seen The Know’s daily news updates there? Hit reply to share your thoughts.

 🧵 Make do and mend

From October, people in France will be able to claim back part of the cost of repairing clothes and shoes in a new government scheme aimed at tackling fast fashion.

What’s the story?
The French government has set aside €154m over the next five years for the “repair bonus” scheme, which will be run by the eco-organisation Refashion. Workshops and cobblers have been encouraged to sign up for the system, which enables consumers to claim back €7 for a heel repair and up to €25 for a new lining in a jacket, skirt or other garment.

Why’s it being introduced?
Junior ecology minister Bérangère Couillard said the government is committed to the fight against fast fashion. An estimated 700,000 tonnes of clothing is thrown away in France each year, and Couillard said the textile industry is on course to account for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The scheme also aims to support the repair sector and create new jobs.

“But not everyone is impressed with the government’s make do and mend approach,” said the BBC. The fashion industry is one of France’s biggest, accounting for some €66bn in turnover last year - and business groups have warned against “stigmatising” an important sector.

What’s the bigger picture?
“The repair bonus is part of a broader drive in France to reform the heavily polluting textile industry,” explained Euronews, with new labelling laws requiring clothing and textile stores to detail the environmental impact of each item.

There is no UK equivalent of the new French scheme and, according to The Times, “little prospect” of one being introduced anytime soon. Nevertheless, if you’re looking to get your items repaired or restored, British Vogue has put together this handy guide to the best services available.

Would you like to see a similar scheme introduced in the UK? Reply to this email to let us know.

🏠 Good economic news: Cheaper mortgages could be available within weeks following the UK’s surprise drop in inflation in June. Experts hope the Bank of England will not have to raise interest rates as sharply as previously feared, which will in turn lead to lower mortgage rates.

🗳️ British by-elections: Voters in North Yorkshire, Somerset and Boris Johnson’s old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip in west London are going to the polls today to elect new MPs. The three seats were won by the Conservatives in 2019 - but the PM has reportedly forecast a “tough” fight to retain the constituencies.

🩺 Senior doctors on strike: Thousands of consultants in England walked out from 7am this morning in their dispute over pay, marking the first time that senior doctors have taken part in industrial action in over a decade. The strike is set to last for 48 hours.

❌ Dahl’s “undeniable racism”: The children’s author has been condemned by his own museum for what it called his “undeniable and indelible” racism. The late writer has long faced criticism for his antisemitic remarks - and the museum said it will work to combat racism by “being more welcoming, inclusive, diverse and equitable”.

📺 Subscriber surge: Netflix’s crackdown on password sharing is thought to have paid off, as the streaming service has reported nearly 6m more users since it began restricting the sharing of accounts to a single household earlier this year.

Trivia answer: C) The divisive burger - described by The New York Times as “the latest fast-food stunt to sweep the internet” - contained 20 slices of American cheese but no sauce or meat.

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