The Know Daily - Wednesday 21 January 2026

_{Read in 4m 12s ∙ Listening to Hilary Duff ∙}

Hilary Duff performed “What Dreams Are Made Of” for the first time ever in London this week. Do we wish we had been there? Absolutely. Over the moon it happened? 100%.

📱 Banning social media for under-16s

The UK government has launched a consultation on whether to restrict or ban under-16s from using social media, as ministers consider tougher rules to protect children online.

What’s actually happening?
Nothing’s been decided yet. Ministers are asking whether the UK should follow Australia’s lead and introduce a legal ban on social media for under-16s – putting the responsibility on tech companies (rather than just parents) to keep younger users off their platforms. The consultation is looking at a range of options, from a full ban to stricter age checks and limits on features designed to keep children scrolling. Any change would build on the Online Safety Act, which already places new duties on platforms to protect young users. 

Already, a petition has amassed over 66k signatures in favour of the ban. Plus, a new UK study of 4,000 children, launching in October this year, will explore the effects of restricting social media on mental health, sleep and time spent with friends and family to help inform the discussion.

Why is this on the table now?
Concerns about children’s mental health, screen time and online harms have been growing for years, but ministers say the pace and scale of social media use has outstripped existing rules. Campaigners argue platforms are designed to be addictive, while parents say it’s become harder to manage children’s online lives. The government says it wants clearer evidence on what actually helps, and the consultation means that ministers will visit Australia for themselves.

So what would a ban actually mean?
If the UK went down this route, under-16s wouldn’t legally be allowed to have social media accounts, and tech companies would be responsible for enforcing the rules. That would mean much tougher age-verification checks, going beyond simple tick-box declarations, to stop younger users signing up. But the consultation will consider all options, from a full ban to limits on screen time, raising the age of consent for social media, and curbing addictive features like streaks or endless scrolling.

What’s the other side?
Critics warn that bans can be difficult to enforce and risk pushing young people into less regulated corners of the internet. There are also concerns about privacy, particularly if tougher age checks mean more data collection. 

So where does this leave us?
For now, this is about evidence-gathering rather than immediate action. Sky News reported that the government will seek the views of both parents and young people alike. The consultation will run for several months, with ministers expected to decide later whether new laws are needed.

💭 Positive thinking may help boost an individual’s immune response to vaccines, early research suggests.

• The bigger story: The research found that people who pictured positive experiences after being vaccinated produced slightly more antibodies than those who didn’t. Scientists highlight that the findings are early and based on a small study, but say they point to a possible way mindset could support vaccine effectiveness in the future – alongside, not instead of, medical treatment.

🇨🇳 Plans for a Chinese embassy in London have been approved, though some critics have warned of security risks.

👩‍💻 AI in the workplace has been a hot topic lately, but do you know what the 40 careers least likely to be outperformed by bots are?

🐮 An Austrian cow has amazed scientists after exhibiting her impressive skill at using tools.

⬆️ The highest roof walk in the UK is set to open at a famous London landmark next month. You could say they’re reaching new heights with this one.

🌅 The aurora borealis made an appearance across UK skies this week – how beautiful are these pics?

🏙️ The best city breaks in Europe for 2026 have been unveiled by Time Out. Don’t mind us whilst we update our travel wish list!

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Trivia answer: A) With just 13 letters, it’s one of the smallest alphabets in the world and currently seeing a revival of young Hawaiians learning their ancestral language.

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