The Download: failed social media bans, and extending pets’ lives
This newsletter covers the global trend of social media bans for minors, the ethics of life-extension technology for pets, and advancements in iron-based battery storage. It highlights the difficulty of enforcing age restrictions and the rapid pace of biotech innovation.
Why it matters
These topics represent critical intersections of policy, ethics, and climate technology that will shape future societal norms and infrastructure.
Plus: Insurance is the next big obstacle for AI .
This is today's edition of The Download , our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology.
—Michal Luria, Aliya Bhatia, and Danah Boyd
Social media bans are stacking up. In July, France joined Australia in restricting minors from accessing social media—barring children under 15 from major platforms, before the ban was blocked by the country’s top court on human rights grounds.
The UK aims to forbid kids under 16 from accessing Facebook, TikTok, and other platforms in early 2027, and the EU has announced its own plan to prohibit social media for kids under 15.
But early lessons from Australia, which enacted a ban in 2024, show that these sorts of age restrictions are easily circumvented.
Here’s what we ought to do instead to keep kids safe .
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in