Displaying items by tag: Social media

Growing social media interest in prime minister Sanae Takaichi appears to have significantly influenced Japan’s lower house election on 8 February, contributing to a decisive victory for her Liberal Democratic Party. Many voters reported seeing daily clips of her speeches and travel despite chronic illness, creating familiarity and sympathy. Her personal X account gained far more followers than other party leaders, with spikes occurring even during controversy over a missed debate due to medical treatment. Supporters’ viral posts often countered criticism, amplifying positive perceptions. On YouTube, campaign-related videos featuring Takaichi attracted extraordinary engagement, including an advertisement viewed over 150 million times. Independent creators further boosted her visibility, producing most election-related content online. Exit polls showed nearly a quarter of voters relied primarily on social media when deciding how to vote, with strong shifts toward the ruling party among them. Online popularity appears to have translated directly into ballots cast.

A social media video shared by Donald Trump and later deleted drew widespread condemnation across political lines. The clip promoted false election claims and, near its conclusion, depicted Barack and Michelle Obama with their faces superimposed onto dancing apes. Posted during Black History Month, the video revived racist imagery historically used to justify slavery and segregation. The White House initially defended the post as a meme but later said a staff member had shared it in error. Politicians (including some Republicans), diplomats, and commentators criticised the content as dehumanising and harmful. Analysts noted that such inflammatory behaviour might not significantly affect Trump’s political support because public opinion around him is already polarised. One commentator said, ‘That Trump chose to post this video is yet another indicator of how reactionary racism has become mainstream and normalised within his Republican party, as the GOP continues to lurch dangerously rightwards.’

Momentum is growing in parliament for a ban on under-16s using social media, after the House of Lords backed a key amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. The proposal would require social media platforms to implement highly effective age-verification systems within a year of the law passing. While the Government initially resisted an outright ban, pressure from opposition parties, bereaved parents, charities, and Labour backbenchers has softened its stance. Many peers cited evidence of harm to children’s mental health, wellbeing, and development, sharing personal testimonies and research on the risks of excessive screen use. With similar restrictions already introduced in Australia, ministers are now consulting on how a UK ban might work in practice. The amendment now returns to the House of Commons, where overturning it could prove politically difficult. Government statements suggest action is increasingly likely, with a focus on helping children develop healthier relationships via phones and social media, while balancing evidence, parental concerns, and expert advice. A ban in some form now appears almost inevitable.

New research suggests Generation Z is emerging as the most religious generation alive, with belief in a higher power now surpassing even those aged over 65. A YouGov study shows church attendance among 18- to 25-year-olds has risen sharply, from 7% in 2018 to 23% in 2024, while belief in a higher power has grown from 28% to 49%. Social media is playing a key role in this shift, with many young people encountering Christian ideas for the first time through short videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Influencers and young evangelists are openly sharing testimonies, baptisms, and Gospel messages, creating curiosity and drawing peers into church communities. Researchers note that Gen Z has faced significant challenges, including the pandemic and cost-of-living pressures, leaving many searching for meaning, stability, and hope. While not all young people observe or embrace this trend, evidence points to a growing openness to faith, community, and spiritual truth. Gen Z appears to be reshaping how belief is expressed in a digital age.

The impending ban on social media access for under-16s in Australia has sparked confusion, concern, and debate among students, parents, experts, and global observers. From 10 December, platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and others must demonstrate effective age verification or face major fines. Schools are scrambling to prepare teens for losing access to their accounts, photos, and online communities. Tech companies are rolling out facial age-estimation tools and other verification methods, though questions remain about accuracy and accessibility for older teens. Many young content creators fear losing hard-won followings, while others, like students at phone-free leadership programmes, describe unexpected freedom and richer real-life connections. Advocates warn that some teens rely on social media for support networks and could be pushed toward more dangerous spaces. The policy, inspired partly by concerns over youth mental health, has drawn both strong political backing and legal challenges claiming that it restricts young people’s rights. Other nations are watching closely as similar proposals emerge worldwide.

Sister Albertine, a young French nun, has become a surprising yet powerful online evangelist. Through videos, social media posts and candid personal sharing, she invites many - especially younger people - to encounter Jesus. What makes her ministry effective is her authenticity: she speaks of her own struggles, questions and faith journey, and thereby becomes relatable. Her online presence challenges the stereotype of nuns as remote or rigid; instead, she shows a warm, accessible discipleship. By combining tradition with digital outreach, she bridges generational and cultural gaps. Her approach reminds us that God can use unexpected channels to draw hearts, and that faith expressed in vulnerability can reach places formal teaching sometimes cannot.

Afghanistan has entered near-total isolation after the Taliban government ordered a nationwide communications shutdown, drastically reducing connectivity to less than one percent of normal levels. The move follows weeks of restrictions on fibre optic networks, which officials justified as measures to prevent ‘vice’. Internet watchdogs described the blackout as ‘comprehensive’, warning of severe consequences for daily life, including banking, trade, and basic communication. Journalists reported losing contact with Kabul soon after the order was enacted. Provincial spokesmen confirmed that fibre optic service had already been banned in several northern and southern provinces earlier this month. While the Taliban had previously highlighted the 9,350-kilometre fibre network as a tool for economic development, the restrictions now threaten to deepen Afghanistan’s isolation and hinder essential services. Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban have increasingly enforced sweeping limitations in line with their strict interpretation of Islamic law, leaving citizens with few avenues for connection to the outside world.

Donald Trump is intensifying pressure on the EU and other nations over digital regulations and taxes which he argues unfairly target American technology companies. Threatening new tariffs and restrictions on exports, he has warned that countries with policies he deems discriminatory will face consequences unless they roll back their measures. At the heart of the dispute are the EU’s Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, designed to curb monopolistic practices and require platforms to tackle harmful content, but viewed by Washington as an attack on US firms like Google and Meta. The standoff raises tensions at a delicate stage in transatlantic trade talks, with many issues unresolved despite a preliminary agreement. Analysts caution that Europe is unlikely to reverse rules which represent long-sought goals of digital sovereignty, while Trump’s negotiating tactic is seen as ‘keep on pushing, keep on demanding: nothing is ever fully agreed upon.’

England’s chief medical officer, Sir Chris Whitty, will examine whether under-16s should be banned from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Ministers are commissioning his advice amid growing concerns over the impact of excessive smartphone use on young people’s mental health. The average British 12- to 15-year-old spends around 35 hours a week on a smartphone, raising alarms about sleep, well-being, and educational outcomes. Campaigners argue that tech companies prioritise profits over child safety, while some MPs claim the Government is moving too slowly on protections. A proposed bill sought to raise the digital age of consent to 16, making it harder for social media sites to collect children’s data. However, the Government is expected to take a softer approach, commissioning a review rather than implementing an outright ban. With Australia having already passed a ban on under-16s using social media, pressure is mounting for the UK to act. Ministers remain cautious, balancing child safety with concerns about stifling tech growth.

Christians in India are requesting urgent prayers after the spread of viral videos inciting mob violence against them on 1 March. During a massive Hindu pilgrimage, Aadesh Soni accused Christians in Chhattisgarh state of killing cows and called for vigilante action. Another religious leader urged followers: ‘Do not ask for the death penalty for cow slayers. Kill them and ask for the death penalty for yourselves. Do not wait for the law to act.’ Social media platforms and WhatsApp groups are mobilising thousands to take part in the attacks. Though Soni later claimed he is not against Christians, believers remain fearful. Police are patrolling targeted villages, and Christians are calling on local authorities to prevent the violence. Chhattisgarh has long been a hotspot for Christian persecution, with over 130 attacks recorded in 2023 alone.