'Social media firms hit back' and 'Arson attack on Starmer linked to Russia'

3 hours ago

News image — Several of Tuesday's papers lead on Sir Keir Starmer's plan to ban social media for under-16s, which was announced on Monday. The Guardian says social media firms have "hit back" at the prime minister, noting that Facebook and Instagram owner Meta, YouTube and Snapchat are among those criticising the move

The headline on the front page of the Guardian reads: “Social media firms hit back as PM vows to ban under-16s”. — Several of Tuesday's papers lead on Sir Keir Starmer's plan to ban social media for under-16s, which was announced on Monday. The Guardian says social media firms have "hit back" at the prime minister, noting that Facebook and Instagram owner Meta, YouTube and Snapchat are among those criticising the move

The headline on the front page of the Times reads: “Age checks on phones to access social media”. — The Times looks at some of the specifics, reporting that children will be barred from "livestreaming", while the government is considering a ban on "infinite scrolling and a curfew on night-time use" for 16 and 17-year-olds. The paper adds that ministers have "insisted" enforcement will be tougher in the UK than in Australia, where it reports "the majority of children" are still accessing banned apps

The headline on the front page of the Daily Telegraph reads: “Starmer's social media ban 'a rush job'”. — "Starmer's social media ban 'a rush job'" reads the headline of the Daily Telegraph. It is pointing to criticism being levelled at the prime minister by online safety campaigners and political opponents. The paper says officials are "concerned" the government has put itself at risk of legal challenge due to the speed at which the policy was drawn up, adding civil servants had just three weeks to analyse "the biggest public response to a consultation for more than a decade"

The headline on the front page of the Metro reads: “PM: My ban will keep our kids safe”. — Similarly, the Metro says Sir Keir has won "praise and condemnation" for the proposal, which it describes as a "social media revolution". Its headline is a quote from the prime minister: "My ban will keep our kids safe"

The headline on the front page of the i Paper reads: “Plot to burn down Starmer's home linked to Russian mastermind”. — Meanwhile, the i leads on the "plot to burn down Starmer's home", which it says is "linked to Russian mastermind". It comes after two men were found guilty of conspiring to carry out arson attacks on property and a car connected to the prime minister

The headline on the front page of the Independent reads: “Arson attack on Starmer linked to Russia”. — The arson attacks in May 2025 also lead the Independent. The paper reports that the two men - Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Stanislav Carpiuc, 27 - were recruited by a Russian-speaking person known on Telegram as "El Money", who used them as "criminal proxies"

The headline on the front page of the Financial Times reads: “Arson attacks on Starmer properties were run by pro-Kremlin hacktivists”. — The Financial Times leads on its own investigation into the arson attacks. Lower down the front page, the paper reports on "stocks surging" as "an agreement between Iran and the US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz raised hopes for an end to the energy crisis" triggered by the US-Israel war with Iran

The headline on the front page of the Daily Express reads: “Our hope has been restored”. — Campaigners for the assisted dying bill are pictured on the front page of the Daily Express, under the headline: "Our hope has been restored". Labour MP Lauren Edwards is launching a fresh attempt at legalising assisted dying in England and Wales, after the previous iteration of the bill failed to pass through the House of Lords earlier this year

The headline on the front page of the Mirror reads: “In their name”. — Tuesday's edition of the Daily Mirror marks 10 years since Labour MP Jo Cox was killed by. The paper uses the anniversary to launch a campaign called "Britain Talks", which it hopes will "help heal divisions in our society"

The headline on the front page of the Daily Mail reads: “The eight missed chances to save baby Preston from evil adoptive fathers”. — The Daily Mail reports on what it calls "the eight missed chances to save baby Preston", after a teacher was found guilty of sexually abusing and murdering the 13-month-old baby boy he adopted with his partner. The paper reports that over four months, the pair "physically, psychologically and sexually assaulted the child"

The headline on the front page of the Sun reads: “Betrayed”. — Preston Davey is also pictured on the front page of the Sun. "Betrayed" declared the paper's headline, saying the child had been "failed by the system"

The headline on the front page of the Daily Star reads: “Clean sheets”. — Meanwhile the Daily Star reports on England's upcoming World Cup campaign. It reports that the partners of England's footballers "can't stay overnight with players" and have their "own HQ 1,400 miles away"

According to the Guardian, allies of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer say the social media ban he announced yesterday for under-16s will form part of his "political legacy" if he's ousted.

The Daily Telegraph says online safety campaigners have called the policy a "rush job" and there's "criticism over how it will actually work".

The Times says Apple and Google, which run the operating systems of many smartphones, could be "forced to carry out age checks", while the Financial Times reports that officials are looking at how to stop young people from using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to get round the restrictions.

The Independent reports on the two men found guilty of conspiring to carry out arson attacks on property connected to the prime minister. It says that the men - Roman Lavrynovych, 22, and Stanislav Carpiuc, 27 - were recruited by a Russian-speaking person known on Telegram as "El Money", who used them as "criminal proxies".

Elsewhere, the i Paper's coverage of the G7 summit in France notes that Sir Keir and US President Donald Trump have met in person for the first time since the prime minister refused to join the president's war against Iran.

The paper says he will be keen to avoid "any fresh clash" with Trump. It also points out this could be one of the prime minister's last appearances on the international stage - as the threat of a leadership challenge looms.

Several papers lead on the murder and abuse of 13-month-old Preston Davey. The Daily Mail asks whether "political correctness" played a role in the failure to stop the men who adopted him. "Betrayed" is the Sun's headline.

The Daily Mirror devotes its front page to the murdered MPs Jo Cox and Sir David Amess. On the 10th anniversary of Cox's killing, the paper says their "shattered families" have united to call for a return to "decency and civility".

The Daily Express focuses on the fresh attempt to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. The family of Dame Esther Rantzen - who has stage four cancer and has long campaigned in favour of assisted dying - say they're "delighted" that proposals will be put to Parliament again, after the last bill stalled in the House of Lords.

Meanwhile, the Daily Star says the partners of the England football team have set up base in Miami for the men's World Cup in the US - 1400 miles away from the Three Lion's HQ in Kansas City. The paper says "sleepovers" have been "outlawed".

'Social media firms hit back' and 'Arson attack on Starmer linked to Russia'

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