The Download: Failed Social Media Bans and Extending Pets' Lives
Plus: Insurance is the next big obstacle for AI.
By Charlotte Jee | October 16, 2026
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.
Kids Are Outsmarting Social Media Bans. That's Not a Problem We Need to Solve.
—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.