Rhea Chakraborty takes a break from social media: Missing myself a little (2026-06-16T11:26:00+05:30)

(Photo: Rhea Chakraborty/ Instagram)

Mumbai, (IANS) Actress Rhea Chakraborty has decided to take a break from social media.

In her latest social media post on Tuesday, the 'Chehre' actress confessed that she had been missing herself a little lately amidst the constant noise and scrolling.

Rhea added that she wished to reconnect with herself and live in the moment rather than simply posting her life on social media.

She wrote, "Lately, I've been missing myself a little. The constant noise, the scrolling, the keeping up - it's all started to feel heavier than I expected. I miss being present without thinking about capturing the moment. I miss quiet. I miss simply being. So, I'm taking a step back for a while - to slow down, breathe a little deeper, and reconnect with what feels real. Choosing lived moments over posted ones, for now. See you soon. (sic)"

On the professional front, Rhea will next be seen in a significant role in the show "Family Business". She will be seen working alongside Anil Kapoor, Vijay Varma, Neha Dhupia, and Dhruv Sehgal in the drama being made under the direction of Hansal Mehta.

The 'Jalebi' actress is returning to acting after a gap of 7 years with the Netflix drama.

Reflecting on her journey in Bollywood, Rhea penned on her official Instagram account, "7 years have passed since I went to set ..But I’m still the same girl who came to Bombay at 17 with a dream to be an actor. A part of me moved on, but a part of me stayed and waited. And I’m here, once again in my chapter2 It seems Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”Rhea last graced the screen back in 2021 when she was seen in Amitabh Bachchan and Emraan Hashmi's mystery thriller "Chehre". Rhea Chakraborty takes a break from social media: Missing myself a little | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com




Maldives plans social media ban for children under 16 (2026-06-16T11:25:00+05:30)

Representational Image. (IANS Photo)

Male, (IANS): Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has announced the government will ban children under 16 from accessing certain social media platforms to protect them from cyberbullying, online grooming and other digital threats, a state media outlet reported.

Speaking at a weekly press conference on Monday (local time), Muizzu said protecting children from online harm had become a major concern for parents in the Maldives and abroad, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting state media outlet PSM News.

The government would study regulations in other countries, including Australia, as it prepares the new policy, he noted.

The proposed ban would target specific applications considered risky for children, Muizzu said, adding that the government would consult relevant technology companies and work with platform owners to bring their services in line with Maldivian law.

The measure would require amendments to existing cyber safety laws, according to the president.

Muizzu said the restrictions would not hinder children's education or their ability to learn online, but would help create a safer digital environment.

The government aims to finalise the regulatory framework and introduce the ban within a year after public consultations, PSM News reported.

If implemented, the Maldives will follow Australia in banning social media for children under 16 years. Canberra had announced the ban last year.

As of January, over 4.7 million accounts belonging to children were deactivated in the first days of Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s.

Data released by the government's eSafety commissioner had revealed that social media companies removed access to around 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children under 16 in the days after the ban took effect on December 10.

The Australian government is also investigating five social media platforms for failing to comply with the country's world-first social media ban for children younger than 16.

In its first report on the social media minimum age obligation, the federal government's eSafety Commissioner said on Tuesday that it has "significant concerns" about the compliance of the social media giants, including Facebook and Instagram, with the laws that came into effect in December.Under those laws, social media companies that fail to take reasonable steps to prevent children younger than 16 from accessing their platforms face fines worth up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($33.9 million). Maldives plans social media ban for children under 16 | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com




Australia wants social media to be ‘safe by design’. What does that actually look like? (2026-06-12T12:23:00+05:30)


Australia is world-leading in taking active measures to keep people safe online – home to the world’s first dedicated online safety regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, and the first country to introduce enforceable industry codes requiring platforms to tackle harmful content at scale.

And now, a newly released federal government issues paper proposes a “digital duty of care”, which would require social media platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable online harm.

The proposal signals Australia’s position that it is platforms, not just individuals, who should be responsible for actively preventing online harms.

At the heart of the proposed digital duty of care is the principle that social media platforms should be “safe by design”.

But what does that mean in practice – especially for those who are most at risk? Our research with women and gender-diverse Australians offers six concrete recommendations for what safety by design could look like in practice.

Who bears the brunt of online abuse?

One in two Australian adults have experienced online abuse in their lifetime. Women and gender-diverse people are disproportionately targeted, experiencing harassment, non-consensual image sharing, impersonation, stalking and identity-based abuse at far higher rates than others.

Yet these groups are rarely involved in envisioning what safer platforms could look like. So, we asked them: what would safer social media look like to you?

We worked with 75 Australian women and gender-diverse social media users, and 21 experts in platform safety, digital policy and content moderation, to understand how existing safety features are falling short.

Here’s what they told us – and how it compares with the current Australian proposal for a digital duty of care.

1. Make abuse reports actually work. Abuse rarely fits a single category – without context, platforms don’t handle the reports well. A message that reads as innocuous to a stranger may be a clear threat to someone who knows their abuser. But without that context, platforms have no way of knowing.

Users want clearer processes that capture the full picture, smarter triage that prioritises urgent cases, and timely updates on what happened to their report. This fits well with what the digital duty of care proposes: platforms should have accessible complaint mechanisms and respond within 24 hours for serious issues.

2. Harmful content should be harder to share in the first place. Once someone shares intimate or sensitive content without your consent, it quickly spirals out of control. Australia’s proposal suggests platforms should prevent the upload of seriously harmful content such as image-based abuse, or detect and remove it.

Users in our research said they want prompts that encourage people to pause before sharing, technical measures that prevent screenshots or downloads, and real-time alerts showing when and where their content is being accessed.

3. Make bans harder to evade. If you block a user, they can create new accounts in minutes, facing few real barriers. The digital duty of care flags that anonymous account systems may need redesigning to prevent foreseeable harm.

As we found, users want layered verification – such as requiring a unique phone number or introducing delays before new accounts become active – that adds friction to repeat account creation, but not mandatory ID checks for everyone. This would protect those without formal ID, those escaping unsafe homes, or those who rely on anonymity to stay safe.

4. Harmful content should be caught before it spreads. Automated systems routinely miss culturally specific abuse and coded language. Content should be detectable before it is shared, and easy for bystanders – not just victims – to flag.

The users in our research recommended pairing automated detection with human moderators trained in cultural nuances, which is precisely the kind of effective content moderation system the proposed duty of care requires.

5. Recognise campaigns, not just individual posts. Abuse is often a sustained campaign, even when each message seems minor alone. The duty of care proposal requires platforms to mitigate reasonably foreseeable harms – which means looking beyond individual incidents.

Platforms should connect reports over time, identify patterns, and act before harm escalates, with independent audits to ensure these systems are never weaponised against the people they are meant to protect.

6. Surface safety tools before harm happens. Most users discover safety features only after something has gone wrong. Australia’s proposal envisions “empowering” users – but empowerment means more than adding features. It means the platform should offer the right tool at the right moment, rather than bury it in a settings menu that only the most determined users will ever find.

The real test

The proposed digital duty of care is a significant step in the right direction. But “safe by design” will only deliver if it works for everyone. As our research shows, those most affected already have clear, practical ideas about what would make platforms safer.

The opportunity now is to design with them – so safety is built in from the start.

Until the proposed digital duty of care is rolled out, it is up to all of us to look after each other. We can report harmful content, pause before we post and ask: is it true? Is it kind? Is it fair? And we can be active bystanders – commenting when we see something harmful, or offering support to those experiencing abuse.

We all have a role to play. From governments, to platforms, to everyday people – it is up to all of us to create a safe digital society, one that we can all be a part of.The Conversation

Senuri Wijenayake, Senior Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction, RMIT University; Anastasia Powell, Professor of Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University; Dana McKay, Associate Dean, Interaction, Technology and Information, RMIT University, and Madhuka Thisuri De Silva, Research Assistant, Inclusive Digital Technologies, RMIT University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.




Kids on social media more than two hours a day at higher risk of mental illness (2026-06-12T12:22:00+05:30)


As the United Kingdom and other countries make moves to follow Australia’s lead in restricting access to social media for under 16s, there is still much we don’t know about how the technology impacts young people’s mental health over time.

For example, does using social media for a certain amount of hours each day lead to increased harm? Are younger adolescents more vulnerable than older ones? Is there any difference between boys and girls?

Our new study, published today in the Medical Journal of Australia, provides some important answers to these questions. It found clear risks from heavier social media use on young people’s mental health.

Alongside this, we also undertook a recent poll of Australian parents about efforts to restrict access to social media for young people. The findings suggests the law is changing parents’ views and practices around their children’s social media use.

A debate over age

When Australia restricted access to social media for young people under 16 last December, there was considerable debate about whether 16 was the appropriate age threshold.

There were a number of longitudinal studies that examined associations between adolescent social media use and mental health. But very few had systematically investigated whether risks of social media use differed across age during adolescence.

One large 2022 study from the UK found that increases in adolescents’ social media use over time were associated with lower life satisfaction during specific age periods – 11 to 13 years of age for girls and 14 to 15 years of age for boys. It focused on life satisfaction and did not assess symptoms of mental health.

Interactive: the 5 simple tweaks to make social media less addictive

Digging deeper

Our new study aimed to dig deeper into these trends.

We used data from 1,195 students in Melbourne whom researchers have followed annually from 12 to 18 years of age.

We examined whether their social media use was related to later mental health problems, and statistically accounted for a range of individual and family factors that are known to influence both social media use and mental health. Therefore, we were able to reduce alternative explanations and strengthen confidence in our findings – even though we couldn’t prove causation.

We found that adolescents who spent more than two hours per day on social media had a higher risk of developing mental health problems one year later, compared with those using social media for less than one hour per day. The mental health problems included elevated symptoms of depression and poor wellbeing.

Importantly, the risks of social media use were not evenly experienced across adolescence.

The strongest effects consistently emerged in adolescents aged 12 to 13 for both girls and boys. The estimated risk for symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as poor wellbeing and self-harm, was roughly twice as large compared with adolescents aged 14 to 16 and those aged 17 to 18.

Overall, the estimated size of effects was modest. But in girls aged 12 to 13, more than two hours of daily social media use was associated with around 11 additional cases of high depressive symptoms per 100 adolescents.

Even small effects can become meaningful at a population level when large numbers of young people are spending more than two hours a day on social media.

Age-based restrictions alone aren’t enough

Our study cannot determine a precise age at which social media becomes “safe”. Nor should a single study inform national legislation on age-based restrictions.

However, combined with other research, our study suggests that younger adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the potential harms of social media, with the strongest effects emerging during early adolescence.

As a result, we expect that Australia’s social media law will have the greatest impact on the mental health of younger adolescents. But further research is needed to confirm this.

However, age-based restrictions alone are unlikely to eliminate all risks associated with adolescent social media use. We found evidence that some risks for mental health problems – namely elevated symptoms of depression – persisted for young people up to 18 years of age.

This highlights the need for continued supports for older adolescents.

This includes holding social media platforms accountable for algorithms and features that promote compulsive engagement and exposure to harmful content. One way to achieve this is through Australia’s proposed digital duty of care reform.

It also involves improving education on digital literacy and safety at schools and supporting parents to help young people develop healthier online habits.

Changing the norm

We also recently undertook a poll of more than 2,000 parents of 0- to 17-year-olds about the law restricting access to social media in Australia.

The survey found that 59% of parents felt the law supported them to set rules around social media use. Also, 39% of parents reported that the law has changed their view on when children should first have their social media accounts, with 16 years being the most commonly endorsed age (38%).

These findings, which are yet to be published, demonstrate that public health policies can influence what is considered appropriate or expected behaviour.

While evidence on the impacts of Australia’s social media law is still emerging, it has already influenced global discussions on adolescent social media use.

Debates about age-based social media restrictions are now occurring in many countries. And the conversation is increasingly shifting from whether social media affects young people’s mental health to when young people may be most vulnerable and how we as a society should respond.The Conversation

Nandi Vijayakumar, Research Fellow, School of Psychology, Deakin University; Susan M. Sawyer, Professor of Adolescent Health The University of Melbourne; Director, Royal Children's Hospital Centre for Adolescent Health; and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The University of Melbourne, and Sylvia C. Lin, Postdoctoral research fellow, Deakin University; Murdoch Children's Research Institute

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.




Social media has supercharged real estate marketing – and made it cheaper. But it also brings risks (2026-06-11T11:26:00+05:30)

Whether using newspaper or television ads, posters or signposts on the front lawn, the mechanism for selling a home has been the same for many decades: broadcast the message to the crowd and hope the right person finds it.

Even the rise of modern online listing platforms, such as Domain and realestate.com.au, did not change this basic approach. But social media has revolutionised the scene.

Algorithms can actively find prospective buyers based on user behaviour and serve them content, sometimes before they intend to buy a house. Social media has even allowed some home sellers to advertise properties all by themselves, and circumvent real estate agents altogether.

So, how has social media changed the real estate game? And for agents or individual sellers thinking about using it, what are some pros and cons?

Selling in the social era

In 2015, Nic Fren, a Sydney-based real estate agent, reportedly became the first Australian real estate agent to list and sell a property exclusively on Facebook. That makes the use of social media for home sales relatively new.

To advertise a house the traditional way, you have to deal with a gatekeeper. Listing on a site such as Domain or realestate.com.au is permission-based. Not only do you have to follow certain rules, it typically costs a significant amount of money.

The fees for advertising on Australia’s big real estate platforms are some of the highest in the world. Both major platforms have increased their prices significantly over the past five years.

But social media is decentralised, with no gatekeepers or major fees. Combined with the potential to reach a broader market, this makes it highly attractive to many agents and sellers.

For home sellers looking to bypass using a real estate agent entirely through so-called “for sale by owner” listings, social media can help reach a large audience at a low cost.

Agents can build a brand

Social media doesn’t just offer a new way to advertise properties. It also lets real estate agents foster personal relationships and build trust with potential clients. This is part of agents’ social capital. Instead of just selling homes, they also educate and entertain.

By doing so, many have captured more market share by building “celebrity-like” personal brands through their social media engagement with audiences. This is without having to wait until they have properties to sell.

This content can catch people’s eye even when they’re just scrolling for fun. That means if they are later looking to buy, they can feel like they already “know” a particular agent.

Amplifying exposure

There has been some international research on the impact of social media on property sales.

A study from the United States found total Facebook likes, total links posted or shared, and total Facebook stories shared were positively related to real estate sales in Orange County, California.

Most brokers are not yet replacing traditional platforms such as Domain or realestate.com.au with social media. For now, they are complementary.

Over time, however, they could gradually become competing platforms – just as Facebook Marketplace has become to eBay and Gumtree. There are reports of some homes being sold after being advertised only on social media.

On TikTok, the algorithm means you don’t need a huge following to go viral. Even small accounts can reach a huge audience.

TikTok’s demographic is typically younger. For this younger generation of consumers, social media is becoming the first point of exposure to real estate listings.

What are the risks?

Because social media decentralises marketing and removes a centralised real estate platform, some safeguards disappear. Prospective buyers may have to do more work to verify listing details and avoid property scams.

Social media may have heightened these risks of exposing buyers to misleading ads and non-existent properties.

Australians lost A$43.2 million to property scams in 2024, up from $13 million in 2021.

Fake listings and fraudulent settlement schemes (which trick buyers into transferring money to impersonated accounts) are some of the most common ways people are scammed.

Navigating AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) adds a new layer of complexity to real estate marketing. This technology is increasingly being used to generate content, such as listing descriptions.

In the US, nearly half (46%) of realtors who are members of the National Association of Realtors use AI for this purpose.

But there are ongoing concerns about how best to use it without introducing new risks to buyers. “Hallucinations” are one concern, where AI-generated descriptions may contain serious errors.

Despite its limited use, an emerging trend is the use of AI to generate hyper-realistic images for marketing. This is another major concern, as these pictures can seriously misrepresent the property. Whether this influences buyer behaviour and impacts buyers is untested territory.The Conversation

Piyush Tiwari, Professor of Property, The University of Melbourne; Godwin Kavaarpuo, Lecturer in Property, The University of Melbourne, and Samuelson Appau, Associate Professor of Marketing, Melbourne Business School

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.




Karisma Kapoor 'honoured' to be a part of a round table attended by Queen of Jordan (2026-02-27T13:42:00+05:30)

(Source Instagram)

Mumbai, (IANS) Actress Karisma Kapoor took to her social media account to share a glimpse from her recent exclusive roundtable attended by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, further describing the experience as an ‘honour and privilege’.

Karisma took to her social media account to post a group photograph from the private gathering, which saw a select group of successful women from different walks of life for a discussion on women’s empowerment, leadership.

In the picture shared by Karisma, the actress is seen dressed in a soft yellow traditional ensemble, standing alongside Queen Rania Al Abdullah.

Sharing the image, Karisma wrote, “It was an honour and privilege to be part of a private roundtable in the esteemed presence of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah alongside such inspiring women engaging in heartfelt dialogue on women’s empowerment, leadership and the future.”

She added, “Moments like these are a powerful reminder that when women come together with purpose, honesty and vision they don’t just shape conversations they help shape the future for the next generation. Grateful to have been part of something so meaningful.”

Talking about Karisma Kapoor's Bollywood journey, the actress made her Bollywood debut with “Prem Qaidi” in 1991 and went on to become one of the leading stars of the 90s era of Bollywood. She delivered several hits including “Raja Hindustani”, “Dil To Pagal Hai”, “Biwi No.1”, “Hero No.1”, “Coolie No.1”, “Saajan Chale Sasural” and “Judwaa”.

Apart from commercial projects, Karisma also earned immense critical acclaim for her powerpack performances in “Fiza”, “Zubeidaa” and “Shakti: The Power”. She had also won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for “Dil To Pagal Hai”.On the personal front, Karisma married now late businessman Sanjay Kapur in 2003, post which she took a quick sabbatical from work. The couple has two children, daughter Samaira and son Kiaan. After a decade of marriage, Karisma and Sanjay went seperate ways and were granted divorce in 2016. Karisma Kapoor 'honoured' to be a part of a round table attended by Queen of Jordan | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com




Divyanka Tripathi follows Neena Gupta, openly asks for voice-over work on social media (2026-02-11T12:15:00+05:30)

(Photo: Divyanka Tripathi/Instagram)

Mumbai, (IANS) Television superstar Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya has always proven her acting prowess with her choice of roles and projects she has always taken up. The

The actress, post ruling the roost in the acting genre, now appears ready to try her hand at voice work. The actress took to her social media account in expressing her desire to work in the voice modulation genre.

She wrote, “Hello! I'm very keen on doing voice recordings and dubbings. If you, dear industry people, have anything suitable in hand, do tell me. Looking forward to new avenues and learnings. Thanks,” with a red heart emoticon.

This is not the first time an actress has openly reached out to the industry asking for work. A few years ago, veteran star Neena Gupta too had taken to her social media account and asked for work.

She had written, “"I live in Mumbai and am working. I am a good actor, looking for good parts to play." The actor’s post had inspired many celebrities, including international star Priyanka Chopra. Her daughter and ace fashion designer Masaba Gupta had reshared the post and penned a heartfelt note for her mother.

She wrote, "Just the other day I was telling someone ... how I am never afraid/shy to ask for work. It's obviously genetic. My mother put up this post on her Instagram today. I mean, my 62-year-old national award-winning mother. She told me I must always work ... no matter what ... it keeps you from getting old ... She told me they don't write for women her age anymore ... I don't think anyone can replicate what she did for TV anymore."

Talking about Divyanka Tripathi, the actress has been a part of the entertainment industry for two decades. She debuted with the show Banoo Main Teri Dulhan in the early 2000s. Which was a superhit back then. The actress then, after a decade, yet again rose to fame with her stint on the show “Yeh Hai Mohabbatein”, which was produced by Ekta Kapoor under the banner of Balaji Telefilms.

The show featured an ensemble cast including Divyanka, Karan Patel, Ruhanika Dhawan, Anita Hassanandani and Aditi Bhatia. The initial storyline was adapted from Manju Kapur’s 2011 novel “Custody”.

The story revolved around the lives of dentist Ishita Iyer and Punjabi businessman Raman Bhalla, who live in Delhi as neighbours. Ishita, who is unable to conceive, faces difficulties in finding a suitable match, while Raman is seen navigating his life as a divorcee and a single parent to his 4-year-old daughter, Ruhi.Their worlds intertwine when Ruhi and Ishita develop a beautiful bond of warmth and love, further leading to Raman’s marriage with Ishita just for the sake of Ruhi. Divyanka Tripathi follows Neena Gupta, openly asks for voice-over work on social media | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com




How to maintain authentic friendships in the social media world? (2026-01-30T13:22:00+05:30)

IANS Photo

New Delhi, (IANSlife) Building a friendship is no less than forming any kind of relationship. While many meet soulmates through friends, there are also people out there who struggle to find genuine friends. Especially in the world of social media, in many instances we come across the 'friends for benefits' kind of relationship.

Not everyone that comes into our life has good intentions, but hey! it is also how we turn the table. This Friendship Day, let’s find out how your favourite personalities from the internet are dealing on maintaining authentic friendships in the social media world.

Palak Rathi, Gen Z Finance Content Creator, "Do you know what’s the best thing about social media? Accessibility. Accessibility to literally anyone and everyone. It’s up to us how we use that accessibility - to just network or to actually build meaningful relationships beyond networking. Don’t connect with people only when you need a favour or there’s some work to be discussed but rather keep talking to them once in a while, check on them, appreciate them, celebrate their small victories by maybe reacting to a story or sending them a sweet message or calling them up to congratulate them. While staying connected online is great, whenever and wherever possible - try to meet them in person. Make efforts. Look and build real friendships.

And most importantly - stay genuine and don’t try to be someone who you’re not. Because only then you’ll be able to find people who you can really connect with on a deeper level rather than just likes and comments on the surface level. Talk about your interests, your likings, your struggles (trauma bonding is a thing, haha), your goals - just be yourself and you’ll be surprised to see how it will lead to the start of some extremely meaningful conversations and lifelong friendships. Engage with people whose interests align with you or should I say whose “vibe” matches with you. That will help you make friends and not just connections."

Adete Dahiya, Gen Z Lifestyle Content Creator, "Whenever we talk about the impact of social media, romantic relationships often take precedence over anything else. But its impact on friendships and other interpersonal relationships is even more profound. Social media has made it so easy to stay in touch with friends and make new ones online - you can just like their photos on Instagram or react with an emoji to their stories, or just drop a short comment on their latest post and you’re done. But the flip side is that it has made it much harder to maintain meaningful connections and bonds. A few things you can do to counteract this is to schedule regular call times with your friends. It is essential to check in, speak to them face to face and get a deeper understanding of what is happening in each others’ lives. If you live in the same city, make it a priority to meet weekly. The key is not to become lazy because of social media but to use it to deepen your connection."

Reshi Magada, Gen Z Finance Content Creator, "Maintaining meaningful friendships as a Gen Z individual navigating the social media environment needs a balance of virtual relationships and in-person connections. To begin, I value honest communication by being open about my views, feelings, and experiences. Sharing both highs and lows helps friends understand each other better.

Second, I try to engage in real conversations that go beyond likes and comments. I send individual notes, check about their well-being, and show real interest in their life. In this way, I display that I value and care for my friends.

Third, I maintain digital boundaries. To keep my friendships from being superficial, I restrict my screen time and prevent idle scrolling. Instead, I invest in face-to-face interactions and meaningful time spent together, which strengthens the bond.

Finally, keep in mind that social media is a highlight reel, and comparison may stunt true friendships. I create a healthy climate for genuine friendships to grow by appreciating my friends' wins without feeling envious. Through these methods, I am able to form and retain genuine friendships in the ever-changing social media world."

Caslynn Qusay Naha, Gen Z Finance Content Creator, "Maintaining authentic friendships in the social media world is crucial as we navigate the digital age. It's essential to remember that the principles that apply to real-life friendships can also be applied to our online connections.

First and foremost, authenticity is key. Just like in face-to-face interactions, being genuine and true to yourself fosters trust and openness. Share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences honestly, and encourage your friends to do the same.

Taking the time to actively communicate and stay connected with your friends is vital. Initiate conversations, respond to messages, and participate in online discussions. By showing interest in their lives and making an effort to stay connected, you demonstrate that you value friendship.

Remember, it's not about the number of friends you have, but the quality of the relationships you build. Be present for your friends, celebrate their successes, offer support in their struggles, and be a positive influence in their lives.

So, maintaining authentic friendships in the social media world is all about being genuine, avoiding comparison, actively communicating, and valuing the quality of your connections over quantity."




Britney Spears returns to Instagram, talks about 'boundaries' (2025-12-24T12:45:00+05:30)

(Photo: Britney Spears/Instagram) IANS

Los Angeles, (IANS) Popstar Britney Spears has made a comeback on social media weeks after appearing to deactivate her account amid a spat with her ex-spouse Kevin Federline.

After a string of erratic posts and a public clash with her former husband, Kevin Federline, the 43-year-old singer appeared to deactivate her account earlier on November 2, with her page showing a message that it “may have been removed”.

Returning to Instagram, the Toxic hitmaker reflected on her "crazy" year and encouraged her followers to build "boundaries,” reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Alongside a screenshot of one of her videos in a racy ensemble, she wrote: “So much has happened this year, it’s crazy … I try to live within my means and the book, ‘Draw the Circle’ is an incredible perspective.

“Get your ballerina, circle, and own your boundaries. It’s incredibly strict and somewhat of a form of prayer but with so many endless possibilities in life, it’s important to do you and keep it simple. I know there is a confusing side too. The devil is in the details but we can get to that later (sic)"

Fans have shown concern since the singer shared clips of herself dancing with visible bruises on her arms and cryptic captions about her sons, Sean Preston, 20, and Jayden James, 19.

In one post, Spears appeared in a plunging pink swimsuit and knee-high black boots, posing in front of a mirror in her Los Angeles home. The background showed piles of clothes on the floor, prompting renewed discussion about her wellbeing.

In another clip last month, she revealed a “horrible” leg injury, explaining she had “fell down the stairs” and her leg “snaps out now and then”.

She said: “Not sure if it’s broken but for now it’s snapped in!!! Thank u god.”Britney captioned the same video with a message referencing her faith and her children, saying: “My boys had to leave and go back to Maui… this is the way I express myself and pray through art… father who art in heaven… I’m not here for concern or pity, I just want to be a good woman and be better… and I do have wonderful support, so have a brilliant day !!!” Britney Spears returns to Instagram, talks about 'boundaries' | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com




The social media ban is just the start of Australia’s forthcoming restrictions – and teens have legitimate concerns (2025-12-22T12:39:00+05:30)

Giselle Woodley, Edith Cowan University and Paul Haskell-Dowland, Edith Cowan University

There has been massive global interest in the new social media legislation introduced in Australia aimed at protecting children from the dangers of doom‑scrolling and mental‑health risks potentially posed by these platforms during their developmental years

The platforms’ methods so far for verifying young people’s ages have shown mixed effectiveness.

The Australian Christmas period may be interrupted with cries of “I’m so bored without Insta”, but the Australian government is not done yet. New measures are scheduled to come into force before the new year, which will include further restrictions on content deemed age-inappropriate across a range of internet services.

What are the new restrictions?

While families grapple with the social media ban, Australia is about to dial up the volume on increased measures to further regulate the internet through the impending industry codes. These will eventually be implemented across services including search engines, social media messaging services, online games, app distributors, equipment manufacturers and suppliers (smartphones, tablets and so on) and AI chatbots and companions.

Over the Christmas break we’ll start to see hosting services (and ISPs/search engines) that deliver sexual content including pornography, alongside material categorised as promoting eating disorders and self-harm, start to impose various restrictions, including increased age checks.

However, there are concerns the codes may result in overreach, affecting marginalised communities and limiting young people’s access to educational material. After all, big tech doesn’t have a great track record, particularly in terms of sexual health material and associated educational content.

How will it work?

From December 27 (with some measures coming in later), sites delivering content that fall under the new industry codes will be required to implement “appropriate age assurance”. How they will do this is largely left to the providers to decide.

Age checks will likely be administered across the internet through various age-assurance and age-verification processes to limit young people’s access.

While much of the media coverage has focused on the social media ban, the industry codes have been much quieter, and arguably more difficult to understand. Discussion has focused on the impact and extent of the code with little focus on the very people that the changes are designed to impact: young people.

The quiet voices

Our new research explores the view of Australia’s teens on various age-verification and age-assurance measures – views that don’t appear to have been fully taken into consideration by policymakers.

Teens believe governments and industry should be “doing more” to make online spaces safer, but are sceptical about age verification measures. Unsurprisingly, consistent with other research, teens confess they will find ways around the ban, such as the use of VPNs, borrowed ID or using images of adults to overcome age verification and assurance measures. Biometric measures such as facial identification have also shown concerning racial, gender and age bias.

Miles, 16, told us:

There are nifty little ways around it. […] I think that’s one thing that all kids have, [a] knack to kind of — there’s a little thing, “oh I can get ‘round it, it’s a bit of fun”[…] There will be loopholes that people will find, there’ll be younger generations finding little knickknacks [VPNs] there’ll be ways around.

Much like adults, teens held concerns around the privacy and security implications of age verification.

Some measures require personal data to be either validated or processed by third-party companies, potentially outside Australia. Users are expected to trust such companies despite data being a highly valuable commodity in the modern age.

Previous research has indicated scepticism around the safety of allowing third parties to host such personal data. This raises justified security and privacy concerns for all Australian users – especially following the recent Discord data leak that disclosed photos used for age verification of Australian account holders.

Even research by the office of the eSafety commissioner itself indicates teens are tech-savvy and likely to bypass restrictions.

In the United Kingdom (where on the day of implementation, one VPN platform saw a 1,400% surge in uptake, minors are now using unstable free VPNs to overcome Ofcom’s age-assurance measures to access blocked pornographic content. While functional for the end-user, their use leaves them susceptible to sensitive personal data leaks and phishing, further compromising their safety.

Such concerns are exacerbated by uncertainty over the kind of data being captured by third parties and government bodies, (particularly if digital ID or temporary digital tokens are to be used as a measure in future). For teens, this possibility was of particular concern when considering access to online sexual content as the new rules come into force. As Miles told us:

What you’re consuming I think is a little bit too far. I think there are certain limits and prying into people’s personal sexual lives is a little bit too far [capturing] personal sexual interests and viewings.

Teens note that by restricting access to content, the government may actually be making the desire to access content more enticing too. Some may even see it as a challenge to find ways around the restrictions. Tiffany, 16, told us:

[I] don’t know if they [restrictions] actually work that much ‘cause I feel like where people lock something or disallow something it makes [them] want to look at it more, and see it more, so I feel it’s more incentive.

More relevant measures than age

Interestingly, some teens suggest that maturity would be a better measure of emotional and cognitive readiness for content than age. Tiffany put it this way:

[because] some people, they could be 13 or 14, and they could act much older than they are, and have an intellectual level much higher than their age, and then some people could be that same age, but their intellectual level is much younger. So, there’s a big variation in people’s personalities and their lives and how they think.

However, they conceded this would be very difficult to measure.

Teens were supportive of protections for younger children consistent with New Zealand research. Levi (pre-teen) said:

There’s probably a certain age that’s too young to see certain things like violence or sexually explicit content like pornography.

However, they also argue that for older teens there may be benefit to accessing both sexual content and social media for educational purposes, particularly for sexual information.

Teens argue that independence and autonomy is key in these crucial years of development as emerging adults. Tiffany said

[Teens] can’t really be their own person if somebody doesn’t have trust in them and let them have their own independence. It’s a necessity for somebody to be able to grow into their own person.

Many participants stressed they are able to self-regulate. Arguably, teens will inevitably access content, whether it be social media or sexual content online, and benefit from chances to build these skills.

What lessons need to be learned?

Such measures often overlook young people’s fundamental rights, including their sexual rights, and policymakers need to consider the views of young people themselves. Until recently, these views have been strikingly absent from these debates but represent valuable contributions that should be appropriately considered and integrated into future plans.

Findings indicate there is a growing need to separate older teens from children in policy. Teens also overwhemingly recognised education (including digital literacy and lessons relating to sexual health and behaviours) in offline and online spaces as powerful tools – that should not be withheld or restricted unnecessarily.The Conversation

Giselle Woodley, Lecturer and Research Fellow, Edith Cowan University and Paul Haskell-Dowland, Professor of Cyber Security Practice, Edith Cowan University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.




Esha Deol says 'still grieving' as she expresses her desire to take a break from social media (2025-12-20T12:29:00+05:30)

Photo: Esha Deol/ Instagram) IANS

Mumbai, December 19 (IANS) Actress Esha Deol, who is still grieving the loss of her beloved father and legendary actor Dharmendra, has expressed her wish to take a break from social media for some time.

The 'Dhoom' actress revealed that due to the unfortunate circumstances, she had been keeping her work commitments on hold for some time; however, she intends to post all of them in the near future.

Taking to the Stories section of her Instagram handle, Esha wrote, "I had kept a few work commitments on hold for a long time which I would be posting & sharing with you all now in the coming days. (sic)."

Reiterating that this is indeed a very difficult time for her as a daughter and she is still grieving the loss of her 'precious' father, Esha added, "Please understand me as a human & most importantly as a daughter who is still grieving the loss of her most loving precious father. A loss I would never get over."

The 'Yuva' actress said that if she could have her way, she would love to go on a social media break, but the nature of her work does not allow her to do so.

Esha expressed, "If I had things my way I would wish to not be on this platform for sometime and just take a break. But I can't do that. So try & be kind and understanding. Thank you for the love & support always... love you all."

Earlier, remembering dad Dharmendra on his 90th birthday on December 8, Esha promised to continue his legacy with 'pride & respect'.

Her emotional post read, "I so painfully miss you papa … your warm protective hugs that felt like the cosiest blanket , holding your soft yet strong hands which had unspoken messages & your voice calling out my name that followed with endless conversations , laughter & shayaris . Your motto “ always be humble , be happy, healthy & strong.""I promise to continue your legacy with pride & respect .And I will try my best to spread your love to the millions who love you as I do. I love you papa", she concluded the note, signing off as “Your darling daughter, Your Esha, your Bittu.” Esha Deol says 'still grieving' as she expresses her desire to take a break from social media | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com