A jury trial began in the US this week and could have a tremendous impact on Meta (Facebook) and on how young people use the social media platform.

The trial stems from a lawsuit filed in 2023 by 30 US states, in which they claim that Meta violated state and federal privacy laws for children. Meta denies the allegations.

It is being claimed that the company has not done enough to protect young people on its platforms. The 30 US states are insisting that Meta should be held responsible for the consequences of its platforms.

They are requesting that Meta remove image filters that change one's appearance in photos; prohibit the creation of multiple accounts; end autoplay of video content; end disappearing or "ephemeral" posts, such as Instagram Stories, and change its "dopamine-manipulating recommendation algorithms".

I do think that governments and courts should regulate powerful technology companies. They have a huge impact on young people, which sadly is not always positive. Social media is no longer simply a place to share photographs or keep in touch. For young people, it is part of daily life, shaping what they watch, how they look at themselves, and sometimes how they behave. That influence comes with responsibility.

Last Monday, in Ireland, five teenagers died, and four other people have been seriously injured in a crash involving a car driving in the wrong direction on a motorway.

The Garda commissioner, Justin Kelly, said that "in some cases" vehicles were being driven on the wrong side of motorways for social media likes. Shockingly, some people are willing to put their own lives and the lives of others at risk simply for social media attention. The responsible use of social media and stronger regulation of reckless online behaviours have become an emergency.

The tragedy in Ireland shows the extreme consequence of chasing online approval: when the number of likes becomes more important than the value of a human life. A platform cannot be blamed for every reckless decision, but technology companies cannot ignore the way their systems can reward dangerous behaviour.

Media Trial

Jason Arday was a professor at the University of Cambridge. Recently, he faced allegations of plagiarism, which he denied. A media storm followed, and Arday was relentlessly savaged on online platforms. He faced public shame, and his whole world fell apart. Last Friday, the young professor was found dead at his home in south London. Foul play was excluded, indicating that Arday died by his own hands. The new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, called the death a "tragedy on so many levels". It indeed is. No one is suggesting that the media should refrain from doing its investigative work. Still, we should all reflect on the devastating effect of a media trial on innocent people, until proven guilty, and their mental wellbeing.

Farage unbinned

Nigel Farage, the UK Reform Leader, won the Clacton by-election. No surprises there; the major political parties had boycotted the election. His nearest competitor was a man who wore a bin on his head and went by the name Count Binface, a parody candidate. He won 26.93% of the votes, against Farage's 63.34%. Other independent candidates were on the ballot. Farage's victory is unlikely to quell growing questions over his and his party's financial affairs. A formal investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdogs into the £5m gift is expected to resume.

Aziz and Maoz

The Rest is Politics podcast this week featured Palestinian Aziz Abu Sarah and Israeli Maoz Inon. The world expects them to be enemies, yet they co-authored The Future Is Peace - A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land. An Israeli soldier killed Aziz's brother, and Hamas killed Maoz's parents in the horrifying October 7, 2023, attacks that left hundreds of Israeli civilians dead and others taken hostage.

The Israeli government reiterated its stance by literally annihilating Gaza, leaving thousands of Palestinians dead. But Aziz and Maoz realized that revenge would get them nowhere, so they joined forces and are actively pursuing peace in a troubled region that has seen decades of war, death, and misery.

They insist that they "Do not see ourselves as Palestinians and Israelis, or as Jews and Arabs, but

as human beings who believe in fostering a culture of dialogue, a culture of forgiveness, and a culture of peace. To those who see only division lines, we say: If you must divide us, let it be as those who believe in peace and equality and those who don't ... yet." Amen to that.

A bridge

Chris Fearne, Malta's Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, said that the Mediterranean should not be seen as a dividing line between a wealthier Europe and a less affluent Africa, but as a bridge connecting the two regions. He was talking to Al Jazeera. Fearne is right.

There is an ingrained perception that the Mediterranean is a dividing line between a rich Europe, and a poor African continent rather than viewed, as such be, as a bridge between both. Fearne's perspective underlines the importance of dialogue, cooperation, and shared responsibility between Europe and Africa.

$5

The world's largest fully electric aircraft, the Heart X1, has completed its first flight in New York. The aircraft was airborne for 27 minutes and reached an altitude of 335 metres during the test. This is a historic milestone for aviation and sustainable travel. According to Heart Aerospace, the cost of the electricity used during the flight amounted to around $5. Experts see this as a first step towards a major shift to flights with minimal pollution, although challenges remain in

the aircraft's further development, particularly regarding battery capacity before it can be commercially launched. But it's a game changer.

Perhaps the lesson from all these stories is that technology, politics and media need something that algorithms cannot provide: judgment. We need rules, but responsibility, compassion and a willingness to pause before we click, share, condemn or chase the next like.

Farewell, Ġorg

The news of Ġorg Mallia's passing was met with an outpouring of grief from those who knew him and from those who came to know him through his caricatures and writing. Ġorg was arguably Malta's leading cartoonist. His death came as a shock - barely two days before, he was paying tribute to Norman Hamilton, and last Sunday, The Sunday Times of Malta carried what would be his last caricature. I knew Ġorg, and during my time as Minister for Culture and the Arts, we often met. His caricatures were witty, sharp, and incisive - but never cruel. Ġorg could be your harshest critic, but he was never personal. He was, in many ways, a gentleman of the old school who could relate easily to the younger generation. He taught and mentored students at the University for many years, and he also connected with children through his books. Sadly, he's gone now - but Ġorg's legacy will remain forever. Rest well, Ġorg, u grazzi. My deepest condolences to his wife, Shirley, and his two children.