Understand the LGBTQIA+ news: Youth social media bans should raise privacy concerns for everyone, especially the LGBTQIA+ community

This week Jamie is having some well-deserved time off so I – Sophie Perry – am stepping in to bring you this week's newsletter.

Before we get to this week's queer news, a note from Jamie on the simple steps you can do to support the work taking place at QueerAF:

Week by week, QueerAF’s work is to bring you queer accountability journalism, so you can navigate the misinformation in the media. But that's just our short term goal. In the long term, we're working to change the media, by investing in a new generation of LGBTQIA+ journalists who can work in the sector and switch off the hate at its source.

This Pride month, we're asking you to take two quick actions every week, that you can do in your jammies while reading this newsletter, to help QueerAF change the media – and fuel activists all over the UK.

First up, we need you to sign up to our membership drive. Three weeks in, and we're nearly there, having made it 90% of the way towards our goal of 50 new members. But we need your help to smash that target…

Alongside supporting our Pride Month membership pledge (which comes with discounts to make it super accessible), this week we're asking you to help more people discover the QueerAF podcast.

Ratings and reviews help podcast apps recommend shows to new listeners. The more ratings we have, the more likely someone looking for LGBTQIA+ stories, history and culture will stumble across us.

So this week, we're asking you to leave us a rating or review wherever you listen. On Apple Podcasts, simply search for QueerAF, scroll down to "Ratings & Reviews" and tap the stars. If you have an extra minute, leave us a short review.

It's a tiny action, but every rating helps us reach more LGBTQIA+ people and grow independent queer media. Thank you. Now, let's get into this week's news.

Thank you.

In pride,
Jamie Wareham - QueerAF founder

Understand the LGBTQIA+ headlines and keep track of the latest queer content and perspectives. QueerAF is written by Jamie Wareham, and a different queer creative each week.

💬 This week:

• Social media ban: From spring 2027 children under the age of 16 will be banned from social media. This restriction will likely have wide-ranging impacts for everybody. We discuss.
• Queer Gaze: This week Vic Rodriguez talks about how growing up in girlhood has helped him find security in his queer, adult masculinity.
• Spotlight: Overwhelmed by the news? An upcoming event with members of the QueerAF team will show you how to use it to fight back. Join us at Camp Margate for this #IndieNewsWeek event in collaboration with Margate Pride

Skip the doomscrolling and support queer creatives instead. We are QueerAF – and so are you.

Youth social media bans should raise privacy concerns for everyone

TL;DR: The UK Government has announced a sweeping under-16s social media ban, which could have implications for privacy rights for everyone.