In the news

Real news stories from the English-speaking world, connected to the topics. When a task asks for a current example, get it here — but read the whole story before you use it.

Last updated 5 July 2026

NPR29. juni 2026

Australia to double potential fines over child social media accounts

Six months after the world-first under-16 social media ban, Australia is doubling maximum fines to nearly 100 million Australian dollars because platforms keep failing to keep teenagers out – critics say the ban itself is failing.

Slik bruker du den: The key case for the age-limit debate: use the enforcement problems as evidence when you discuss whether bans protect young people – and compare with Norway's plans.

Les hele artikkelen →

Reuters / The Detroit News28. mars 2026

AI deepfakes blur reality in 2026 U.S. midterm campaigns

AI-generated campaign ads show candidates 'saying' words their opponents scripted, with disclosure labels in near-invisible text. With no federal rules, a patchwork of state laws is all that constrains synthetic political content.

Slik bruker du den: Concrete, current evidence for analyses of fake news, deepfakes and democracy – including the 'liar's dividend' and the regulation dilemma.

Les hele artikkelen →

Smithsonian Magazine26. august 2025

Reading for pleasure has declined by a 'deeply concerning' 40 percent

A University of Florida/UCL study of 20 years of time-use data finds daily reading for pleasure down 40 percent in the US, with the steepest declines among groups with least resources – while screen time keeps rising.

Slik bruker du den: Evidence for discussions about reading, fiction and attention in the smartphone era – pair it with Matt Haig's essays or your own reading habits in a reflective text.

Les hele artikkelen →

NPR28. januar 2025

Reverse Course: Fighting the flood of ultra-fast fashion

NPR reports on ultra-fast fashion – garments designed and shipped in weeks, now up to a third of the industry – and the recyclers and regulators trying to stem the flood of textile waste.

Slik bruker du den: Use as a listening source and as evidence in the fast fashion debate: the scale of ultra-fast fashion and the systemic responses – perfect together with NDLA's Fast Fashion article.

Les hele artikkelen →

NBC News2. desember 2024

'Brain rot' is Oxford University Press' word of the year

Oxford chose 'brain rot' – the term for the effects of endless low-quality online content – as word of the year after usage rose 230 percent. A word first used by Thoreau in 1854, reborn as Gen Z internet English.

Slik bruker du den: A perfect small case for how the internet changes English: word history, netspeak, and the debate about what scrolling does to us – usable in both language and media topics.

Les hele artikkelen →