The brief – Monday 26 January – House of Lords backs under 16s social ban, new CEO of TikTok US and more

🚸 The House of Lords has backed an amendment to the government’s schools bill that would ban under-16s from social media platforms in the UK. The House of Commons has indicated it would try to overturn the amendment while it holds its own consultation on a potential ban. (BBC)

📱Adam Presser has been appointed CEO of TikTok’s US spin-off. He has been working as the company’s head of operations and trust and safety. Current TikTok CEO Shou Chew will be a director of the newly formed venture. (CNBC)

📉 In a trading update, STV said group revenue is expected to be “towards the top end” of its £165m-£180m guidance range for full year 2025. Adjusting operating profit is expected around £11.4m. Total ad revenue in Q4, however, is expected to be down 10% year on year, “reflecting the continued impact of the challenging macroeconomic climate on the advertising market”. (STV)

❗Netflix is reportedly testing out vertical video feeds and short-form clips to get users to scroll in a similar way to TikTok and YouTube Shorts. This follows their recent investment in video podcasting, notably the purchase of an additional eight podcast shows, bringing its total portfolio to 50. (Sounds Profitable)

📺 Substack has launched a TV app for Apple TV and Google TV. Long-form videos and livestreams will now be accessible on the big screen at home. (Substack)