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OVER one million people watched as Brittany Miller made the perfect roast potato over the weekend – for her perfect twins in her perfect home with her perfect smile.

But behind the 29-year-old influencer’s flawless façade lies a sinister web of lies which saw her fake cancer and con her followers. Now, for the first time we reveal the truth behind her shock scam – and why she’ll stop at nothing to achieve fame.

In 2017, Brittany was an unknown 21-year-old living in Oxfordshire, with dreams of becoming the next big social media influencer. Her small online community were then left shocked when she claimed to have been diagnosed with stage three gastric cancer. 

Her friends rallied around her – a crowdfunding page was set up to help support her financially and interest around her started growing.

But then just as fast as her cancer news started spreading – it then disappeared and wasn’t mentioned again. No trace of her extraordinary lie could be found online. 

It wasn’t until 2020 when Brittany collaborated with a breast cancer awareness charity that her former best friend decided to speak out – revealing the whole thing had been a scam. 

Brittany lied to us all – not just her friends but also her followers online

Former friend

The police have confirmed to The Sun that Brittany was indeed convicted of her crime – fraud by false representation.

In July 2020, she was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and was forced to pay compensation and costs to the Crown Prosecution Service. 

Her criminal record will no longer show up on basic checks, which has left her victims furious. 

Speaking anonymously, a former pal revealed that Brittany had in fact been the one to set up the JustGiving page and had begged her friends to circulate it for her.

They told us: “Brittany lied to us all – not just her friends but also her followers online. 

“Now people are following her and they have no idea what she is really like.

“Yes it happened years ago but lying about cancer is really wrong. Lots of her followers will have family members living with cancer but little do they know that every time they watch one of her videos, they are giving money to a fraud.”

MAKING CASH AND FALLING OUT

Indeed, Brittany has built herself a successful online career. Her videos are mostly her dishing up huge meals, making home comfort food or showing hauls from Temu or Shein.

It might not be groundbreaking stuff but she has 3.5 million people following her on TikTok.

Her boyfriend, Ash Griffiths, regularly features in her clips and in July last year she gave birth to identical twins, Elijah and Emiliano, who have also become a big part of her content. 

The couple recently moved into a plush new home in East Sussex, thanks to the proceeds from Brittany’s TikTok account.

Looking back, another friend recalled how Brittany would tell her she was in hospital, having treatment, including radiotherapy and would guilt trip her when she wasn’t available to hang out with her.

Things came to a head when the pal accused Brittany of stealing money from her grandma.

In messages seen by The Sun, someone appearing to be Brittany admits to taking the cash but blames it on the strong medication she was taking. The pair fell out shortly after. 

In the weeks and months after Brittany’s crime was revealed, there has been a lot of online speculation but she has never addressed what happened. 

The former pal told us: “Brittany has done what she can to erase her history and will delete any comments referencing it.

“It’s pretty scary to think she was happy to lie about cancer and makes you wonder just how far she will go to be super successful.

“This isn’t about getting revenge on her, it’s about people knowing the truth, which they deserve.”

PAST MISTAKES AND PRESENT ISSUES

The cancer scam wasn’t the only time Brittany has been caught telling lies.

In 2018, she was convicted of travelling on the railway without having paid the fare. She gave the officer of the railway company a fake name and address. She was fined £320. 

In recent months, Brittany’s parenting has also come under question and  she revealed how an anonymous hater had accused her of child abuse.

Ash, who is the father of their twins, was even quizzed on her being an alcoholic and a “druggy.”

I’m in the spotlight, I get millions of views every video, I get it, there’s nasty people out there

Brittany on her fame

Unlike in the past, Brittany decided to be very open about what had been going on and, in an emotional video, she acknowledged that someone reported her to social services, not only accusing her of child abuse, but holding her responsible for “lots of things”.

She confirmed that she “got questioned about everything” and was “really upset” when she spoke to them on the phone, so much so that she “kept having to pause” because she was crying so much.

No further action was taken but the whole incident left Brittany shaken up. 

She said at the time: “People are so desperate for my downfall and bringing me down, but bringing my children into it is ludicrous – why would you want to do that to them, innocent babies?

“Do what you want to me, whatever, but to them, innocent children who are clearly very happy and healthy babies, that’s crazy, you’re an actual weirdo, you’re an actual loser.”

Brittany added:  “Never in a million years did I think I’d have to go through something like this – obviously, I’m in the spotlight, I get millions of views every video, I get it, there’s nasty people out there, I understand that. 

“I just think, how cruel can you actually be? So, so cruel.”

It’s not just Brittany who has been left shaken up by it all – her former friends now fear they will be targeted by trolls accusing them of spreading lies to social services.

An insider said: “It feels like trouble follows Brittany. She might have this perfect life on social media but it’s not the truth. This drama with social services won’t be the last she’s involved in. But she’s built up an incredible following now – and they will support her, no matter what.”

Brittany has been contacted for comment.

Nov. 4 (UPI) — Federal prosecutors have charged a suburban Chicago man with a history of making threats online for allegedly calling for the execution of President Donald Trump.

Trent Schneider, 57, of Winthrop Harbor, Ill., was arrested Monday morning and was to make his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert in Chicago that afternoon, the Justice Department said in a statement.

The criminal complaint, filed Friday, states the alleged threats were made against the president in posts to the Instagram account truthreaper888, which prosecutors allege was run by Schneider.

According to the court document, Schneider allegedly made threats in an expletive-laden video posted, stating that he was going to “get some guns” and “take care of business myself.”

“I’m tired of all you [expletive] frauds. People need to [expletive] die and people are going to die. [Expletive] all of you, especially you Trump. You should be executed.”

The video was posted to the account 18 times between Oct. 16 and Oct. 21.

Prosecutors also allege that between Sept. 26 and Oct. 21, an illustration of Trump behind a prohibition sign was published to the account 20 times. The picture was accompanied by the caption: “THIS IS NOT A THREAT!!! AFTER LOSING EVERYTHING and My House Auction is 11.04.2025”

“Donald Trump SHOULD BE EXECUTED!!! She cares NOTHING ABOUT YOU or ME!!!”

A concerned citizen in Florida had tipped off authorities to the post after seeing it online, according to the complaint.

The court document states that Schneider is in a pending foreclosure action, with a foreclosure auction scheduled for Monday.

This is not the first time that Schneider has been investigated over online comments.

In 2022, he allegedly posted multiple violent messages about public officials on various social media accounts, and was arrested that December after allegedly making threats to “shoot up” a T-Mobile store.

In March 2023, he was found unfit to stand trial on the related charges.

Trump is a survivor of an assassination attempt on July 13, 2024, when a bullet fired from a would-be assassin grazed his ear while he was campaigning in Pennsylvania as the Republican nominee for president.

THE wild moment when Geri Halliwell and Kylie Minogue locked lips during a TV appearance has resurfaced.

The Aussie pop star and former Spice Girl — whose last name is now Horner — appeared on the iconic TFI Friday show in 1999.

Hosted by Chris Evans, TFI Friday was a huge TV hit in the late 90s thanks to its mixture of music, stars and entertainment.

It was never short of unexpected moments, including the famous snog between Kylie and Ginger Spice.

A clip showing their kiss was shared to Instagram and showed how the pair were sitting opposite each other at a table before embarking on an intense arm wrestle.

As the pair battled it out, they began leaning in closer to each other and ultimately locked lips.

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They then laughed and sat back before coming in together for a quick embrace.

“Back in ’99, pop royalty collided on TFI Friday when Geri Halliwell and Kylie Minogue shared a surprise kiss on live TV,” wrote the 90s TV Legacy Instagram account on the post.

Many people reacted to the video, including TV producer Nathan Eastwood, who was working on TFI Friday at the time.

“I had the job of asking Kylie to do the arm wrestle. She was so lovely, just said of course. The kiss wasn’t planned,” he wrote in the comments.

Other people who remembered the moment happening as they watched live also shared their thoughts.

“Watched it live, classic TV,” commented one person.

Another added: “I remember thinking ‘this is the best day of my life’ watching that as a kid.”

And a third wrote: “Late 90s early 00s was peak humanity and I will not be told any different.”

Kylie herself opened up about the kiss in 2012 when chatting to media outlet, Pride Source.

“That’s true, I hadn’t thought about that… We never discussed it – the kissing or anything. It just all happened,” she said.

Strictly Come Dancing fans have reacted to news of the latest elimination after a spoiler leaked online following an eventful Halloween Week on the BBC competition

Strictly Come Dancing fans have been left ‘heartbroken’ after a spoiler revealed who has been eliminated from the BBC dance competition. Fans will know that the results show traditionally airs on Sundays but is pre-recorded immediately after the live show on a Saturday evening, and news is often leaked online.

This time around, it was Halloween Week on Strictly, and it was eventful from start to finish. With judges Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse all dressed up in spectacular spooky gear, and the contestants all embodying creepy and kooky personas for the evening, it was Emmerdale’s Lewis Cope who topped the leader board with a perfect score of 40, a first for this series.

Vicky Pattison burst into tears after Motsi predicted she would make it all the way to the final, and fans also started demanding that La Voix be made the new host after he momentarily stood in for Tess Daly.

READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing LIVE: First 40 of the series, standing ovations and ‘horny’ dancesREAD MORE: Strictly’s Vicky Pattison bursts into tears after shock comment live on air

Just before the result was confirmed, rumours had already started to swirl and one fan wrote: “Genuinely worried this will come true again. Why are my faves always in danger?” Another said: “ffs I hope this is wrong,” and one fan admitted: “I ain’t sleeping until that spoiler drops, I’m on EDGE”

Another admitted: “got strictly spoiled for me last week bc someone updated the wikipedia page by like midnight based on the leaked spoiler while me and my sister were in depth examining the judges evil scoring HOWEVER this week im looking intentionally bc im getting nervous.”

A fourth fan said: “I wish there was a poll on X where we can see a live accurate version of what the votes look like cause waiting for the strictly spoiler poll is painful.”

At the end of Saturday’s show, it was revealed that Shirley would have the deciding vote when it came to deciding who would survive the dreaded dance off.

While the Mirror have decided not to leak the spoiler, fans have already been reacting online to the leaked elimination news. One simply wrote: “Noooooo,” and left a sad emoji and a broken heart with their tweet.

Another said: “the strictly spoiler. omg,” whilst a third admitted: “I had a feeling this was going to be the result. Devastated for the parson who left but it was the correct result sadly. Heartbroken for the other person too but I hope this means they’ll come back fighting next week.”

Last week, footballer Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley were sent home following a tense dance-off with musical theatre star Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin.

Speaking after the elimination, Jimmy said he never expected to enjoy the show so much. “I can only say thank you very much for letting me have this experience and to my daughters for pushing me to come here and do this.

“I never expected that I would enjoy it this much. The people behind the scenes, from the wardrobe people to the hairdressers to the make-up people, are absolutely magnificent – thank you very much.

“This experience is going to live with me forever. Most importantly, [to Lauren] this girl, she is just absolutely incredible. She has been absolutely amazing with me. You are a diamond,” he told Lauren.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

The square root of absolutely nothing happens in each episode, but I’m still watching every week!

A lavish sci-fi series with characters so bad you find yourself rooting for the evil aliens plotting to conquer Earth, Apple TV’s Invasion is the latest show that outstays its welcome after some early success.The first series was held together by a group of child actors, the second was held together by stunning visuals, but the third season is held together by… nothing at all.

At best, Apple TV’s Invasion is a victim of its own success and has been drawn out for one or two seasons too long. With an undeserved 6.2/10 on IMDB, it’s absolutely not worth your time – but for me, it is too late.

The third season boasts the usual high production values you get from an Apple series, but the script is abysmal (featuring timeless quips like the age-old “In English, please?!”) as it follows the violent spikey black aliens who, out of nowhere, have re-launched their invasion on Earth.

I have recently found solace in a community on Reddit dedicated to trashing the programme. One person wrote: “Every single episode makes me wonder, ‘Did I fall asleep watching the last episode and miss something? Did I accidentally skip an episode?’”

I agree with them. But sifting through the exasperated posts, it seems we have more than our hatred in common. We all, like a dog with a bone, return each and every Friday for another hit of this endlessly disappointing series.

Another wrote: “The season is almost over and nothing has happened yet. We saw one clear alien with a wounded leg, who seemed to be about as aggressive as a stoned jellyfish, and three hunter killers in a hole in the ground.

“I think it’s safe to say that this isn’t a sci-fi as much as it is an unfunny sitcom with annoying characters who are always whining about the invisible aliens winning a war.” Very true.

I think the reason for our slot-machine addiction to Invasion is the promise of the first season. That was almost entirely down to the young acting prowess of Billy Barratt (Caspar Morrow), India Brown (Jamila Huston) and Paddy Holland (Monty Cuttermill). We see them overcome school bully and victim dynamics, traverse the English Channel and unlock communication with the terrifying morphing alien beasts.

The sparkly performances from all three casts a Goonies-like magic on the plot and has you gunning for the humans – unlike some of the other characters who make you wonder if it’s actually time for an alien takeover.

Huston’s performance is certainly an anchor in the third season, but she is outnumbered by griege special effects and gaping plotholes, while the loss of her schoolmates is palpable. I am convinced that some distant promise of a reunion of the young stars is what is keeping us locked in.

One Redditor wrote of Barratt’s unexplained absence in the third season: “My guess is they have left it open for him to come back. I hope he does. But, with the quality of the show in decline, the actor may decide he doesn’t want to, especially if he is getting other offers.

“With the poor quality of script writing and character development, I can’t imagine it’s a very rewarding acting experience for the cast.”

For now, we are left with an indistinguishably twisty plotline that follows some of the most annoying characters on screen, even though I will be tuning in for every single episode and beyond!

New data has shed light on the alarming rise of “anti-LGBTQIA+ targeted hate and rhetoric.”

On 20 October, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) released a new report offering a five-year overview of the online and offline anti-LGBTQIA+ landscape.

“This Dispatch provides an overview of anti-LGBTQ+ mobilisation and how it is exacerbated by tech platforms,” researchers Guy Fiennes and Paula-Charlotte Matlach wrote.

“It incorporates activity which meets ISD’s definition of targeted anti-LGBTQ+ hate (‘activity which seeks to dehumanise, demonise, harass, threaten or incite violence against an individual or community based on their LGBTQ+ identity’), as well as activity which discriminates against LGBTQ+ people (and those perceived to be LGBTQ+), and which erases LGBTQ+ voices or rolls back LGBTQIA+ rights.”

Divided into two parts, the first half of the study presents statistics from various organisations highlighting the offline hate LGBTQIA+ people have faced across the US, UK and wider Europe.

In the US, more than 20 per cent of hate crimes recorded were motivated by anti-LGBTQIA+ bias for the third consecutive year, according to FBI crime data released in August 2025.

NGO GLAAD reported 918 anti-LGBTQIA+ incidents across the US in 2024, including seven fatalities and 140 bomb threats. Among those incidents, 48 per cent of victims were trans, non-binary or gender-nonconforming individuals.

The ISD report also included data from the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute, which found that LGBTQIA+ people are five times more likely to be victims of violent crime in the US compared to non-LGBTQIA+ people, and nine times more likely to experience violent hate crimes.

While the latest UK crime statistics reported an 11 per cent decrease in annual anti-trans hate crimes and a two per cent decrease in hate crimes related to sexual orientation, there was a sharp increase in both categories between 2021 and 2022.

“ISD calculated that in the five years between 2020 and 2025, anti-trans hate crimes in the UK rose by 50 per cent, and sexual orientation crimes rose by 18.1 per cent overall. The vast majority of anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes are likely unreported,” the report revealed.

Across wider Europe, a 2023 EU Agency for Fundamental Rights survey found that violence and harassment against LGBTQIA+ people had increased from 11 per cent to 14 per cent, while anti-LGBTQIA+ bullying in schools jumped from 46 per cent to 67 per cent.

When examining government and legislative actions, all three countries showed an increase in anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment led by government officials and lawmakers. The Trump administration, the UK’s Reform Party and Hungary were listed among the biggest offenders.

In the second half of the report, the ISD explored the online harm endured by the LGBTQIA+ community over the past five years.

Following a recent analysis of US-based violent extremist accounts and groups targeting the community, researchers found that “online hate spiked in response to real-world events and political developments.”

The data also revealed that the trans community is increasingly targeted by violent extremist accounts across various platforms, imageboards and forums.

“Anti-trans hate speech rose from 35 per cent of all anti-LGBTQIA+ speech in October to November to 46 per cent in December to January. There is a notable overlap between groups that direct violence and hate speech against LGBTQIA+ people and groups identified as threats to US national security and the government,” researchers explained.

Elsewhere, the study highlighted GLAAD’s 2025 Social Media Safety Index report, which found a lack of moderation of anti-LGBTQIA+ hate on social media platforms, alongside over-moderation of LGBTQIA+-inclusive accounts and content.

The report also examined the negative impact of AI content moderation systems, revealing that they have been “found to censor queer users who use ‘slurs’ to self-label (e.g. queer, gay, or femboy).”

“AI-driven censorship of LGBTQIA+ content that it labels as ‘sexualised’ or ‘offensive’ reflects offline biases that unfairly label queerness as inherently sexual and inappropriate,” researchers added.

You can read IDS’ full report here.

There you are, sitting in traffic in your car, listening to Taylor Swift on Spotify because it’s easier than subjecting yourself to a new, more challenging artist. An ad pops up in your stream. It’s serious stuff, evidenced by the dystopian tone of the narrator: “Join the mission to protect America,” the serious man’s voice commands, “with bonuses up to $50,000 and generous benefits. Apply now … and fulfill your mission.”

It’s an Immigration and Customs Enforcement recruitment ad, part of the Trump administration’s investment of $30 billion to add more than 10,000 deportation officers to its ranks by the end of the year. You would have been spared the outrage if only you had paid for Spotify’s ad-free tier of service, but there’s no way the audio streamer is getting your money now. You’ll be switching to, say, Apple Music. Maybe Tidal?

The experience of being subjected to recruitment ads for a domestic military force, assembled by a power-hungry president, has generated intense backlash that’s culminated this week in calls for boycotts of streaming services and platforms that have featured ICE spots. They include Pandora, ESPN, YouTube, Hulu and Fubo TV. Multiple HBO Max subscribers bemoaned on X that they were subjected to ICE recruitment videos while watching All Elite Wrestling: “Time to be force-fed ICE commercials against my will for two hours again #WWENXT,” @YKWrestling wrote.

Recruitment ads — Uncle Sam’s “I Want You” poster comes to mind — are an American staple, especially in times of war. But the current recruitment effort is aimed at sending forces into American cities, predicated on exaggerated claims that U.S. metro areas are under siege and in peril due to dangerous illegal immigrants, leftist protesters and out-of-control crime rates. The data, however, does not support those claims. The American Immigration Council found that from 1980 to 2022, while the immigrant share of the U.S. population more than doubled (from 6.2% to 13.9%), the total crime rate declined by over 60%.

Yet there’s a far scarier doomscape on the horizon if ICE’s recruitment efforts are successful: a mercenary army loyal only to Trump, weaponized to keep him on the throne. If that sounds more dystopian than the aforementioned Spotify ad, consider that the administration has spent more than $6.5 million over the past month on a slew of 30-second commercials aimed at luring in police officers.

The ads aired on TVs in more than a dozen cities including Chicago, Seattle and Atlanta and opened with images of each specific metro area’s skyline. Then came the commanding narration: “Attention, Miami law enforcement!” It’s followed by the same messaging that is used in ICE ads across the country: “You took an oath to protect and serve, to keep your family, your city, safe. But in sanctuary cities you’re ordered to stand down while dangerous illegals walk free — Join ICE and help us catch the worst of the worst. Drug traffickers. Gang members. Predators.”

But are the ads working? It’s hard to say since transparency isn’t a hallmark of the MAGA White House. For what it’s worth, a Sept. 16 press release from the DHS claimed that it had received more than 150,000 applications in response to its campaign and had extended 18,000 tentative job offers.

As for the power of consumer-led boycotts, there’s hope. More than 1.7 million Disney, Hulu and ESPN subscriptions were reportedly canceled between Sept. 17 and Sept. 23 during Jimmy Kimmel’s temporary suspension by ABC (Disney is ABC’s parent company). The network pulled the show after the host’s comments related to Charlie Kirk’s assassination angered MAGA supporters and the Trump-appointed FCC chair appeared to threaten the network. But after a week with a significant increase in cancellations — a 436% jump compared to a normal week — Kimmel was back on the air.

As of today, Spotify appears unmoved by the pressure to pull those intrusive ICE ads. “This advertisement is part of a broad campaign the US government is running across television, streaming, and online channels,” a Spotify spokesperson said in a statement this week. “The content does not violate our advertising policies. However, users can mark any ad with a thumbs up or thumbs down to help manage their ads preferences.”

Thumbs down. Frowny emoji. Cue the dystopian narrator for a counter ad: “Join the mission to protect America: Cancel Spotify.”

British vloggers Dan Howell and Phil Lester — known for their gaming and comedic slice-of-life style videos — are taking ownership of their long-rumored romance after more than a decade of incessant fan “shipping” online.

The longtime collaborators revealed Monday that they have been dating for more than a decade, pretty much since they gained popularity in the late aughts. The YouTubers confirmed they have been an item in a 46-minute video titled “Are Dan and Phil in a Relationship?”

“We fell into it hard and fast in 2009,” Howell, 34, said. “And here we are almost 16 years later.”

Before Howell and Lester, 38, spoke about the origins of their couple-dom, the YouTubers— who both came out as gay in 2019 — talked extensively about why they waited go public with their relationship. First, they tackled some fans’ obsessive behavior.

Howell and Lester began appearing in each other’s YouTube videos in the late aughts and eventually, in 2014, launched their shared gaming channel — that page currently boasts 2.95 million subscribers. The pair documented their lives together, opening the door for fans to speculate on their relationship and foster a parasocial connection, Howell explained in the video. Among the most prominent internet personalities at the time, Howell and Lester often became the subject of fan fiction and fan edits on Tumblr.

“Some think that shipping real-life people is problematic. I think that humans cannot stop this natural tendency,” Howell said, later adding that “a line gets crossed” when fan speculation turns into investigation.

The pair recalled fans combing through their old social media posts, reaching out to their loved ones and filming them out in the real world. “If all this digging, investigating was small it could’ve been ignored,” Lester said.

“The problem is this became so big we could not ignore it,” Howell continued.

Howell and Lester also recalled fans dissecting their on-camera interactions and spreading the romance rumors during live events. Ultimately, the rumors became “too loud to ignore,” Lester said.

Howell said he was wary about how going public with Lester would impact their professional dynamic and spoke candidly about how his struggles with his sexuality affected their relationship.

“I had an extremely homophobic childhood,” Howell said, adding that the constant fan pressure to address the rumors took a toll on his mental health. He said that when he and Lester gained popularity he felt he “had to hide the relationship because I was still hiding who I was to my friends, family, myself.”

Online chatter didn’t help and “hit a nerve,” he said. Howell said Lester was “like a literal ray of light in my life back then” and committed to protecting their relationship.

“So when other people tried to grab it and drag it into the light, I felt completely violated,” Howell continued. “Having all of these people trying to out us and being so hostile to me when I tried to hide it was so triggering. Honestly, it could’ve killed me.”

Lester added: “It’s sad because those should’ve been the happiest times of our life. It was so amazing and we were having so much fun personally.”

Invasive fan behavior hung over their success “like a curse” and that led to anxiety and panic attacks, Howell said. Lester also recalled a “breaking point” in their relationship where a personal video leaked on YouTube and spread online, with re-posters refusing to take it down.

As they acknowledged the negative impact of some fans’ invasive behavior, the YouTubers said they don’t hold a grudge. Howell said the skeptics “were just young people that had absolutely no idea what the effects of their actions were.”

“In the same way that we all want people in our lives to give us patience and grace and benefit of the doubt if we ever make a mistake, I have to extend that to the world in regards to this story,” he added. “So I understand and I forgive.”

Howell and Lester, whose work also includes BBC Radio programming and several live tours, ended their video announcing the launch of a new podcast.

A TORY Peer insists Labour’s flagship workers’ rights package must be changed to protect people from being sacked or disciplined for online posts. 

Baron Young, who founded the Free Speech Union, says any messages more than a year old shouldn’t be used to reprimand employees and “cancel” people. 

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Bosses would have to be able to prove that “tangible” harm had been caused rather than “reputational” damage which is too vague. 

The Employment Rights Bill is currently in the House of Lords and will be debated when Parliament returns after the party conferences. 

The Peer is compiling a report on how laws affecting free speech should be changed or abandoned. 

The dossier should be published before the end of the year and could be adopted as party policy after that, he added. 

He said changes “would make it unlawful for companies to discipline, fire, penalise employees for things they’ve said online unless, first of all, they’re less than a year old. 

“So there’s a one-year statute of limitations on what the offence archaeologists can dig into to try and find reasons to cancel you. 

“In addition, the employer would have to show that the comment in question has caused tangible harm to the company. 

Lord Young of Acton was made a peer by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch in December. 

He previously founded a network of free schools, and has been a newspaper columnist for more than 20 years. 

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There are banking scams, Social Security scams, and scams aimed at retirees searching for a work-from-home job. The thieves behind these scams will do whatever they can to separate you from your personal identity and money.

Scammers are particularly interested in contacting seniors because they assume retirees have the most money to steal. They want your money, whether it’s your Social Security benefits, pension, or retirement plan.

Keep in mind: It’s not always easy to realize you’re being scammed. Scammers create fake company websites or clone real websites. They even create documents that look exactly like real tax, personal information, and banking deposit forms. They can come off as professional and sincere and lull you into believing they have a legitimate job to offer.

Here are some of the most common work-from-home scams and how to avoid them.

Image source: Getty Images.

The “you got the job” scam

Imagine you post your resume on an employment site, like Monster, Indeed, LinkedIn, or ZipRecruiter. Someone posing as a business owner or recruiter contacts you and initiates an online interview through video chat, email, or text message. Shortly after the interview, you’re told you’ve got the job and are provided with employment documents to fill out.

It can be challenging to tell a scam from the real thing because new employees at legitimate companies are also asked to fill out job-related documents. However, if asked to provide a picture of your driver’s license, bank account numbers (so the company can “pay“ you via direct deposit), your Social Security number, and your home address, don’t do it until you’ve vetted them and know it’s a legitimate job.” 

Once you’ve provided that personal information, the scammer has all they need to assume your identity, empty your savings account, open credit cards, and take loans out in your name. The scammer disappears, and you never hear another word about the job.

The “reshipping“ scam

The person behind this scam may offer you a job as a quality control manager or virtual personal assistant. Once “hired,” you’re told part of your job is to receive packages at home, get rid of the original packaging and receipts, repackage the products, and reship them to a specific address provided by your employer. The address may be in the U.S. or overseas.

The products you reship are often high-priced items, like name-brand electronics. Reshipping is never a legitimate job. Anything you’re repacking and sending to a third-party has likely been purchased using stolen credit cards.

Often, the company will promise you a paycheck after one month of work, but when the check doesn’t arrive and you attempt to contact them, they’re gone. In addition, depending on how much personal information you provided them, you may find yourself dealing with identity theft.

The “mystery shopper“ scam

To be clear, there are legitimate mystery shopper jobs, and they can be a perfect fit for a retiree. Thanks to scammers, though, you have to be careful. If asked to pay for anything upfront, including certifications, directories of jobs, or a job guarantee, it’s a scam. A real employer will never require you to pay for a job.

The “job placement service“ scam

Speaking of upfront payments, the job placement service scam involves someone pretending to be from a temporary agency, staffing firm, or headhunter. Typically, they’ll promote outdated or fake job listings and charge upfront fees for their “services.“

Again, if you’re asked to pay a fee, walk away. It’s a scam.

Red flags

The following signs should serve as red flags, warning you that you might be getting scammed:

• The job sounds too good to be true, and grand promises are made.
• The wage offered is notably higher or lower than the average wage for that job (you can check current wages online).
• You never applied to the company’s official career website.
• You can’t find the job posting on the real company’s job page (if there is a real company).
• The interview is conducted through Google Hangouts, Telegram app, TextFree app, TextNow app, or WhatsApp.
• Emails are sent from free accounts, such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail.
• The potential “employer“ requires you to provide personal information. For example, you may be asked for a copy of your driver’s license, passport, or Social Security number during your interview.
• You’re required to supply your bank account or credit card information. From this account, the scammer can steal your pension, annuity payments, or other retirement income.
• You’re required to pay something up front to get the job.
• You’re asked to purchase equipment and told the company will reimburse you. The scammer tells you whom to send the money to for the purchase.
• You must deposit money into your personal bank account and transfer it to someone you don’t know.

If you’re hoping to land a work-from-home job, they are available. As you search, pay special attention to any situation that feels “off“ because it just might be. No scammer has the right to reduce your net worth through fraud.

KEIR Starmer is set to announce an “online hospital” that will deliver millions of appointments a year as a “new chapter” for the NHS begins.

The Prime Minister will use his leader’s speech at Labour’s conference to set out plans for NHS Online which will connect patients to specialist clinicians.

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The scheme, which will begin operating in 2027, will deliver up to 8.5 million extra NHS appointments in its first three years, Labour claimed.

In his speech in Liverpool Sir Keir will say “a new world is coming” and “in decades to come, I want people to look back on this moment as the moment we renewed the NHS for a new world”.

The online hospital will be accessible through the NHS app and will allow patients to choose between the digital service and their local hospital.

And those who use the service will be able to access and track prescriptions, be referred for scans and tests, and receive clinical advice on managing their condition.

Patients who require a physical test or a procedure will be able to book them on the app, at a nearby hospital, surgical hub or community diagnostic centre.

Sir Keir will describe it as “a new chapter in the story of our NHS, harnessing the future, patients in control”.

“Waiting times cut for every single person in this country. That’s national renewal, that’s a Britain built for all.”

The Prime Minister will stress the need for continued NHS modernisation, insisting it is Labour’s responsibility to make the health service fit for the years to come.

Sir Keir will say: “I know how hard people work in the NHS – I see it my family – and I celebrate it at every opportunity.

“But the responsibility of this party is not just to celebrate the NHS, it’s to make it better.”

The scheme builds upon ideas already being used in some NHS trusts to reduce waiting times and allow patients to get treatment or advice quicker.

NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey said: “This is a huge step forward for the NHS and will deliver millions more appointments by the end of the decade, offering a real alternative for patients and more control over their own care.

“Patients who choose to receive their treatment through the online hospital will benefit from us industrialising the latest technology and innovations, while the increased capacity will help to cut demand and slash waiting times.

“The NHS can, must and will move forward to match other sectors in offering digital services that make services as personalised, convenient, and flexible as possible for both staff and patients.”

NHS Providers chief executive Daniel Elkeles said: “The online hospital could be a very significant development, transforming the way many patients receive their care.

“The way the NHS provides outpatients services hasn’t changed much for decades, but during Covid we learned a lot about opportunities for new approaches using digital technology.

“It’s sensible they are taking the time to plan this properly because there are a lot of factors to consider.

“These include the handling of patient data and the need to avoid ‘digital exclusion’ of people who can’t access the service.

“It’s important there’s new funding and it will be an NHS organisation with NHS staff.

“This is a bold, exciting initiative, but the benefits should not come at the cost of destabilising vital services patients will continue to rely on.”

In his speech, The PM will also say there is “nothing compassionate or progressive” about letting illegal migrants cross the Channel as he stakes his political life on bringing an end to the small boats crisis.

He is under pressure to give a storming conference speech to silence his growing number of critics in both the party and across the country.

Delivering hard truths to his party faithful, the Labour leader will say beating Reform will require “decisions that are not cost-free or easy — decisions that will not always be comfortable for our party”.

Sir Keir sees stopping the migrant boats, maintaining economic discipline and taking another stab at slashing Britain’s bloated benefits bill as vital to winning re-election.

Channel crossings are at record levels under Labour, while use of asylum hotels has also increased.

It has seen Reform open up a ten-point lead, according to some polls, and become the bookies’ favourite to form the next government.

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THE SUN – NEWS POLL QUESTION (THE “PROMOTION”) ONLINE RULES:

By entering the Promotion, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions (these Terms and Conditions).  Completion and submission of an entry form or e-mail will also be deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.  Promotional materials relating to the Promotion, including all information on how to enter the Promotion published in publications of the Promoter (defined below) (including social media if applicable) or on the Promoter’s websites, also form part of these Terms and Conditions.  In the event of any conflict between any terms referred to in such promotional materials and these Terms and Conditions, these Terms and Conditions take precedence.

All information submitted in connection with this Promotion will be processed in accordance with the privacy policy accessible at http://www.newsprivacy.co.uk/single/. 

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Joelinton says it was troubling to see Newcastle United team-mate Lewis Miley “get stick” after a landmark moment, but the Brazilian believes genuine supporters are firmly behind the teenager.

Miley chose to limit replies to a post he made on X to mark his 50th first-team game for Newcastle at the weekend. It is understood this was a precaution as he is still young.

The 19-year-old put in an accomplished display in the goalless draw against Bournemouth – his first Premier League start since February – but he still came in for criticism from a small minority of social media users who questioned his first-team credentials.

Miley’s course of action on the social media platform was noticed, and fans have since sent messages of support, while captain Bruno Guimaraes hailed his fellow midfielder as a “top player and guy”.

Joelinton played alongside academy graduate Miley in Newcastle’s 4-1 win against Bradford City on Wednesday night and said the youngster has a “great future in front of him”.

“It’s always difficult when you see your team-mate get stick,” Joelinton said following the Carabao Cup third-round tie. “I have had a difficult time here, too. I know how it is.

“I know the fans are behind the team and a really good young player. He played really well on Sunday. The team has to get better and everyone has to look on the mirror and get better.”

Miley praised Newcastle’s “amazing” travelling support in his post on Sunday, saying he was “very proud” to have hit the milestone for his boyhood club.

The midfielder broke a number of records during a breakout campaign at Newcastle a couple of years ago, including becoming the youngest player in Champions League history to provide an assist for an English side by doing so at the age of 17 years and 226 days.

Miley went on to suffer back and foot injuries and has faced intense competition for a starting berth while competing with fellow midfielders Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali.

But Miley, tellingly, kept his place in Eddie Howe’s starting line-up for the visit of Bradford.

“I thought Lewie was excellent,” the Newcastle head coach said. “In part, I think he really helped us in the first half. He played some lovely little deft touches and short passes into midfield using Joe and Bruno as a springboard, really, to control that midfield area.

“He’s come back into the team and produced two really good performances back-to-back. I thought he was really good against Bournemouth in maybe a slightly different way to tonight, but he’s developing his experience all the time and I’m really pleased with him.”

A coordinated online doxxing campaign has emerged in the wake of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s killing, targeting academics, teachers, government employees and others who have posted critical remarks about him.

At least 15 people have been fired or suspended from their jobs after discussing the killing online, according to a Reuters tally on Saturday based on interviews, public statements and local press reports. The total includes journalists, academic workers and teachers.

On Friday, a junior Nasdaq employee was fired over her posts related to Kirk.

Others have been subjected to torrents of online abuse or seen their offices flooded with calls demanding they be fired, part of a surge in right-wing rage that has followed the killing.

Chaya Raichik, who runs the right-wing “Libs of TikTok” account and is known for her anti-immigrant activism, is at the forefront of the campaign. She has shared names, photos and workplace details of individuals who expressed little sympathy for Kirk’s death.

In one case, Raichik targeted a lecturer at California State University, Monterey Bay, who reportedly wrote in an Instagram story: “I cannot muster much sympathy, truly. People are going to argue ‘He has a family, he has a wife and kids.’ What about all the kids, the many broken families from the over 258 school shootings 2020–present?”

Raichik reposted the lecturer’s photo, accusing him of mocking Kirk’s assassination.

The lecturer has not commented, but several teachers across the United States – including in California, Florida, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas – have been suspended or dismissed over similar online remarks. Union leaders condemned Kirk’s killing, but also warned against punishing educators for free speech.

Raichik has also targeted members of the military. One Coast Guard employee is under investigation after posting a meme saying he did not care about Kirk’s death. A former Twitter worker was also singled out for criticising the New York Yankees for holding a moment of silence for Kirk.

A newly registered site, “Expose Charlie’s Murderers,” has 41 names of people it alleges were “supporting political violence online” and claims to be working on a backlog of more than 20,000 submissions.

A Reuters review of the screenshots and comments posted to the site shows that some of those featured joked about or celebrated Kirk’s death. One was quoted as saying, “He got what he deserved”, and others were quoted providing variations on “karma’s a bitch.” Others, however, were critical of the far-right figure while explicitly denouncing violence.

Some institutions have already taken disciplinary action. Middle Tennessee State University dismissed an assistant dean after she wrote: “Looks like ol’Charlie spoke his fate into existence. Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy.” The comment referred to Kirk’s 2023 defence of gun violence, in which he argued: “I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment … That is a prudent deal. It is rational.”

Even quoting that remark has been enough for some to be targeted.

Republican response

Some Republicans want to go further still and have proposed deporting Kirk’s critics from the US, suing them into penury or banning them from social media for life.

“Prepare to have your whole future professional aspirations ruined if you are sick enough to celebrate his death,” said conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, a prominent ally of Trump and one of several far-right figures who are organising digital campaigns on X to ferret out and publicly shame Kirk’s critics.

The wave of firings and suspensions has raised concerns over free expression, while far-right activists celebrate what they see as a campaign of accountability.

US lawmaker Clay Higgins said in a post on X that anyone who “ran their mouth with their smart**s hatred celebrating the heinous murder of that beautiful young man” needed to be “banned from ALL PLATFORMS FOREVER.”

The US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on the same site that he had been disgusted to “see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action.”

Republicans’ anger at those disrespecting Kirk’s legacy contrasts with the mockery some of the same figures – including Kirk – directed at past victims of political violence.

For example, when former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, was clubbed over the head by a hammer-wielding conspiracy theorist during a break-in at their San Francisco home shortly before the 2022 midterm elections, Higgins posted a photo making fun of the attack. He later deleted the post.

Loomer falsely suggested that Paul Pelosi and his assailant were lovers, calling the brutal assault on the octogenarian a “booty call gone wrong.”

Speaking to a television audience a few days after the attack, a grinning Kirk called for the intruder to be sprung from jail.

“If some amazing patriot out there in San Francisco or the Bay Area wants to really be a midterm hero, someone should go and bail this guy out,” he said.

Sept. 8 (UPI) — Whaleco Inc., operating as Temu, has been ordered by a federal court to pay a $2 million civil fine for violating federal law regarding its online marketplace, the U.S. Department of Justice said Monday.

The private U.S.-registered company, which mainly sells products from China, had the most downloaded app in the United States in 2024, according to Business of Apps. The company also sells products to customers in 90 countries.

DOJ and the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts alleging Temu didn’t sufficiently disclose certain information for high-volume third-party sellers, including addresses, or provide consistent reporting methods as required by law. This included consumers’ ability to electronically and telephonically report suspicious activity to the marketplace.

The agencies said they violated the INFORM Consumers Act.

“The Justice Department is committed to ensuring American consumers have information about third-party sellers online and mechanisms to report suspicious marketplace behavior,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of DOJ’s Civil Division said in a statement. “The Department will continue to ensure that online marketplaces follow the INFORM Consumers Act.”

Temu also was ordered to ensure compliance with the INFORM Consumers Act in the future.

Temu, which means “Team Up, Price Down,” was founded as Whaleco Inc. in Boston in 2022.

It is a subsidiary of PDD Holdings, a Chinese online retailer owned by Colin Huang. PDD Holdings also owns Pinduoduo, an online commerce platform in China.

In July, the European Commission charged Temu with breaking the EU’s Digital Services Act by failing to prevent the sale of usnafe products that violate its standards.

In an analysis, the European Commission found that shopping on Temu carries a high risk of finding unsafe products, such as small toys and small electronics.

In the EU, companies can be fined up to 6% of their annual total worldwide turnover.

Temu, with an estimated annual revenue of $53.9 billion in 2024, competes with Amazon, the No. 1 online retailer in the world with $391.4 billion in revenue last year.

“Temu is committed to bringing affordable products onto its platform to enable consumers and merchandise partners to fulfill their dreams in an inclusive environment,” the company said on its website.

Temu and another online retailer, Shein, have been hit by tariffs imposed on imports into the United States.

“Due to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs, our operating expenses have gone up. To keep offering the products you love without compromising on quality, we will be making price adjustment starting April 25, 2025,” Temu said in a statement to U.S. shoppers.

That was in late April when there was a 145% duty on Chinese imports. The Trump administration has since lowered them temporarily to 10%. The pause is until Nov. 10.

Sept. 5 (UPI) — A man from Albuquerque has pleaded guilty to making threats of violence against President Donald Trump, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Mexico confirmed this week.

Tyler Leveque now faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to making the threats on social media, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

Leveque admitted to making the threats during interviews with agents from the FBI and U.S. Secret Service.

The 37-year-old argued the multiple videos and statements constituted free speech.

The threats were made between January 2 and 4, just over two weeks before Trump took office for his second term.

“You and your rich friends are dead no threat a promise,” one of the threats states, according to the U.S. Attorney’s statement.

Leveque specifically mentions a rally planned for January 19, the day before Trump’s inauguration.

Authorities said Leveque had also recently purchased a firearm but had not yet received it when he was detained.

A judge will decide Leveque’s exact sentence.

He also faces up to three years supervision one any prison term

The ban by India’s government of online betting games has ended the national cricket team’s sponsorship by Dream11.

India are looking for a new lead sponsor to replace Indian fantasy sports platform Dream11 after the government banned real-money online gaming last month, leaving the world’s richest cricket board scrambling to secure new revenue.

Dream11, which had signed a three-year contract worth about 3.6 billion rupees ($44m) running through 2026, can no longer sponsor the national team after the central government banned real-money online games as well as their promotion, including fantasy sports.

India’s upper house of parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 last month.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which commands some of the world’s most lucrative broadcast deals thanks to cricket’s popularity and India’s vast population, set a September 16 deadline for new bid submissions.

The auction is unlikely to remain unsold for long, but with the Asia Cup starting on September 9, India may take the field without a front-of-shirt sponsor in the opening week, which includes the marquee match against rivals Pakistan on September 14.

The Economic Times reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter, that the board is seeking 35 million rupees ($397.6k) per match for bilaterals, and 15 million ($170.4k) per match for India’s fixtures in International Cricket Council and Asian Cricket Council tournaments in a three-year sponsorship cycle.

Over an estimated 140 games in the 2025-28 cycle, the BCCI expects to generate about 4.52 billion rupees ($51.3m), about 940 million ($10.7m) more than under Dream11’s deal, which was 3.58 billion ($40.7m) for the period July 2023 to March 2026 – an uplift of more than 20 percent.

The Walt Disney Co. has agreed to pay $10 million to settle a Federal Trade Commission inquiry into alleged violations of child privacy laws.

The settlement, disclosed Tuesday, covers videos that Disney uploaded to YouTube that were not properly marked as children’s content. That lapse allowed the videos to become targets for online advertising, drawing the attention of federal regulators.

The company said the violations did not occur on Disney-owned platforms.

“Supporting the well-being and safety of kids and families is at the heart of what we do,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement. “… Disney has a long tradition of embracing the highest standards of compliance with children’s privacy laws, and we remain committed to investing in the tools needed to continue being a leader in this space.”

Axios first reported the settlement.

This is a developing story.

Convenience is now the default

Remember when “online banking” felt weird and scary? Those days are gone. Mobile apps from top online banks are easy to use and packed with features. Remote check deposit, instant transfers, bill pay — it’s all there.

Most of us already bank online anyway. Whether you’re with Chase or Ally, you’re using your phone more than you’re walking into a branch. So why settle for low rates when the online-only banks are just as easy to use?

Safety and peace of mind

Online banks don’t have a building you can walk into, but deposits at FDIC-insured online banks are just as safe as those at your neighborhood branch. Up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per account ownership category — it’s the same rule everywhere.

Add in two-factor authentication and advanced security features, and your money is likely no less safe online than it is in a brick building down the street.

Why this shift matters now

Online banks aren’t just a niche option anymore; they’ve changed how saving works for everyone. They’ve raised the bar on what customers expect, and if your money isn’t keeping up, you’re losing out.

If you’re still tied to a branch account, ask yourself what you’re really getting for that trade-off. Because the difference between $10 and $5,200 in interest is the kind of thing that can cover a vacation, pay down debt faster, or pad your retirement account.

You can compare the best high-yield savings accounts here and see which ones fit your needs. It takes minutes to switch, but the payoff could last for years.