UK ministers accept $1m from Meta amid social media ban consultation

The UK government has accepted a $1 million (£728,000) donation from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to develop AI systems for defense, national security, and transportation. This move has sparked concerns from campaigners about the government's "alarmingly close relationship with Trump-supporting US tech giants." The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) stated that the money will be used to pay experts to create "cutting-edge AI solutions" for national security and defense teams. However, the decision to accept funding from Meta, a company with ties to former US President Donald Trump, has been criticized by some as a potential conflict of interest, especially as the government is currently conducting a consultation on banning social media companies.