Online Safety Bill introduced into Parliament

  • The Online Safety Bill has been introduced into Parliament – which marks a milestone in protecting children from ‘legal but harmful’ content online.
  • Social media companies, search engines and other apps/websites will be required to protect children, tackle illegal activity, and uphold stated terms and conditions.
  • Additional aspects of the bill announced include criminalising cyber-flashing, tackling online scams, and requiring sites hosting pornography to verify users’ ages.
  • You can read the full story on the GOV.UK’s website.

Snapchat bans anonymous messaging features from third-party app integrations

  • Snapchat is banning anonymous messaging features from third-party apps over concerns it may be used for bullying and harassment.
  • This follows a lawsuit last year linked to the death of a teenager who was bullied using two Snapchat-connected apps.
  • Snapchat will also require friend-finding or meetup apps in its developer program to be restricted to 18 or older to protect children and young people.
  • You can read the full story on the Verge’s website.

Instagram adds parental controls for the first time

  • Instagram will start adding parental controls for the first time, globally in the coming months on a per-account basis.
  • Parents will be able to see how much time children spend on Instagram, set limits, view followers and who their children follow, and will be notified when children report inappropriate behaviour.
  • You can read the full story on Mint’s website.

Far right ‘mimicking video games to lure middle class children to terrorism’

  • Children from middle class backgrounds are being lured into extreme right-wing terrorism with online content based on violent games.
  • According to Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism officer, 19 out of 20 children aged under 18 arrested for terrorism offences last year were linked to an extreme right-wing ideology.
  • Most counter-terrorism activity in the UK is tackling the threat of Islamist-inspired violence but the extreme right threat is growing.
  • You can read the full story on the Guardian’s website.

Child Q – Sorry needs to mean it won’t happen again

  • The Children’s Commissioner’s Dame Rachel de Souza stated she was shocked to read the Serious Case Review relating to Child Q.
  • She states this should “never have happened in the first place” and we must look at the culture which allowed this to happen.
  • She will write to the Commissioner of the Met Police calling for a comprehensive and force-wide response to this review.
  • You can read the full report authored by Jim Gamble QPM (our CEO and Independent Safeguarding Children’s Commissioner) on the CHSCP website.
  • You can read the full story on the Children’s Commissioner’s website.