Meta adds voice controls to Horizon Worlds

  • Meta (Facebook’s parent company) has enabled voice chat by default in Horizon Worlds, which defaults to live chat with strangers.
  • Voice mode will be rolling out in the coming weeks in the US and Canada.
  • Users will have the option to disable audio from nearby strangers, including a “garble voices” option.
  • Check out our Guide to Horizon Worlds.
  • You can read the full story on the Tech Crunch website.

Meta hit with 8 lawsuits

  • Meta (Facebook’s parent company) is facing eight new lawsuits in multiple states of the US after a series of complaints accusing the company of exploiting young people for profit.
  • The complaints accuse Meta of employing addictive psychological tactics to get people to use their platforms more frequently and failing to protect young and at-risk users.
  • The lawsuits claim that users’ prolonged exposure to Meta and its platforms has led to actual or attempted suicides, self-harm, eating disorders, anxiety, depression and among other mental health conditions.
  • You can read the full story on the New York Post website.

One in four scam victims is aged 21 to 30

  • Young adults are the most likely age group to be scammed in recent months according to Barclays.
  • Scams often take place on tech platforms such as social media and dating apps, making younger people particularly susceptible.
  • This comes despite many people in this age group feeling confident that it will not happen to them.
  • You can read the full story on the Independent’s website.

Northamptonshire teacher banned over sexual photos art project

  • An art teacher who allowed pupils under the age of 16 to take photos of a sexual nature for a project has been banned from teaching.
  • The Teaching Regulation (TRA) said she had broken safeguarding rules.
  • She told the panel she had introduced the pupils to an artist who created suggestive pictures but had not meant for them to create similar images.
  • You can read the full story on the BBC’s website.

 Gwent Police strip-searching of children

  • Last week the National reported at least 78 children aged 10-17 have been strip-searched by Gwent Police since 2018.
  • The force’s data also suggested that Black and Minority Ethnic people are disproportionately strip-searched in the Gwent area.
  • The Children’s Commissioner for Wales has said that she is focused on ensuring “the views and experiences of children in Wales are central in new policies and procedures”.
  • You can read the full story on the National’s website.