Horizon Worlds launches in the UK

  • Horizon Worlds will begin rolling out in the UK this week on Quest 2.
  • Users can download and begin playing for free, joining those already accessing the service in the US and Canada.
  • They have also announced they will be launching new parental supervision tools for it’s Quest VR headsets to help parents protect their children.
  • Check out our Guide to Horizon Worlds.
  • Learn more about Horizon Worlds on the Tech Radar and Social Media Today’s website.

Instagram launches new parental controls in the UK

  • Instagram has launched their new parental controls across the platform in the UK.
  • These new controls will begin rolling out to users’ platforms in the coming weeks.
  • They include options of setting daily time limits of between 15 minutes and 2 hours.
  • Parents can also schedule break times and see accounts their child reports, and why they did so.
  • Parents are also now able to invite their children to activate the supervision tools, whereas previously these must have been initiated by the young person.
  • Instagram is also trialling a ‘nudge’ feature which will prompt young people to look for different subjects if they are repeatedly viewing the same topics.
  • You can read the full story on the BBC website.

Four Met police officers facing investigation over strip search

  • The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) have confirmed that four Metropolitan police officers are being investigated for gross misconduct.
  • This follows a 15-year-old black schoolgirl being strip-searched while at school.
  • The IOPC investigation is examining whether legislation, policies and procedures were followed during the strip-search of the child.
  • You can read the full story on the Guardian’s website.

Report finds students missing school need more help

  • A Children’s Commissioner report has said that children need more support to get them into school full-time as mental health problems grow.
  • Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are among those currently being let down in schools.
  • An estimated 1.8 million children regularly missed school this autumn.
  • The report put forward recommendations, including every school having access to a support team to assist with growing mental health issues among school children.
  • You can read the full story on the BBC website.