Children spend ‘more time online than in the real world’
- The Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) surveyed 1000 parents whose children were born after 2010 (Generation Alpha) and found 57% spend the majority of their free time on online platforms.
- This equated to nearly one full day every week.
- The figure is higher for 12 and 13-year-olds, at around 67% and 66% respectively.
- Research also highlighted the increasing amount of time Generation Alpha spend exploring virtual reality (VR) technology.
- As reported, two thirds of children have now used VR and a quarter do so each week.
- The IET has warned the Online Safety Bill legislation fails to take potential dangers of technological advances such as VR into consideration.
- For the full story, go to the IET website.
Fights, stabbings and more – the brutal footage young people can view on Snapchat
- New research from Revealing Reality has found graphic videos which show fights, stabbing and sex acts involving children are being viewed on Snapchat.
- Researchers interviewed 13 children, finding large group chats and the app’s ‘Quick Add’ function was being used to disperse graphic content.
- A 14-year-old who was interviewed and lives under the care of her foster parent said she sees violent and sexual content on Snapchat every day – sometimes several times.
- She said she had explicit images sent by strangers since she first downloaded the app but she’s now used to it and “it doesn’t really faze you anymore”.
- For the full story, go to the Independent’s website.
Disposable vapes must be banned to protect children – The Children’s Commissioner
- The Children’s Commissioner for England has said that disposable vapes must be banned and sold in plain packaging in order to curtail the “Wild West Market” which is damaging young people.
- Dame Rachel De Souza said she was worried by the fact children felt under pressure to vape including avoiding school toilets where vaping was happening.
- Her comments echo England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty.
- The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health also warned earlier this week that “youth vaping is fast becoming an epidemic”.
- You can also check out our Need-to-Know on Youth Vaping.
- For more, go to the Independent’s website.
