Reading Time: 1.7 mins

January 26, 2024

Instagram and Facebook will now prevent strangers from messaging minors by default 

  • Under 16s (or 18 in some countries) will not receive messages or be added to group chats from users they do not follow or aren’t connected with on Instagram or Messenger.
  • Parents will have more control over their children’s privacy settings on Instagram, such as being prompted to approve or deny requests to prevent them from switching from private to public profiles, for example.
  • Meta is also developing a new feature designed to protect users from receiving unwanted or inappropriate images in messages from people they are already connected with.
  • For more, please visit The Verge website.

Apple to allow rival app stores on iPhones in EU 

  • The EU’s Digital Markets Act will force Apple to allow alternative app stores on iPhones.
  • This is aimed at creating a fairer market for established companies and smaller firms.
  • Apple will comply with the act but warns of increased security risks for its customers.
  • For more, please visit the BBC News website.

Every year spent in school or university improves life expectancy, study says 

  • A study found every year spent in school or university increases life expectancy by 2%.
  • It found not attending school is as bad for your health as smoking or heavy drinking.
  • Whilst the benefits of education on life expectancy have been recognised, this is the first study to calculate the number of years of education and its connections to reducing mortality.
  • For more, please visit The Guardian website.

The following story may be regionalised:

Coventry school where teachers ‘confuse’ pupils told to improve 

  • Inspectors in a Coventry school found that some of the teaching methods confused pupils, and teachers “do not consistently identify pupils’ misconceptions”. 
  • The school was rated as “requires improvement”. 
  • Inspectors also found that there was a lack of targeted support for struggling readers, to “ensure they can access the whole curriculum”. 
  • For more, please visit the Coventry Telegraph website.