Netflix to make games available via the App Store on iOS

  • Following Netflix’s rollout of mobile games for Android users earlier this month, Netflix says it is working on an iOS version of the service.
  • Apple’s current App Store policies will prevent Netflix games from becoming available as they ban third-party apps from functioning as a hub for games.
  • Netflix may bypass Apple’s rules by making its games available directly via the App Store.
  • Netflix’s games service currently functions in this way on Android, with games available in a dedicated tab on the Netflix app, but available for individual download on Google Play Store.
  • A specific date for iOS launch hasn’t been announced.
  • The games are available for current subscribers on Android devices and feature no in-app payments or advertisements.
  • Full story, here.

 

Missing girl found after using viral TikTok call for help signal

  • A 16-year-old girl who went missing from North Carolina in the US has been found after using a hand signal that previously went viral on TikTok.
  • The girl was found two days after she had been reported missing by her parents on Tuesday in a car in Kentucky.
  • She used the hand signal which was originally designed to help people affected by domestic violence, to alert a passing driver.
  • The signal involves holding a hand up with palm facing out, then tucking a thumb into the hand before closing fingers on top of the thumb.
  • The signal circulated around social media during pandemic lockdowns in 2020, with a view to addressing rises in domestic violence.
  • Full story, here.

Concerns about the rising mental health needs of children and young people

  • A report by Children & Young People’s Mental Health Coalition (CYPMHC) has been published reviewing the state of mental health support for children and young people in England.
  • The report covered the impact of the pandemic on mental health, the rising demand for services, mental health inequalities and the need to improve access to treatment.
  • Findings revealed concerns for disproportionate impact of the pandemic on marginalised groups of young people such as those identifying as LGBTQ+, those living in violent homes or those belonging to minority ethnic communities.
  • Coalition members, young people, parents, and carers all raised concerns about the long waits, pressures and workforce shortages of NHS children and young people’s mental health services.
  • CYPMHC calls for the development of a cross-departmental strategy, recommends a ‘whole education approach’ supporting schools, colleges, and universities to deliver education on mental health and the launch of early support hubs.
  • The full report can be accessed here.