Parents urged to talk to children as young as nine about online porn

  • The Children’s Commissioner for England is urging parents to talk to their children about online pornography and sexual harassment when they are as young as 9 or 10.
  • Concerns have been growing about the ease of access to and damaging impact of online pornography on young children.
  • Parents are being encouraged to “talk early and talk often” to their children in an age-appropriate way to be prepared for the risks of the online world.
  • Check out our blog post on how to handle harmful content.
  • Full story, here.

 

Snapchat launches ‘Story Studio’ app to facilitate video content creation

  • Snapchat has launched a new ‘Story Studio’ app to selected users.
  • The app provides a simplified, streamlined means to create more complex vertical videos which can be uploaded into the main app.
  • The app is only available to iOS users in the US, UK, and Canada.
  • This follows the release of Meta’s ‘Spark AR Go’ app, which facilitates simplified AR creation.
  • Full story, here.

 

Young people at risk from county lines exploitation in possible lockdown

  • The Children’s Society charity warns that another lockdown could put young people at further risk of exploitation from county lines drugs gangs.
  • The issue has grown in the last five years, and lockdowns can leave children more at risk from exploitation.
  • Lockdowns and holiday periods can leave children feeling more isolated due to school closures.
  • For more information on county lines, check out our blog post.
  • Full story, here.

Schools preparing for possible online term due to COVID-19 variant

  • Schools across the UK say they are prepared to switch to online learning if they have to next term.
  • UK schools have been advised to reopen next term under current guidance.
  • Contingency plans include children bringing laptops home and creating timetables, especially when classes need to be taught in “bubbles” next term.
  • Some schools in Wales have already opted to move into online learning, whilst unions in Northern Ireland have called for a ‘staggered return’.
  • Full story, here.

Scotland’s children’s commissioner wants sex survey paused

  • Scotland’s children’s commissioner, Bruce Adamson, has called for a controversial sex survey of schoolchildren to be paused.
  • The Health and Wellbeing Census included questions asking pupils about their experience of drug use, alcohol consumption and sex.
  • The commissioner’s concern is that the anonymous survey could identify children.
  • Adamson maintains that the survey must protect children’s right to privacy and to give informed consent.
  • Full story, here.