Another fabulous session on digital safety with
@simfin and @digitalunite. “You don’t have to be an ICT specialist to support people with digital safety, we need to be able to recognise the social behaviours of those around us”
17 June 2025
Nearly a quarter of UK five-to-seven-year-olds now have their own smartphone, Ofcom research suggests.
Social media use also rose in the age group over last year with nearly two in five using messaging service WhatsApp, despite its minimum age of 13.
The communications regulator warned parental enforcement of rules "appeared to be diminishing."
This user-friendly tool offers a wide array of customization options. Users start with a randomly generated human figure and can modify numerous aspects like age, gender, ethnicity, body type, and pose, in addition to hair color, style, clothing, and accessories—kind of like The Sims.
Most gamers would agree that online multiplayer can be a toxic environment, especially for female players and people of colour.
It's well-known that those groups face sexism, rape and death threats on a daily basis.
Police leaders and teachers' unions are warning that TikTok frenzies that encourage anti-social behaviour are putting a strain on public services.
It comes after the BBC revealed how disproportionate engagement driven by TikTok was linked to disruption.
The BBC found four recent examples, including public interference in the police investigation of Nicola Bulley's disappearance and school vandalism.
A Scottish mum who received a heart transplant has told how her six-year-old daughter saved her life twice using a smart speaker.
Emma Anderson, from Robroyston in Glasgow, was 15 when she was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
From a young age, her daughter Darcey knew her mum had a "sore heart" and she could call for help on Alexa.
Now Darcey has used Alexa twice to raise the alarm when her 27-year-old mum has been unwell.
"I set up the Alexa so that if I passed out or was feeling unwell all she had to do was say, 'Alexa, call help', and that would call my mum who lives around the corner," Ms Anderson said.
Childnet's practical online safety toolkit for educators with films and lesson plans to explore online issues with pupils aged 11-14 years old.
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