Sending threatening posts among offences in revised online safety bill
- Under new proposed online safety laws, tech firms will be required to prevent the publication of harmful content or face substantial fines.
- This content includes revenge porn, fraud, and the sale of illegal drugs.
- Joining ‘digital pile-ons’ (a group attacking an individual), sending threatening social media posts and posting deliberate hoax bomb threats are among new criminal offences.
- You can read the full story through the Guardian.
Meta moves to tackle creepy behaviour in virtual reality
- Meta has announced a new feature to allow more personal space for people’s avatars in virtual-reality worlds in response to reported harassment.
- The new feature Is called ‘Personal Boundary’ and prevents avatars from coming within a certain distance to others.
- The feature aims to make it easier to avoid unwanted interactions.
- You can read the full story through the BBC.
‘Rape culture’ teacher advice hotline launched
- A government-backed advice service for school staff has been launched about how to deal with sexual abuse among young people.
- The Harmful Sexual Behaviour Support Service provides advice to education and safeguarding professionals, police, social workers, and health professionals.
- It has been set up in response to last year’s Ofsted review into ‘rape culture’ concerns after Everyone’s Invited.
- You can read the full story through the Tes Magazine.
Rise in NI children seeking help during pandemic
- Referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) from hospital emergency departments rose by 24% between 2019-20 and 2020-21.
- A 2018 report ‘Still Waiting’ showed that children struggle to get support.
- Northern Ireland’s commissioner for children and young people, Koulla Yiasouma claims to be ‘disappointed’ that many recommendations from the report have not been implemented.
- You can read the full story through the BBC.
