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October 13, 2023

Jewish parents told to delete social media apps

  • Some Jewish parents have been told by schools to delete social media from their children’s phones in the midst of the Israel-Gaza war.
  • One of the main concerns is over possible hostage videos being shared that may cause distress.
  • These warnings have been circulating in Israel itself, the UK and the US.
  • The UK’s technology secretary met with bosses of social media companies Google, Meta, X, TikTok and Snapchat.
  • She asked the platforms to clearly set out what action they were taking to remove illegal material that breaches their terms and conditions.
  • Visit INEQE’s website for guidance on ‘Talking to your Child about War and Conflict’.
  • For more, please visit the BBC News website.

Sex offender who posed as teenage girl online to target boys jailed for five years

  • A Strabane man admitted 152 child sexual abuse offences in Dungannon Crown Court.
  • The offences included sexual communication with a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual act and making an indecent photograph or pseudo of a child.
  • His offending spanned from 2016-2021 and involved 40 young male victims.
  • He targeted his victims, as young as eight, by posing as a girl on Snapchat.
  • He was sentenced to 10 years and will service five in prison, and five on licence.
  • The man was also placed on a barring list, preventing him from working with children and vulnerable adults.
  • For more, please visit the ITV News website.

Digital devices for schools in under-resourced areas of Northern Ireland

  • Around 2,700 digital devices are to be provided to schools in under-resources areas of NI.
  • By the end of the scheme, close to 240 schools will have benefitted from this investment.
  • The devices will be offered to schools, starting with those with the highest proportion of free school meals.
  • Education permanent secretary Dr Mark Browne reported that the “provision of these new digital devices has been a direct consequence of ‘A Fair Start’ report” which is about “investing in our children’s future and providing them with the confidence, knowledge and skills they need to progress in life.”
  • For more, please visit the Irish News website.