Young Britons turning to AI chatbots for help with school and work – survey
- Nominet’s latest annual Digital Youth Index, which examines young people’s online habits and attitudes, suggests that while 94% of young people feel safe online, 76% reported having been exposed to an upsetting experience.
- According to the study, X (formerly Twitter), was identified as the platform where most young people (77%) had seen distressing content.
- The study also highlighted that 53% of those asked said they had used an AI chatbot and were curious about how they could use them in their lives.
- Nominet chief executive, Paul Fletcher reported: “When it comes to online safety, it looks like young Brits are growing in confidence, but the rise in exposure to upsetting content highlights that tackling online harm remains important to young people.”
- He continued: “Our data shows us the reality that despite young people’s lives and their education system going online, a concerning 14% of two million of them still don’t have access to a laptop or desktop computer, and this has the potential to significantly disadvantage those that would benefit the most,”
- For more, please visit the Yahoo News website.
‘I was addicted to social media – now I’m suing Big Tech’
- Hundreds of families are suing some of the largest tech companies, who they say knowingly expose children to harmful products.
- One young person describes the addiction on social media that led to suicide attempts and years of depression, and is now suing four tech companies: Meta, TikTok, Google and Snap Inc, alongside other families.
- The plaintiffs include ordinary families and school districts from across the US.
- Lawyers for families believe the case of 14-year-old Molly Russell from the UK, is an important example of the potential harms faced by teenagers.
- The companies say the claims are not true and they intend to defend themselves robustly.
- For more, please visit the BBC News website.
NI businessman jailed for raping teen boy ‘smirked’ at victim’s family before sentence ‘wiped smile from his face’
- The 60-year-old man, reported to be a “highly regarded” Co Down businessman, has been jailed or raping a 14-year-old boy.
- The victim’s mum said that ahead of the hearing, he sat in the foyer allegedly smirking.
- The defence requested for the sentencing to be adjourned for the preparation of a psychiatric report, citing the man’s alleged abuse of alcohol.
- However, the judge reported: “I have enough material before me to pass a just sentence.”
- The man had already pleaded guilty to oral rape, engaging in sexual activity with a child involving penetration, and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
- He plied the victim with vodka, make him smoke cannabis and look up explicit content on his mobile phone before attacking him.
- In addition to the jail sentence, he was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the rest of his life and was banned from working with children. He also received a 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
- For more, please visit the Belfast Telegraph website.
