PRINCE HARRY BLASTS SOCIAL MEDIA FIRMS AS HE ENDORSES 5 RIGHTS TOOLKIT
Prince Harry has criticised social media companies for using young people as “digital experiments to make money.”
He made the remarks at an event to launch a toolkit launched by children’s charity 5 Rights Foundation to help children to stay safe online.
“We now understand that many of these systems are by design, aiming to keep our kids hooked on these products for years to come,” Prince Harry said.
“We need continued research into what some of the biggest companies in the world are hiding behind closed doors.”
The 5 Rights toolkit, which is available online, is designed to offer advice to policymakers on what practical legislative steps need to take place to ensure children are safe online.
It includes a ‘model policy’ designed for policymakers to use as a template to create child safety policies in different countries.
CHILDREN MORE LIKELY TO BE BULLIED ONLINE THAN IN PERSON
Children are now more likely to suffer bullying online than they are face-to-face, according to research by media regulator Ofcom.
84% of children aged 8-17 who had been bullied said the abuse took place online, compared with 61% taking place in person, according to Ofcom’s study of children’s media and online habits.
Messaging was the most common method of bullying experienced by children, followed by bullying on social media. Around 2 in 5 children said they had experienced bullying.
“Cyber bullying really follows you home…with devices, cyber-bullying can be pervasive and continuous,” said Dr Radha Modgil speaking on Ofcom’s Life Online podcast.
“When you’re being cyberbullied, that potential for people to witness it…is much more reduced and that’s why it’s difficult for young people and children to ask for support and help.”
THREE TEENAGERS ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF TERROR OFFENCES
The Metropolitan Police have arrested three teenagers on suspicion of terror offences in the space of four days.
In one investigation, a 13-year-old boy was detained at an address in west London on Tuesday on suspicion of sharing Islamist terrorist material.
In a separate investigation, an 18-year-old man was arrested at an address in Essex on Wednesday 18th May on suspicion of encouraging terrorism, while a 17-year-old girl was arrested at an address in east London. Police said the investigation related to extreme Islamist ideology.
“While it is still very rare for such a young person to be arrested for a terrorism offence, in recent times we have seen a worrying increase in the number of teenagers being drawn into terrorism,” said Commander Richard Smith, head of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command.
“Across the country, police are working hard to try and prevent young people from being radicalised, and acting quickly when it is suspected that offences have been committed.”
SOCIAL MEDIA FIRMS CRITICISED FOR RESPONSE TO BUFFALO SHOOTING
Social media firms have come under scrutiny for their response to a shooting in Buffalo in which 10 people died.
The Buffalo gunman took to social media to livestream the attack at a supermarket.
The livestream was subsequently taken down, but clips of the footage were circulated across several social media channels, reaching audiences of millions over a period of several hours before eventually being removed.
“Despite having had several years to put in place appropriate measures to hinder far-right terror propaganda to be spread virally, it has had little effect,” Patrick Hermansson, researcher at Hope Not Hate, told the BBC.
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