US regulators are being asked to investigate a YouTube app for children. Consumer organisations and childcare groups say YouTube is using the app to flout long-standing limits on adverts seen by youngsters. The groups have sent a joint letter to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asking it to find out if the app uses “deceptive marketing practices”.
BBCOnline 7/4/2015
Read More…
The other day I asked whether technology would be an issue at the general election - and concluded that it almost certainly would not. Well, within a couple of days I was proved wrong. The Conservatives came up with a plan which could involve major changes in the way the internet is regulated.
They say that if they are re-elected they will act to prevent children from getting access to websites offering pornography. That is a policy which other parties are very unlikely to oppose, but it could become more controversial once the practicalities of making this work become clear.
BBCOnline 7/4/2015
Read More…
Ed Miliband has vowed to defend the BBC’s licence fee in the next parliament, but admitted he doesn’t watch the corporation’s news output. The Labour leader said he believed the BBC provided a “benchmark for standards” in British media and helped to raise Britain’s profile around the world. But with the current licence fee settlement due to come under review in the next parliament, the broadcaster has come under fire from Conservatives who accuse it of a liberal bias.
mediaGuardian 7/4/2015
Read More…
Soundtracks to video games have brought a younger generation to classical music, a new poll of the nation’s favourite pieces suggests. John Suchet, a weekday DJ on the classical music station, said: “What I find truly exciting is the continued increase in a younger audience for classical music - I didn’t expect to be thanking the video game industry for introducing the genre to a new generation of people, but it’s wonderful.”
Telegraph 6/4/2015
Read More…
The Conservatives say they will force hardcore pornography websites to put in place age-restriction controls or face being shut down if they win the election. The culture secretary, Sajid Javid, said the party would act to ensure under-18s were locked out of adult content after a recent Childline poll found nearly one in 10 12-13 year olds were worried they were addicted and 18% had seen shocking or upsetting images.
Experts welcomed the move – targeted at both UK-based and overseas websites – but warned it would take hard work to implement in practice. Under the Tory proposals the system would be overseen by an independent regulator with the power to compel internet service providers (ISPs) to block sites which failed to include effective age verification. ISPs could be fined if they did not co-operate.
Javid said: “If you want to buy a hardcore pornography DVD in a store you need to prove your age to the retailers. “With the shift to online, children can access adult content on websites without restriction, intentionally or otherwise.
Guardian 4/4/2015
Read More…
As an Easter treat, I promised the 12-year-old a trip to the movies. She summed it up in three words: “Just us? Brilliant!” But what to see? Too old for Home, too sophisticated for Spongebob, she’d seen the latest Divergent film (Detergent, wasn’t it?). So I decided on The Voices: yes, yes it was a 15, but it featured talking pets and that nice Gemma Arteton’s disembodied head, chatting, on a kitchen worktop. Hilarious!
Telegraph 4/4/2015
Read More…
Children are too busy playing online to spend time in the sunshine, make new friends and spend time with family while on holiday, according to a new survey. Half of children miss out on sunny days as they’re too engrossed with their gadgets, and a further one in five were so engrossed by their smartphone that they missed seeing a tourist attraction.
Children play games on smartphones and tablets for an average of two and a half hours when travelling, though one in five parents claimed their offspring played for up to an hour daily when on holiday, according to the report by online ticket provider FloridaTix.
Telegraph 3/4/2015
Read More…
Parents are more worried about their children being exposed to violent videos than pornography or bad language, according to new research. A report from Ofcom reveals that violent images tops the list of concerns for parents when it comes to their children watching footage on the internet.
Almost one in five parents said they are scared about what videos their children might be viewing and experts suggested this is being heightened by the rise of tablets and smartphones.
MailOnline 2/4/2015
Read more:
Every hour spent sitting watching television increases the risk of getting diabetes, researchers have warned. A study revealed that every hour that people regularly spend slumped in front of the TV can raise the risk of developing the condition by 3.4 per cent. Researchers believe that too much sitting can increase people’s weight – a risk factor for the condition.
MailOnline 1/4/2015
Read more:
For over 29 years we at ChildLine have strived to address the issues that young people tell us are affecting them - cyber bullying, self-harm and suicidal thoughts are just a few of the subjects we have helped children to deal with and to overcome. As a charity that fights for every childhood we will always listen to what young people are telling us - which is why we have launched the ChildLine FAPZ campaign (the Fight Against Porn Zombies).
It is impossible to ignore 18,000 visits every month about exposure to porn on our discussion forums from children and young people or that one in ten 12-13 year olds are worried they are addicted to porn.
Huffington Post 1/4/2015
Read More…
An ad for Jeep Cherokee vehicles has been banned for suggesting that driving in dangerous winter weather can be fun. The radio ad began with a mock weather forecast which warned of overnight snow causing severe disruption before a voiceover said: “Time to play.”
mediaGuardian 1/4/2015
Read More…