Video games have become a vital social tool during the lasts year’s lockdowns as a way to keep in touch with friends, a new study has found. In a survey from Gaming accessories firm HyperX, more than half of 13 to 18 year olds said they used games as a way to socialise with friends. … Read more
Facebook’s plans to encrypt its messenger service will be a “disaster” for child safety and law enforcement, a senior National Crime Agency (NCA) director has said. In 2019, Facebook confirmed it was forging ahead with plans to bring end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to its Messenger platform, despite calls from governments that it will make it easier for … Read more
Online tuition can support disadvantaged pupils to learn remotely but access to equipment and reliable internet connections are key barriers to participation, a study has shown. The pilot from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) was carried out to assess the effectiveness of supporting the learning of pupils from low-income backgrounds during and after partial school … Read more
Exposure to air pollution in childhood is linked to a decline in thinking skills in later life, Edinburgh University researchers have said. A greater exposure to air pollution at the very start of life was associated with a detrimental effect on people’s cognitive skills up to 60 years later, the research found. The team tested … Read more
Millions of children in England are using messaging platforms that they are not old enough to be accessing and the introduction of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) could increase their risk of exploitation, the Children’s Commissioner for England has warned in a report. The Commissioner’s report follows announcements by Facebook – and indications by other social platforms, such as Snap – … Read more
CEO of EngineeringUK, Dr Hilary Leevers outlines the work being done by her organisation to inspire and engage with ‘tomorrow’s engineers’ in the 11-to-14-year-old age bracket and beyond. “All young people should be enabled to understand what engineering is and be motivated to engage with it as a career pathway,” says Hilary Leevers. It’s a … Read more