Netflix hit should be 'wake-up call' for parents
There are many lessons which can be learned from a popular Netflix series, a Guernsey Police officer said.
Digital safety development officer Special Constable Laura Simpson said the programme Adolescence shone a light on how the so-called manosphere - male rage and misogynistic influences online - could affect boys and young men's mental health.
The show, starring Stephen Graham, follows the family of a 13-year-old schoolboy who is arrested for killing a female classmate, and explores the impact of social media and misogynist influencers on some boys.
Con Simpson said the series should act as a "wake-up call" to parents, carers and professionals who worked with children.
Con Simpson added people should not "bury their heads in the sand" when it came to the online lives of children and what influenced them.
She said: "I think my key takeaway from the series was a moment in the last episode when the parents looked at each other and asked: 'Should we have done more?'
"That acknowledgement that they were not involved enough in aspects of their son's life which had ultimately led to tragedy should be a wake-up call to everyone who is a parent, carer or professional who works with kids of any age."
She said her advice to parents was to talk to their children about their online lives, be active users of apps and games played by them and use parental controls on the internet.
She also said parents and children should share videos and content with each other they think is interesting, along with sharing information and ideas with other key people in a child's life, including teachers and relatives.
Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.
Adolescence creators want show aired in Parliament
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Some users have even noted (somewhat ironically) that they can now see more shows on their phone screen than they can on their much larger TV. I also noticed that a couple of well-liked features have quietly disappeared. The 'new & popular' tab (which used to give a quick overview of trending titles and upcoming releases) is no longer part of the new layout. The update also did away with the 'categories' section, though fewer users seem to be upset about that change. Netflix highlighted the differences between the new "My Netflix" tab and the main homepage, but in practice, they look pretty similar as both show many of the same rows and recommended content. This is a criticism I can't really argue with. Of course, it wouldn't be a real controversy without some backlash on X too. One user commented on how they can't set reminders on movies and TV shows, because they can't even see them. Meanwhile, another user called it 'headache-inducing' due to the titles being too big. 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People's habits change, tech moves forward, and what felt great ten years ago might now seem a bit clunky or outdated. Updating the interface keeps things feeling fresh, shows Netflix is actually listening and evolving, and helps the service keep up with what we want and need. Plus, with better screens, faster internet, and all kinds of new devices focused on AI, there are better ways to make browsing and watching easier and more fun. Changing things up lets Netflix use those improvements so the whole experience just feels smoother and more enjoyable. So yes, I'll keep defending Netflix's redesign, and I don't think it's quite cause for anyone to rush into canceling their subscriptions over it.
