Latest news with #online safety
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
The red flag hiding in your kids' games that they're being groomed & easy guide to keep them safe online this summer
THE summer holidays bring lots of freedom for our children. But it can also lead to an increase in screen time - as parents balance work commitments with keeping their kids occupied. This comes with a stark warning from security chiefs, who are urgently calling on parents to prevent children from accessing toxic online material. This unprecedented alert stems from a deeply concerning trend: a growing number of children, some as young as 12, are being radicalised and brainwashed into committing acts of terrorism. Alarming statistics reveal the scale of the threat, with around one in five individuals arrested for terrorism-related offences now aged under 18, and half of all referrals to the Government's Prevent anti-radicalisation programme involving children. Appealing to parents, Sir Ken McCallum, MI5's Director General, emphasised the speed and sophistication of this danger: 'In a few clicks, young people can be speaking to terrorists online, consuming violent content. 'Terrorists are using slick propaganda to pull young people down a dangerous and potentially life-changing path.' This urgent appeal for parental vigilance regarding children's internet use is a joint call from the heads of MI5, the National Crime Agency, and Counter Terrorism Policing. New research from consumer insights platform GWI further underscores this concern, revealing that 66% of UK respondents cited 'exposure to harmful content' as one of their biggest worries about children using social media. While digital spaces offer connection and entertainment, they also harbour insidious threats like online grooming and the terrifying rise of extremism. These dangers often manifest not through obvious red flags, but through subtle, non-suspecting signs that parents must learn to recognise. Experts across child protection, psychology, and law enforcement are urging parents to be vigilant and proactive, transforming their approach to online safety from reactive to deeply empathetic and informed. Navigating Child Independence: Legal Guidelines & Safety Considerations in Scotland Here, we reveal the behavioural red flags to watch out for - and they're ones that can easily go missed. A Sudden Shift in Screen Habits Keep an eye on how your child uses their devices. You might notice them suddenly spending way more time online, or even avoiding it altogether. It's a bit like a digital mood swing, as experts at Parent Club point out. Also, watch out if they get a bit shifty when you're around - quickly flipping their phone over or closing tabs when you walk in. That secrecy can be a real tell-tale sign. The Emotional Rollercoaster Online dangers can really mess with a child's feelings. They might seem upset, worried, sad, or just generally withdrawn after being online. Jarmila Tomkova, an expert on online harms, highlights that if your child seems hesitant to talk about their online world, or looks anxious after chatting with someone, it could be a big clue they're being manipulated. She explains on the ESET blog that "the toxicity of the malicious relationship made them feel as if they´d done something wrong, hence not wanting to share their inner world." You might also spot mood swings, or they could start having trouble sleeping or with their mental health. Jarmila adds that "the child may start acting aloof, withdraws themselves from society, and gets into more conflicts." 3 Unexpected Gifts? Pay Attention! If your child suddenly has new things, whether it's a physical present or even virtual stuff like extra lives or points in a game, and you're not sure where it came from, Jarmila says it's a "big red flag" that you absolutely shouldn't ignore. These can be a groomer's way of building trust. The Secret World of Online Chats Communication patterns can also be a huge clue. Groomers often push kids to use messaging apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat because they're trickier for parents to keep an eye on, as NSPCC Learning points out. You might notice your child becoming super secretive about their online time, or avoiding video or phone calls with their "online friends" - which could mean that "friend" isn't who they say they are. They might even start demanding secrecy, with the online person telling them to keep conversations "private" or "their little secret". The groomer often tries to cut kids off from their real-life friends and family, leading to feelings of isolation. And a really worrying sign is if your child starts using sexual language you wouldn't expect them to know. As the Metropolitan Police noted in 2022, "Signs of grooming can easily be mistaken for 'typical' teenage behaviour, but you may notice unexplained changes in behaviour or personality or inappropriate behaviour for their age." Urge for 'Change' One big red flag, according to Action Counters Terrorism (ACT), is if your child suddenly starts thinking 'a change needs to happen.' They might develop an intense, even angry, desire for 'something to be done' about perceived injustices, perhaps reacting strongly to acts of extremism or terrorism. ACT explains that radicalisers are clever; they "exploit these feelings and offer an 'answer' to the problem or issue the person is angry or upset about." They might even convince your child that joining extremist groups and taking "violent action" is the only way to find a solution. Digital Footprints When it comes to extremism, pay attention to their online activity. ACT urges us to watch out if they're liking, sharing, or re-tweeting posts from extremist groups or individuals. Children might become secretive about who they're talking to online and what websites they're visiting, or spend loads of time researching extremist ideas. Another red flag is if they have more than one online identity. And, as Kids Health suggests, notice if they quickly switch screens when you come near their device - that's often a sign they're hiding something. Lost Interests Beyond the screen, look at their social life. ACT also advises noting if they start distancing themselves from old friends or changing their social circle entirely. You might find they're no longer enjoying activities they used to love, or they become much more emotional, angry, or resentful. A strong new sense of identity or belonging tied to a new group or ideology is also a big warning sign. And keep an eye out for new electronic devices or phones that you didn't provide - that can be a way for them to communicate secretly. What Can You Do? 3 The NSPCC stresses that "talking regularly with your child can help keep them safe online." Make it a normal part of your day, like asking about school, so they feel relaxed and more likely to come to you with worries. Dr. Elly Hanson, a clinical psychologist, advises us to be "genuinely curious" about their online world, not dismissive, so they feel comfortable sharing. And crucially, let them know you won't be cross, even if they've stumbled into something "wrong" - fear of punishment often keeps kids silent. Setting Smart Boundaries While talking is key, setting clear boundaries is also super important. Use those parental controls on devices and apps to filter out inappropriate stuff, but always explain why these rules are in place. The Digital Parenting Coach suggests setting "clear and consistent screen time boundaries" and having "device-free time and zones" - like no phones at dinner or in bedrooms. Even better, create a "family media agreement" together, so everyone's on the same page and feels involved. Monitoring with Trust Keeping an eye on things is vital, but it's about balance. You can't protect them from what you don't know is happening, as Child Rescue Coalition points out. However, avoid "micromanaging" every single text or post, as this can actually make kids more secretive. Instead, talk openly about why you're monitoring and what you're looking for, building trust rather than suspicion. Keeping devices in shared family areas helps with natural supervision and encourages open chat.
The Verge
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Reddit and Discord's UK age verification can be defeated by Death Stranding's photo mode
Enforcement of the UK's new online safety rules started on Friday, forcing a variety of platforms to roll out mandatory age verification tools for Brits. We already know that the age-gating checks are easy to bypass with a VPN, but what we didn't know is that the face scanning tools used by platforms like Reddit and Discord can also be easily bypassed with Death Stranding's photo mode. Dany Sterkhov alerted the world to the Death Stranding bypass on Friday morning, and gamers have been using the photo mode and Sam Bridges to trick face scanning tools into accepting them as an adult all weekend. All you have to do is point your phone at your monitor with Death Stranding open, activate the in-game photo mode, and then get Sam to look at the camera. I used this technique on Discord and the face scanning verification (k-ID) asked me to open and close Sam's mouth, so I obliged using the facial expressions in the photo mode. I did the same thing on Reddit, but this time the face scanning tool (Persona) asked me to move Sam's face around, so I panned the camera around until it was accepted. Both were completed within seconds, and it was unbelievably easy to bypass these age checks. Discord uses the k-ID face verification service, while Reddit uses the Persona service. Both services were fooled by the virtual Sam Bridges. I tried to bypass Bluesky's age verification, which uses the Yoti service, and it failed with the virtual Sam Bridges. Yoti says Instagram will also use its facial age estimation technology as an option 'for people who need to prove they are over 18.' This bypass not only lets adults verify as an adult on multiple services, but it also lets you avoid sharing your face or credit card details with yet another third-party company. It also means you don't have to pay for a VPN service to continuously bypass these age checks, as long as the service you want to access offers a face scanning option that falls victim to the virtual Sam Bridges. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Tom Warren Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gaming Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Privacy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Report Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Women-only app to discuss the men they date suffers massive data breach
Tea, an app designed to let women safely discuss men they date has been breached, with thousands of selfies and photo IDs of users exposed, the company confirmed. Tea said that about 72,000 images were leaked online, including 13,000 images of selfies or selfies featuring a photo identification that users submitted during account verification. Another 59,000 images publicly viewable in the app from posts, comments and direct messages were also accessed without authorization, according to a Tea spokesperson on Friday. No email addresses or phone numbers were accessed, the company said, and the breach only affects users who signed up before February 2024. 'Tea has engaged third-party cybersecurity experts and are working around the clock to secure its systems,' the company said. 'At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that additional user data was affected. Protecting tea users´ privacy and data is their highest priority.' Tea presents itself as a safe way for women to anonymously vet men they might connect with on dating apps such as Tinder or Bumble - ensuring that your date is 'safe, not a catfish, and not in a relationship.' 'Tea is a must-have app, helping women avoid red flags before the first date with dating advice, and showing them who´s really behind the profile of the person they´re dating,' reads Tea's app store description. 404 Media, which earlier reported the breach, said it was 4Chan users who discovered an exposed database that 'allowed anyone to access the material' from Tea. 'While reporting this story, a URL the 4chan user posted included a voluminous list of specific attachments associated with the Tea app. 404 Media saw this list of files. In the last hour or so, that page was locked down, and now returns a 'Permission denied' error,' 404 Media reported Friday.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Washington Post
Tea, an app for women to safely talk about men they date, has been breached, user IDs exposed
Tea, an app designed to let women safely discuss men they date has been breached, with thousands of selfies and photo IDs of users exposed, the company confirmed on Friday. Tea said that about 72,000 images were leaked online, including 13,000 images of selfies or selfies featuring a photo identification that users submitted during account verification. Another 59,000 images publicly viewable in the app from posts, comments and direct messages were also accessed without authorization, according to a Tea spokesperson.
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Associated Press
Tea, an app for women to safely talk about men they date, has been breached, user IDs exposed
Tea, an app designed to let women safely discuss men they date has been breached, with thousands of selfies and photo IDs of users exposed, the company confirmed on Friday. Tea said that about 72,000 images were leaked online, including 13,000 images of selfies or selfies featuring a photo identification that users submitted during account verification. Another 59,000 images publicly viewable in the app from posts, comments and direct messages were also accessed without authorization, according to a Tea spokesperson. No email addresses or phone numbers were accessed, the company said, and the breach only affects users who signed up before February 2024. 'Tea has engaged third-party cybersecurity experts and are working around the clock to secure its systems,' the company said. 'At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that additional user data was affected. Protecting tea users' privacy and data is their highest priority.' Tea presents itself as a safe way for women to anonymously vet men they might connect with on dating apps such as Tinder or Bumble — ensuring that your date is 'safe, not a catfish, and not in a relationship.' 'Tea is a must-have app, helping women avoid red flags before the first date with dating advice, and showing them who's really behind the profile of the person they're dating,' reads Tea's app store description. 404 Media, which earlier reported the breach, said it was 4Chan users who discovered an exposed database that 'allowed anyone to access the material' from Tea. 'While reporting this story, a URL the 4chan user posted included a voluminous list of specific attachments associated with the Tea app. 404 Media saw this list of files. In the last hour or so, that page was locked down, and now returns a 'Permission denied' error,' 404 Media reported Friday. Tea said in an Instagram post this week that it has reached 4 million users.
