Cyber Safety in the News
High School Students Walk Out Over Cellphone Ban
Newsweek, Feb 9, 2024
Students at a high school in Texas are protesting a new cellphone ban. Hundreds of students gathered outside James Madison High School in South Houston. Some held signs that read “We are high school kids not cellmates!!!” and “You are not here to imprison us or confine us,”. In the letter, the students also demanded they be treated like students, saying the school “currently operates like a prison.”. Students went on to say that “Our personal property is confiscated as we enter the building and returned once we are released, as if we are serving a prison sentence and released after completing our punishment.” As schools attempt to create and redefine their cell phone policies, we wonder if we will see more backlash like this from students in the future.
‘God, What If I Was 15?’: Julia Roberts Responds To Being Shamed In A Photo With Her Niece
Upworthy, February 13, 2024
A recent photo shared online opened Julia Robert’s eyes to the world of cyberbullying and its effect on teenage mental health. Reports show that online bullying is pervasive among teenagers and looks are a common target. Nearly half of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online, with physical appearance being seen as a relatively common reason why. Older teen girls are especially likely to report being targeted by online abuse overall and mostly because of their appearance.
Senate Poised To Pass Biggest Piece Of Tech Regulation In Decades
Washington Post, February 15, 2024
With more than 60 backers, an updated Kids Online Safety Act finally has a path to passage in the Senate but faces uncertainty in the House. KOSA, first introduced in 2022, would impose sweeping new obligations on an array of digital platforms, including requiring that companies “exercise reasonable care” to prevent their products from endangering kids. The safeguards would extend to their use of design features that could exacerbate depression, sexual exploitation, bullying, harassment, and other harm. If passed, it would become the first major consumer privacy or child online safety measure to clear a chamber of Congress in decades.
A Marketplace Of Girl Influencers Managed By Moms And Stalked By Men
New York Times, February 22, 2024
What often starts as a parent’s effort to jump-start a child’s modeling career, or win favors from clothing brands, can quickly descend into a dark underworld dominated by adult men, many of whom openly admit on other platforms to being sexually attracted to children. The troubling interactions on Instagram come as social media companies increasingly dominate the cultural landscape and the internet is seen as a career path of its own. Pedophiles have frequently praised the advent of Instagram as a golden age for child exploitation. This article gives insight into the world of influencers who get younger and younger every year.
Texas Sues Pornhub Parent Company For Allegedly Failing To Block Access To Minors
New York Post, February 27, 2024
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Pornhub’s parent company for allegedly violating state law by failing to implement age verification measures to ensure that children can’t access the adults-only site. “Texas has a right to protect its children from the detrimental effects of pornographic content,” Paxton said in a news release. Texas is one of several states that have pushed forward legislation aimed at cracking down on minors’ access to porn. Similar laws were put in place in Louisiana, Virginia and Mississippi. Pornhub has retaliated by blocking access to its site for users based in Virginia, Mississippi and Utah. The availability of online pornography has long been a problem for minors, with the average age of first access at 11 years old.