TikTok strengthens community guidelines

  • TikTok has announced changes to its community guidelines, aiming to crackdown on content promoting disordered eating like over-exercising and fasting content.
  • TikTok is also clarifying hateful prohibited practices like deadnaming, misgendering and misogyny in their policies.
  • TikTok will also be expanding its system that detects and removes videos to include adult nudity, illegal activities, or risks to the safety of minors.
  • You can read the full story through TikTok’s Newsroom.

New rules could require age verification for Reddit and Google

  • Campaigners from the Open Rights Group warn that new rules in the planned Online Safety Bill could force users to provide ID before using Reddit and Google.
  • The regulation attempts to restrict pornographic websites to prevent children from accessing them.
  • This could mean that websites that host adult content like Google, Twitter and Reddit could be affected by these rules.
  • You can read the full story through the Independent.

Instagram’s new features in honour of Safer Internet Day

  • To celebrate Safer Internet Day yesterday, Instagram added new features focused on content management and security.
  • The new ‘Your Activity’ feature allows users to see a full overview of their Instagram activity including total time spent on the app and allows users to bulk delete or archive posts.
  • Instagram also introduced a ‘Security Check-up’ tool which takes users through steps needed to secure their account including reviewing profile information.
  • You can read the full story through Social Media Today.

Homophobic abuse ‘normalised’ in primary schools

  • A Cardiff University professor warns that primary school children in Wales are increasingly targeting each other with homophobic and transphobic abuse.
  • There has been an increase in young children reporting homophobic and sexist comments.
  • This follows last year’s Estyn report that found that homophobic bullying was the most common type in secondary schools.
  • You can read the full story through the BBC.