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September 12, 2023

Meta is blocking ‘potentially sensitive’ topics from Threads search

  • Threads recently introduced keyword-searching abilities, and it turns out that some searches are blocked for several “potentially sensitive” words. 
  • Words that have previously been linked to misinformation on Meta’s platform, such as “vaccines” and “covid” and other unsavoury terms such as “gore”, “nude” and “sex” are currently among those words being blocked.  
  • These limits are an attempt to prevent controversial content from spreading on Meta’s latest app. 
  • Meta has confirmed that blocking these searches is a temporary measure whilst search is being rolled out.  
  • For more, please visit the Engadget’s website.  

Ban on disposable vapes to stop children becoming addicted

  • Government proposals to ban single-use disposable vapes may be unveiled as early as next week.
  • The decision will be revealed in a consultation issued by the Health Department imminently.
  • The ban would apply to England, with other devolved administrations having to set policy for Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
  • Much research has been carried out on this health behaviour, a new study presented to the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan haws found that vaping has been linked to a more than twofold rise in chronic stress among young people.
  • For more, please visit the Telegraph’s website.

The following stories may be regionalised:

Sex offender targeted more than 100 young girls from across the UK

  • A sex offender from Swansea targeted young children online.
  • Police discovered more than 2,000 indecent images and videos of children on his devices.
  • He engaged in sexually explicit conversations with them after approaching them on social media platforms.
  • He then bullied and blackmails them into sending explicit images and performing sexual acts on camera.
  • Some children were as young as nine years old.
  • 142 have been identified and safeguarded by South Wales Police, and work is ongoing to identify all children involved.
  • The offender was given an extended 24-year sentence in a young offenders institution and will be a registered sex offender for life.
  • For more, please visit the ITV News website.

Two Welsh schools named finalists for global education prize

  • Cadoxton Primary School in Barry, South Wales, is one of the schools in the UK which have reached the final three for the T4 Education World’s Best School prizes. 
  • It has been shortlisted for overcoming adversity in recognition of its efforts to tackle food poverty amid the cost-of-living crisis. 
  • They run the “pay as you feel” food shop, first launched in June 2020. 
  • Cardiff Sixth Form College is another school in the running for the final three of the global prize for supporting healthy lives. 
  • The international school runs a pastoral programme designed to promote positive mental health and physical health amongst its A-level students.  
  • The winners of the five prizes will be announced in November and will be awarded with a £200,000 prize which will be shared equally amongst the five categories, community collaboration, environmental action, innovation, overcoming adversity, and supporting healthy lives. 
  • For more, please visit the Independent website.