Latest news with #onlineSafety
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Northern Ontario man charged with child luring
Kirkland Lake man is now charged with two counts of luring a person under 16 after police seized a number of electronic devices from his home on Tuesday. Authorities urge parents to talk to children about online safety.
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
What to know about your kids using AI chatbots and companions
Technology is constantly evolving, and as parents it can feel like we're constantly playing catch-up when trying to keep our kids safe online. That might be how you're feeling about the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots and companions. Here's what you need to know about your kids using the technology. AI chatbots and companions have a few distinctive differences. An AI chatbot is a computer program that simulates human conversation using AI techniques such as natural language processing (NLP) to understand user questions and automate responses to them. While AI companions are chatbots or avatars designed to simulate personal relationships, increasingly acting as friends, romantic partners, or confidantes for millions of people. They are becoming increasingly available on phones and voice-activated devices. "AI companions are a specifically designed chatbot for relational interactions," says Natasha Banks, program director of registered charity Day of AI Australia. "Whereas something like Gemini or ChatGPT, it's 'answer this question for me, can you go and find this piece of information?'." Ms Banks says with the federal government's social media ban coming into force this year, "there is a heightened awareness around these sorts of things and the potential harms" for young people. Age-checking tech for social media ban mistakes kids for 37-year-olds The eSafety Commissioner has released an online safety advisory about the technology and the potential risks to children and young people. It says recent reports indicate some children and young people are using AI-driven chatbots for hours daily, with conversations often crossing into subjects such as sex and self-harm. This is why we need to be wary of the technology according to Tama Leaver, a professor of internet studies at Curtin University, Perth/Boorloo and the chief investigator in the ARC (Australian Research Council) Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child. "These aren't intelligent tools," he says. The e-Safety Commissioner lists more than 100 AI companion apps on its eSafety Guide. Experts say one of the biggest concerns around AI chatbots and companions is that most of the platforms are not designed for children. This means there are inadequate safeguards, such as age verification and content moderation. Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 Lifeline on 13 11 14 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARN on 13 92 76 Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 Headspace on 1800 650 890 MensLine on 1300 789 978 SANE on 1800 187 263 A recent study of more than 1,000 young people in Australia aged 15-24 years, found 84 per cent have used generative AI tools, with 35 per cent having used AI to specifically "chat with a chatbot". In the UK a similar study found 64 per cent of 9 to 17-year-olds are using AI chatbots. Not-for-profit organisation Internet Matters, which conducted the UK research, says the children were using chatbots for "everything from homework to emotional advice and companionship". Co-CEO Rachel Huggins says most children, parents and schools don't have the information or protective tools they need to manage the technology in a safe way. "We've arrived at a point very quickly where children, and in particular vulnerable children, can see AI chatbots as real people, and as such are asking them for emotionally driven and sensitive advice," she says. Professor Leaver agrees that some children could become emotionally reliant on the technology. "If you are not able to talk to a real person all of the time, then these chatbots will always be there," he says. "There is no guarantee that what you get from a chatbot is either true or appropriate. "We know, for example, young people are often leaning on chatbots for mental health support. We also know that they can segue into inappropriate sexual territory with relatively ineffective safeguards at the moment." He says often the technology is also emotionally manipulative because it is designed to keep the user talking and engaged. Our experts recommend parental supervision if children are using or exploring chatbots. "Unfortunately, the onus is still on parents to keep a watchful eye on what [their] children are up to, especially in the privacy of their own rooms," says Toby Walsh, the chief scientist at UNSW's AI Institute. Some schools in Australia are taking a proactive approach to digital literacy. Ms Banks says the Day of AI Australia, which offers a free interactive AI literacy program for students in Years 1-10, has already reached 65,000 students. "It is definitely something that we know most students are using, we know parents are using, and it's really important that people understand how those work," she says. "There are obviously emerging roles and industries around AI, so there is a real opportunity for Australian young people to be part of that future in very AI focused careers. "I think preparing young people to be able to adapt to that future is really important, but also understanding how it works so that they can have critical evaluation of the applications and the outputs is really vital." John Livingstone, director of digital policy for UNICEF Australia, says children stand to gain immensely from AI, if it's offered safely. "When you think about education, for example, how transformative it might be… but there's also serious risks," he says. "AI is rapidly changing childhood, and Australia needs to get serious about it."
CNET
7 days ago
- CNET
Apple Adds 13, 16 and 18 Plus Age Ratings to Its Apps and Games: What to Know
In an effort to help parents decide which apps they should download or avoid for their kids on iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, Apple Watches, Apple TVs and the Apple Vision Pro, Apple has added three new age ratings: 13 Plus, 16 Plus and 18 Plus. To make things a little more clear, Apple removed the 12- and 17-plus ratings (but kept the 4- and 9-plus ratings). Apple said the new age ratings will be present on any Apple device running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26 and watchOS 26. By increasing the granularity of its age ratings system, Apple is adding to its Helping Protect Kids Online initiative that it announced in late February to give parents more control over how much data is being shared with developers, part of a nationwide effort to increase platform safety for kids. In the memo this week, Apple said that app developers must answer more questions to help the company determine what age rating their app should have. Devs will need to provide information about in-app controls, violent themes, medical or wellness topics and capabilities. Developers will be able to set a higher minimum age than Apple has assigned, and can also answer the new questions after seeing what age ratings have been given to their apps under the new system. Apple said that developers "must consider how all app features, including AI assistants and chatbot functionality, impact the frequency of sensitive content appearing within your app to make sure it receives the appropriate rating."
Sky News
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Mother reveals how she created fake Snapchat account to help catch paedophile who targeted daughter
A mother has revealed how she created a fake Snapchat account to help put a paedophile behind bars after he started messaging her daughter. Sarah's eight-year-old daughter Nicki was playing the online game MovieStarPlanet when she began receiving messages from someone claiming to be a 17-year-old boy. Speaking to Sky News presenter Sarah-Jane Mee on The UK Tonight, Nicki said: "It was just someone starting off a normal conversation saying 'hi, how are you?'. And then it just started getting weirder... he was saying that I looked really sexy sometimes. And as I was an eight-year-old, I didn't really recognise that word... so then I went straight to my mum because it didn't look normal to me." The person messaging her, who it later turned out was a man in his 30s, had also repeatedly asked Nicky to speak to him on the social media app Snapchat - despite the fact her profile on MovieStarPlanet clearly said she was eight. Remembering the moment her daughter showed her the messages, Nicki's mother Sarah said: "I won't lie, initially I genuinely did think it was just a 17-year-old boy, you know, just sort of pushing his luck, if you will. "We deleted the account [on the game]. We made her a brand new account... and then 12 hours later, ping! He found her again." Sarah then decided to create a Snapchat account in her daughter's name before adding the person who had approached her on the game. She decided not to include any photos of her daughter on the account. However, Sarah continued: "He understood who it was straight away and the conversation continued... s o then, if you will, I became Nicki for about five days." Sarah says a "major red flag" occurred when the person started sending videos and pictures. "I was well aware that that was no 16 to 17-year-old boy. This was prior to us seeing a full facial image. Luckily enough, he sent that as well, which made it a lot easier to identify this as a fully-grown man." Sarah continued: "Knowing what he wanted from her, what he wanted to do to her. He was very explicit in telling me what he wanted her to do... it encouraged me to continue knowing that I can't let him do this to her or any other child, that I have to ensure that I stop him." The paedophile, who Sky News has chosen not to name, ended up serving eight months in prison after he was convicted in August 2023 - three years after he sent the messages. Nicki said she started crying when she was told the predator had been jailed. She added: "It was kind of relief and obviously joy... it was just amazing." Nicki said she often overhears pupils at her school talking about how they are chatting to people online who they don't really know. She said: "You just kind of think, well, is that not a bit of a stupid idea? Because obviously you've never met him... If a friend came up to me, then I'd actually have the conversation with them. You know, [tell them] that could be someone completely different to who they say they are." What have Snapchat and MovieStarPlanet said? A spokesperson for Snapchat said: "Any sexual exploitation of young people is abhorrent and illegal. We designed Snapchat with extra protections for teens - including private friend lists, pop-up warnings if they start to chat with someone we think they don't know and easy reporting tools so teens can get help quickly. "You must be at least 13 to use Snapchat and we also have Family Centre for parents, which allows them to see who their teen is talking with and when they last chatted." A spokesperson for MovieStarPlanet said: "First, and foremost, our thoughts go out to the family involved in these incidents and we wish them well in their recovery process. "As a registered social worker, professionally working to safeguard children, my main focus is to make sure there are comprehensive safeguarding systems in place to protect children and adolescents who engage with the online games that we produce. "This is also the main focus of everyone at MovieStarPlanet where we work with a safety by design philosophy when creating and producing our online games. MovieStarPlanet is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable online experience for everyone that engages with the online games that we produce. "We have implemented a comprehensive set of child safeguarding measures designed to protect our users from potential risks and promote civility through positive interactions. We continually assess and upgrade these systems when it is deemed necessary."
The Sun
23-07-2025
- The Sun
Warning to parents to stop kids accessing toxic content online amid surge in children being brainwashed for terror acts
SECURITY chiefs are calling on parents to stop children accessing toxic online material over the summer holidays. The unprecedented warning comes as it emerged a growing number of kids, some as young as 12, are being radicalised and brainwashed into committing acts of terrorism. 2 Around one in five people arrested for terrorist offences are aged under 18 and half of all referrals to the Government's Prevent anti-radicalisation programme are children. Appealing to parents yesterday, MI5 boss Sir Ken McCallum said: '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.' He joined chiefs from the National Crime Agency and Counter Terrorism Policing to urge parents and carers to be vigilant about children's use of the internet. It was the first such warning ever issued and comes after heads of the 'Five Eyes' nations — the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada — last year called for action to combat the growing threat to kids posed by online extremism. Counter Terrorism Policing head Vicki Evans said: 'We encourage parents to activate parental controls on routers, devices and apps, and to start the conversation about online safety.' The NCA's Alexander Murray also warned of online toxic masculinity, as seen in Netflix hit Adolescence. He said: 'There is a fast-growing threat from sadistic and violent online gangs. . . including fraud, cyber, child sexual abuse, violence and extremism.' Stephen Graham and Ashley Walters' acclaimed drama Adolescence smashes huge Netflix record by DOUBLE after taking world by storm 2
