In 2019, media titan Disney launched its own streaming platform, intending to challenge the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime. Giving (often exclusive) access to shows and movies – such as the legendary studio’s animated classics and the revered Star Wars back catalogue – Disney+ has been a colossal success, proving popular with viewers of all ages.
Despite Disney’s reputation for wholesome, child-friendly content, however, there’s far more material available on their platform – some of which is aimed exclusively at adults. This could easily fly under the radar, given the company’s general image. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide has useful tips to help your family sit back, relax and enjoy what Disney+ has to offer.
Protecting children. Blocking illegal material. Removing harmful content on major platforms.
Those are the three main goals of the Online Safety Act, which entered UK law in October. While demanding more accountability from social media companies in particular, the act revises – rather than replaces – the current digital safeguarding duties placed on schools.
With changes including the creation of new criminal offences and greater options when raising an issue with a platform, there’s plenty for educators to take on board. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide this week provides a bite-size introduction to the Online Safety Act – and highlights some of the key points that schools need to be familiar with in the short term.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday have ballooned in popularity during the past few years, as prices on almost everything are slashed for a few precious days. With consumers in the UK alone spending a staggering £9.4 billion over last year’s discounted digital shopping weekend, it can often become a frenetic rush to grab tech, games and other products at knock-down prices.
Such radical reductions are especially welcome at this time of year – but Black Friday and Cyber Monday are also peak season for scammers, who bet on a sense of urgency blinding shoppers to the red flags in their ‘offers’. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide highlights some common warning signs to help you bag the goods without being left out of pocket.
Smart TVs are the future of home entertainment … but how safe is that future? The percentage of UK households that own a smart TV has leapt from 11% to 74% in less than ten years – and that proportion is only expected to increase further as more viewers discover the various benefits of these sophisticated systems
While the technology is impressive, fun and increasingly affordable, the flip side is that the number of people (especially young ones) who need to be aware of their risks has risen commensurately. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide outlines how to avoid some common smart TV hazards, so that you can relax a little when your children do.
Seventy-six billion dollars. That’s the value some experts have assigned to this year’s global online – those additional in-app and in-game purchases which offer young players a temptingly quick way to enhance their digital experience for real-world money.
With concerns over the impact of allowing these paid-for upgrades to be available to children, some countries have already either banned microtransactions or subjected them to stringent legislation.
