Online video calling with random strangers. It’s hardly a new internet phenomenon – but the recent demise of Omegle has prompted the creation of several similar platforms bidding to fill the vacuum. One such contender is Monkey – a service that randomly connects its users for video calls, using their mobile numbers and Snapchat account details.
Monkey has surged in popularity since Omegle’s shutdown in November 2023: visits to the site more than doubled within a month and have been climbing steadily ever since. Regrettably, it also seems that Monkey suffers from many of the same pitfalls as its notorious predecessor – our #WakeUpWednesday guide highlights these possible risks to young people in more detail.
“The #1 teen dating website in the world”
That’s the claim of MyLOL, which offers 13 to 19-year-olds the chance to rate each other’s pics, send private messages and contact strangers online. If that sets your alarm bells ringing, you’re far from alone: law enforcement agencies and schools in several countries have seen fit to issue warnings about the platform
Among the main issues is the fact that MyLOL doesn’t have a reliable age verification method – meaning there’s no foolproof way to stop anyone outside the platform’s intended 13–19 audience signing up for an account under a false age. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide also highlights potential concerns around in-app purchases and the use of geolocation for sinister reasons.
https://www.newcastle.anglican.org/a-great-celebration-as-new-youth-team-is-commissioned.php
Duke’s are honour our student’s work to be used in this great celebration.
One in three 8-year-olds in Britain own a smartphone and that proportion rises to more than 90% by the time children reach 12 
This concerted increase – driven by factors both personal (blossoming independence) and practical (the transition to secondary school) – makes it all the more valuable for young people to know how to use such devices safely.
Indeed, more than half of parents (52%) surveyed by Ofcom admitted to worrying about their child being bullied via their mobile phone – and with hazards like scams, screen addiction and inappropriate content to consider, that’s far from the only risk around. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide this week pulls together some simple but solid smartphone safety tips .
Well done to our XC runners who represented East Northumberland district in the Northumberland County championships today.
The students demonstrated resilience and independence in adverse weather conditions.
If you wish your child to attend any of these clubs please complete this google form Extra Curricular Activities 15 Jan – 29 Mar 24
Contentious or provocative viewpoints are shared every second of the day online. That’s not to say, however, that an opinion is less valid simply because it’s initially unpopular: just think about Galileo or Emmeline Pankhurst. The facility to have our beliefs questioned – and to challenge other people’s in return – is often a catalyst for scientific and social progress.
With disturbing frequency, though, some individuals post damaging hate speech online under the guise of ‘freedom of expression’ – and unless young people can identify hate speech, there’s a risk of them being influenced by such harmful content. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide explores the crucial differences between free speech and hate speech.
