Welcome to this week’s Safeguarding Soundbites – the virtual place to get news and updates about the online space! Today, I’ll be bringing you the past week’s top stories on safeguarding, and sharing what our online safety experts here at Ineqe Safeguarding Group have been up to. I’m Colin Stitt, head of Safer Schools – let’s get started!

These days, most people are aware of potential scams being received through their emails and text messages, but did you know that it’s possible to be targeted through instant messaging services like WhatsApp? The so-called ‘Hi Mum’ scam is one that’s been rising in popularity recently. We all know someone that’s broken or lost their phone and had to get a new number – you might even know someone that seems to be doing that constantly! – and that’s exactly what the ‘hi mum’ scammers are banking on. Read more in our scam alert that went out this week. Visit ineqe.com and head over to our online safety section.

The latest iOS16 update was released this week. With new updates and features that are aimed at helping users be safer when using Apple devices, our online safety experts took a look and reviewed the new additions. Find that in our online safety section.

Apple have also pushed out five security fixes, including two for iPhones, iPads and Macs after being alerted by anonymous bug hunters who test out systems for vulnerabilities. Apple haven’t released any further details about the fixes or explained how they might be exploited by cybercriminals.

A new report released by the Wall Street Journal has found a drop in usage of Facebook and Instagram, with a drop of 13.6% engagement with Instagram reels in the past few months. TikTok users, however, are spending a whopping ten times as many hours as that on the app.

Popular game platform Roblox has announced that they’re going to add age guidelines to its games, alongside expanding its revenue streams and their plans to appeal to an older audience. Games will be rated in three different tiers: 9 years old and up, 13 years old and up, and a tier suitable for all ages.

YouTube are launching an ad-free video player for creators and institutions that are making content for educational purposes. The video player will remove adverts, external links and recommended videos so that viewers can avoid distractions.

Now YouTube are also in the news for far less positive reasons, after an investigation by a company called Bot Sentinel found nearly 24 channels which violated YouTube policies but were still allowed to post. The channels in question were said to be promoting hate, racism and misogyny and had high audience engagement, with the investigating company claiming that YouTube hasn’t taken further action on these channels due to their advertising profit.

In England, the number of children on waiting lists for eating disorder treatment has almost tripled during the pandemic and, although guidance recommends 95% of cases should be treated within four weeks of a routine referral, only 69% of children were.

That’s all from me today, make sure to follow us on our socials by searching for ‘ineqe safeguarding group’ and visit our website at ineqe.com to find all the advice and guidance mentioned in today’s episode. I’ll be back next week, in the meantime stay safe, online and offline!