More results...
In today’s newsletter: Momentum is growing for stricter smartphone rules for children, as schools, parents, and the Children’s Commissioner push for bans amid rising concernsGood morning. If your child is using their smartphone at school, they are ve…
RUSSELL Brand has been dropped by a US college where he was to make a speech on “censorship”.
Last week Brand was charged with one count of rape, one count of indecen…
Head of National Education Union calls for statutory ban on phones in schools and social media ban for under-16sAlmost all schools in England have banned mobile phone use by pupils, according to the first national survey conducted, as the leader of the…
More schools also reducing spending on trips, IT, extracurricular activities and GCSE subject choicesHalf of secondary schools in England have been forced to cut staff this year due to financial pressures that are pushing many “towards breaking point”,…
[/boxout]
She even met her current boyfriend through the platform – though she admits she doesn’t feel completely safe on Roblox.
She also claims the site has now moved towards encouraging users to “date”.
“The game has changed so much,” says Holly. “I personally don’t find it as interesting and exciting anymore, and I don’t think it’s a safe game.”
While some children have come out of their shells and formed close friendships on the platform, others have bonded with their parents or been educated through its games.
But at what risk do these experiences come?
One mum, who plays Roblox to monitor her kids’ activity, claimed this month that she’d encountered “disturbing things” after entering a house in a game about adopting animals.
She described how a naked man lying on his back was telling children to “sit on it” to receive a free pet, while a shocking message on the building’s wall read: “im a child predotor (sic).”
Research uncovered multiple users with ‘Jeff Epstein’ in their names[/caption]
Games also included reference to Epstein[/caption]
Other vile games referred to the sex abuse claims made against P Diddy[/caption]
Mum Kate, 43, also plays Roblox after seeing how much her daughter Phoebe loves it.
She told The Sun that Phoebe was eight when she began playing the game.
At first, Kate’s husband John, 44, logged into Phoebe’s account to monitor her activity.
“We had to have a conversation about not accepting friend requests from people you don’t know because she had 50 friends and I was like, ‘Who are these people?’” said Kate.
“So, we got rid of all of those.”
But in recent weeks, both Kate and John have downloaded Roblox themselves.
“Phoebe was so excited when we both downloaded Roblox,” said Kate, co-founder of the ecommerce brand, A Year of Dates. “She genuinely seemed really pleased we’d done it.”
The family, from Bolton, now regularly play Roblox together on evenings and Kate says: “The games that [Phoebe] plays are mainly the role-play ones, where you’re walking around a town, and you can buy a house, and you can change your outfit.”
Kate and Phoebe also play Dress to Impress together – a wildly popular game, released in 2023, that has come under fire over claims of “sexually explicit” and offensive clothing.
While Kate has not seen anything to support these claims, she admitted: “They’re not outfits that I would be choosing.” She has, however, encountered explicit content in another game.
Paedo Owain Thomas paid a 10-year old boy with Robux to perform a sex act over a webcam[/caption]
Phoebe – whose “adoption” by an unknown man in the pet adoption game, Adopt Me!, alarmed Kate – now tends to play games on a private server, with only her friends.
These private servers can be purchased with Robux, the site’s virtual currency. Robux can also be used to deck out avatars in outfits, and to gain access to premium games.
In 2019, it was reported that a perverted law graduate in Wales had paid a 10-year-old boy 400 Robux to perform a sexual act while he watched his victim on a webcam.
Paedophile Owain Thomas, 29, was caged for 10 years after inciting more than 140 children – 60, aged under 13 – to carry out sexual acts on camera, according to Wales Online.
He had contacted his victims using online gaming platforms like Roblox.
They knew her name, her school and the town she lives in
Mum of daughter targeted by paedo
In another vile case linked to the platform, a 10-year-old girl was raped in woodland by a man who had groomed her over Roblox and the messaging app, Snapchat.
Ryan Sutton, 24, was jailed in December after travelling 100 miles from Worcestershire to Finedon, Northamptonshire, to attack the primary school-aged girl, the Daily Mail reported.
Police said Sutton – who showed “no remorse” when arrested and interviewed – had groomed the vulnerable youngster into believing they were in “a legitimate relationship”.
Meanwhile, in America, a woman was recently accused of using Roblox to instruct a 10-year-old to kill a two-month-old baby and slit the throats of the infant’s temporary guardians.
Tara Sykes allegedly used the game’s chat function to order the child to torture and murder the baby – who miraculously survived – citing methods like drowning, burning and dropping the child on the floor.
It comes as Roblox has this month introduced new safety features that will allow parents to block their children from specific games and experiences.
Parents will also be able to block or report their children’s friends on the platform, and learn more about which experiences their children are playing the most.
Ryan Sutton groomed a girl over Roblux before raping her in a woodland[/caption]
Sicko Tara Sykes encouraged a 10-year-old on Roblox to torture and murder a baby[/caption]
“For almost 20 years, Roblox has grown and innovated with safety at its core. These tools, features and innovations reflect our mission to make Roblox the safest and most civil online platform in the world,” said Roblox’s Chief Safety Officer, Matt Kaufman.
In his recent BBC interview, Roblox’s chief executive said: “We do, in the company, take the attitude that any bad – even one bad incident – is one too many.”
Mr Baszucki added: “We watch for bullying, we watch for harassment, we filter all of those kinds of things and I would say, behind the scenes, the analysis goes on all the way to, if necessary, reaching out to law enforcement.”
Despite Mr Baszucki’s comments, the BBC claimed it was able to bypass some safety filters on the site, which boasts 380million monthly active users and is worth a staggering $41billion (£31billion).
And just this month, a British mum claimed on social media that a “random person” on Roblox had asked her daughter to meet them at her school.
“They knew her name, her school and the town she lives in,” shared the woman.
The UK’s Online Safety Act requires platforms to take action against illegal content such as child sexual abuse and controlling behaviour.
We attempted to set up an account under the name Jeffrey Epstein… only to see the name was taken, along with 900+ variations
Companies face fines of up to £18million, or ten per cent of their qualifying global revenue, for non-compliance.
Last year, a report by a now-disbanded US investment firm branded Roblox “an X-rated paedophile hellscape” that exposed kids to “grooming, pornography” and “violent content”.
The document added: “As a test, we attempted to set up an account under the name Jeffrey Epstein… only to see the name was taken, along with 900+ variations.”
Screenshots of Roblox games, shared in the report, show racist messages, threats to kill babies “with a knife”, and avatars carrying out shooting rampages at hospitals.
Roblox – which soared in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, when youngsters were stuck at home with little to do – “totally” rejected the allegations made in the report.
Neuroscientist and founder of TAK Index, Dr Huriye Atilgan, who leads a multi-disciplinary team to evaluate the safety and developmental impact of children’s games, told The Sun that no platform is “completely safe”.
“When you’re engaging with user-generated content and entering voice chat with strangers, it’s entirely possible that you’ll be exposed to inappropriate content, whether that’s sexually explicit scenes, bullying, or racist and homophobic messages,” said Dr Atilgan.
“Parents need to be proactive here. First, set up parental controls. Roblox has features like account restrictions, which limit access to age-appropriate games, and chat filters to reduce exposure to harmful language. These settings aren’t foolproof, but they add a layer of protection.
“Talking to your children is just as important. Ask what they’re playing, who they’re talking to and if anything has made them uncomfortable. The more open the conversation, the more likely they are to tell you if they see something inappropriate.”
She added: “It’s also worth playing Roblox yourself. Understanding how it works makes it easier to spot risks and guide your child on safe gaming habits. Encourage them to report and block users who behave inappropriately and remind them that not everyone online is who they say they are.”
Kate agrees that concerned parents should play Roblox themselves.
“Look at what [your children] are playing, talk to them about it, get them to show you what they’re playing, even play it with them if you can,” she said.
Hospital waiting lists among worst in UK and children with special needs waiting a year for support, report findsNorthern Ireland’s public services, including hospitals, schools and police, are being “crippled” by lack of funding, impinging on the qual…
KIM Jong-un is recruiting primary school children and grooming them to become the world’s best hackers, an intelligence analyst has warned.
The child prodigies are recruited from the age of five and channelled into specialist schools where they learn how to target the West with devastating hacks.
Students attend a class at the Kang Pan Sok revolutionary school outside Pyongyang[/caption]
Children march in formation through Songdowon International School Children’s Camp in Wonsan, North Korea[/caption]
Kim Jong-un recruits primary school children for his shady hacking groups[/caption]
The shocking revelation comes after North Korea’s shady Lazarus Group was accused of stealing $1.2billion in the largest heist in crypto’s history last month.
News of the theft stunned the world, and left people wondering just how Kim pulled it off.
Now, an expert has revealed that the Supreme Leader handpicks his army of cyber warriors from primary schools.
North Korea analyst at Google Threat Intelligence Group, Michael Barnhart, told the Sun that North Korea has a “systematic approach to developing its cyber capabilities”.
He said there is significant evidence that prospective hackers are selected from as young as primary school age.
Barnhart said: “The process starts with identifying bright students in primary school who demonstrate aptitude in subjects like science and mathematics.”
The talented children are chosen in what Barnhart described as a “pyramid-like prodigy recruiting system”.
These talented children are selected through a “pyramid-like prodigy recruiting system”
Michael Barnhart
Once selected the budding hackers are channelled into specialist middle schools in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.
The elite Keumseong 1 and 2 High-Middle Schools in Pyongyang are thought to be the main destinations for potential talent.
The gifted teens continue their education at North Korean technology universities including the prestigious Kim Il Sung University and Kim Chaek University of Technology.
After graduating, the hacking hopefuls head off to China or Russia for around a year.
There they gain the “practical hacking and technical skills” to target the West.
This part of their training is crucial, as for many it is their first exposure to the global Internet.
Internet access is not generally available in North Korea, and only a handful of high-level officials and foreigners are permitted to use the global Internet.
Most citizens only have access to a heavily censored intranet called Kwangmyong.
Kwangmyong includes a number of regularly-updated news sites, but these are filled with ludicrous propaganda about the great endeavours of the Supreme Leader.
After completing the final part of their training, the hackers return and are placed in various warfare units to serve as “cyber warriors”.
Barnhart said: “This dedicated process illustrates North Korea’s strong commitment to building its cyber capabilities by nurturing and rigorously training individuals from a young age, including providing them with crucial experience outside of the country.”
But he added that throughout the entire process “vetting and loyalty to the regime is monitored closely and reinforced”.
Children arrive at Kallimgil Primary School in Mangyongdae District of Pyongyang[/caption]
Children studying at Kallimgil Primary School[/caption]
Kim Chaek University of Technology in Pyongyang[/caption]
Kim Il-Sung university in Pyongyang[/caption]
Being one of the world’s best hackers can’t be easy – that’s why Kim offers his precious cyber army a selection of perks.
For those who graduate with top grades, their parents could be in with the chance of upgrading their home.
Defector Kim Heung-kwang told Al-Jazeera in an interview that hackers’ parents who live in the provinces are often given the sought-after opportunity to live in the capital.
Heung-kwang added that the regime also guarantees married hackers housing in Pyongyang.
This kind of pride, being part of the elite, is nothing to sneeze about
Kim Heung-kwang
And what’s more – they are provided with food subsidies and a generous stipend during overseas deployments.
But when the stakes are this high it’s no wonder Kim treats his hackers so well.
It must be working as Heung-kwang seemed certain that the youngsters would stay loyal to their leader – even after being given access to the free Internet.
He said: “These kids have the confidence of the [ruling Worker’s] Party and have a certain standard of living guaranteed, not to mention a chance to live and travel abroad.
“This kind of pride, being part of the elite, is nothing to sneeze about.”
“They also don’t have any certainties that life away from the North will be any better than what they already have.”
View of the Taedong River and Juche Tower in Pyongyang, North Korea[/caption]
View of the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea[/caption]
The Lazarus Group – also known as Guardians of Peace and Whois Team – is one of North Korea’s most notorious hacking groups.
While not much is known about the shady group it is thought to be responsible for some of the most damaging cyber attacks the world has ever seen.
The Lazarus Group was accused of stealing $1.2billion in the largest heist in crypto’s history.
Hackers were able to gain control of an Ethereum wallet and rip all of its contents, in a theft that sent shock waves through the world of blockchain.
NORTH Korean hackers were able to wipe $1.5billion out of an online crypto account in the world’s biggest digital money theft.
Bybit has surprisingly relied on free public software for its security, despite more specialised business options being available.
This system, by tech company Safe, was hacked by North Korean hackers.
These criminals were able to send a request to transfer money from the doomed crypto wallet to another.
After Bybit’s CEO approved this request, the hackers were able to take control of the crypto account.
Hackers then moved the $1.5billion worth of crypto out of the account and into a location they could start turning the digital money into real cash.
But intelligence experts have revealed the group is likely to be more than just one cyber unit.
Senior manager at Google Threat Intelligence Group, Ben Read, said that Lazarus is actually an overarching term to identify a “wide umbrella of North Korean activity”.
He explained that, in reality, the so-called Lazarus Group likely constitutes multiple cyber units.
These units are made up of high-profile, extremely skilled hackers who have, together, developed tried-and-tested ways of breaching security and stealing money.
Read said: “While these groups have overlapping goals and occasionally share tools, they operate in different ways.”
But whatever the real identity of the Lazarus Group, one thing is for sure – it is a well-oiled machine.
The ‘worst hack in history’ saw the Lazarus Group steal $1.2billion[/caption]
And what’s more – the stolen money is thought to be going directly into Kim’s pocket.
North Korea has been hit by many sanctions over the years, forcing its leader to think outside the box.
Now, the state relies on deadly cyber attacks on the West to fund its cash-starved regime.
A UN investigation in 2022 found that cyber attacks are an “important revenue source” for Pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme.
This came after an previous investigation proved that the state had accumulated $2billion for its weapons of mass destruction programmes through cyber attacks alone.
The shocking figure left the world wondering how they can better defend themselves against these attacks.
But with Kim’s cyber kids beginning their training from as early as five, the West doesn’t stand a chance.
Study finds larger drop-off among girls aged 13-14 who feel safe than among boys, compared with age group in 2019Girls in England say they feel less safe at school and are more disenchanted with their education, research has found.Using data from an in…
Financial literacy lessons to be given to pupils at primary and secondary schoolsPupils in England are to be taught how to spot the risks of in-game purchases as well as to scrutinise the claims of influencers in a new suite of lessons designed to impr…
Legal action claims policy breaches rights of children with SEN whose needs cannot be met by UK state schoolsAdding VAT to private school fees discriminates against children with conditions such as autism whose needs cannot be adequately met by UK stat…