This is edition 2025/78 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Welcome back. It's 2025 and 20 years since I started writing about politics and anything else that took my fancy. Thank to my VIP members for making this site what it is today. In July we will be having a 20th birthday celebration. Stay tuned for more announcements.
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
Enjoy!
1. Content that Crosses the Line
David Harvey
- 🧑💻 Online Harm for Youth: A new report by the Classification Office highlights the exposure of young people to extreme and sometimes illegal content online, including graphic violence and disturbing material like mass shootings, suicides, and animal cruelty.
- 🚨 Curiosity Drives Exposure: Young people often encounter harmful content unintentionally, driven by curiosity or social media algorithms, despite efforts to avoid it.
- 🛡️ Need for Prevention: The report calls for a proactive, multi-layered approach to prevent exposure, educate youth, and support those affected by harmful content, emphasizing a balance of education over restriction.
- 🎓 Educational Approach: The Classification Office aims to teach young people and adults to recognize and respond to harmful content, providing resources to understand legal boundaries and psychological impacts like desensitization and trauma.
- 💬 Youth-Centered Insights: The report incorporates feedback from young people, showing their need for supportive environments to discuss harmful content without fear of judgment or punishment.
- 📱 Device Dependency: Young people’s social lives are deeply connected to their devices, with many rejecting bans or restrictions on phone usage, which could have negative consequences.
- 🏛️ Legal and Social Responsibility: The report avoids advocating for legislative intervention, focusing instead on educational and preventative strategies that empower youth to manage online content responsibly.
- 🌍 Global Collaboration: The Classification Office works alongside law enforcement and international networks to limit the spread of harmful content and improve content moderation practices across platforms.
- ⚖️ Tools for Support: The report proposes resources for parents, educators, and youth workers, enhancing their ability to support young people and respond to harmful content while encouraging safer online practices.
- 🧠 Avoiding Overreach: The Classification Office’s recommendations avoid intrusive state control, favoring voluntary, community-based solutions to safeguard young people’s online experiences.
