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TikTok to set new 60 minute time limit for under 18s

TikTok to set new 60 minute time limit for under 18s
Mar 2 2023 Share

Social media platform TikTok will be introducing a 60 minute screen time limit for users aged under 18. 

Should young people beneath that age reach the new limit, they will have to enter a passcode to continue to use the service on that day. The video app, owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, said it is introducing the feature to help people be in control of their social media use. 

However, it is currently understood that users will still be able to opt out of the new measure which is set to be released in the coming weeks. 

Users of the platform have to be at least 13, with anyone under the age of 18 receiving a weekly notification with a recap of their screen time. 

Users will receive the new time limit passcode on a screen in their app as the changes take effect. 

Anyone who opts out of the new 60 minute restriction but uses it for 100 minutes a day will receive a prompt from the platform to set their own screen time controls. 

Parents of children using the family Pairing option on the app will also be able to set screen time limits, as well as access a dashboard which would give a breakdown of app usage. 

Despite welcoming the screen time limit, critics of the video app described it as the tip of the iceberg when it comes to TikTok’s response to young users’ exposure to the platform. 

In September of 2021, TikTok said that it had more than one billion active monthly users, making it one of the biggest social sites in the world.

#MaltaDaily 

Repubblika call for police to investigate Joseph Muscat, former PM responds

Repubblika call for police to investigate Joseph Muscat
Mar 1 2023 Share

Protesting outside a government office used by former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Repubblika called for police to investigate the former Labour leader whilst holding a massive banner reading ‘corruption.’

The organisation’s president Robert Aquilina dubbed Muscat the ‘instigator of a current hospitals privatisation deal’, which was nullified last week by former Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia. 

Aquilina went on to accuse Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg and Police Commissioner Angelo Gaga of refusing to carry out their duties of conducting investigations into Muscat as well as former minister Konrad Mizzi. 

‘Muscat and his accomplices’ place is in jail’ said Aquilina, saying that it is crucial that those ‘tainted by corruption, abuse and fraud’ are prosecuted.

In response, Joseph Muscat took to Facebook to say that Aquilina, ‘the same person who felt like he had to stay outside during the supposed secret search by police on my home, has deemed himself judge, jury and executioner in the face of the rule of law.’ 

Muscat said that Aquilina seems to indicate that he knows what is happening during the Magisterial Inquiry. This minimises the trust that can be fostered that this is an independent process.’

He also accused the Repubblika president of ignoring the court’s sentence as well as the general auditor’s report. ‘As I always said, I welcome all scrutiny as it will only confirm that I acted in the interest of the country.’

#MaltaDaily 

Animal activists protest lack of action in stopping horse circus

Animal activists protest lack of action in stopping horse circus
Mar 1 2023 Share

A group of animal activists from various organisations donned animal pyjamas and snoozed on the Veterinary and Phytosanitary Regulation Division’s office in protest against a lack of action. 

This was aimed at the VRD not stopping ‘another circus act called Cleopatra’s Horse Show that is scheduled to take place at Monte Kristo Estates.’ 

The activists came from Animal Liberation Malta, Real Animal Rights Foundation – RAR Malta Vol1976 and Association for Abandoned Animals and Vuċi għall-Annimali, holding up various placards calling for more action. 

‘VRD wake up! Enforce the Law’ read one placard. ‘VRD whilst you are snoozing you are snoozing animals are suffering’ read another. 

‘The Cleopatra Horse Show clearly falls under the definition of a circus and cannot be allowed under the current legislation. This circus act will have horses performing for 3 days in a row. We contacted VRD and informed them of this circus act just in case they were not aware’ Animal Liberation Malta wrote. 

The VRD did not respond to their attempt at contact and ‘it seems no action has been taken to stop this from happening as the show is still being promoted to date.’ 

‘The regulator has repeatedly closed its eyes to breaches in the Animal Welfare Act and the recent changes in the act have been done to regularise this. Furthermore, besides the issue that the regulator is failing to enforce the Act, the Animal Welfare Act itself is weak, as the administrative fine for breaking the law and holding a circus act is only €2,000.’ 

‘Are we going to allow big  business continue uncontrolled to the detriment of Animal Welfare as well?’

#MaltaDaily 

113 contraventions related to traffic violations issued during Gozo carnival weekend

Mar 1 2023 Share

A police spokesperson confirmed with Malta Daily that between the 16th and the 19th of February 2023, during the Carnival weekend celebration, 442 cars were stopped by the Police Force.

113 contraventions related to traffic regulations violations were issued. Some of these were for people not wearing a seat belt, vehicle lights not in accordance with the law, and carrying more passengers than allowed.

This info indicates that no one was caught drink-driving or carrying any illegal substances although police did not confirm or deny this information.

According to local newsroom One 60,337 people travelled to Gozo for the Carnival weekend.

Malta Daily, G7 events, the Nadur Local Council, and the Ministry for Gozo, organised the weekend celebrations in Nadur, that saw more than 25,000 during the Saturday night events.

#MaltaDaily