Uber Launches Specialised Accounts For Teens In Malta

Dec 11 2024

Uber is excited to announce the launch of its new Uber for Teens feature in Malta, empowering parents to invite teens aged 13-17 to create specialized accounts under their family profile. The new product is designed to provide a safer, more convenient ride experience for families, allowing teens to request their own rides while offering enhanced parental oversight and security features.

The Uber for Teens initiative is built with safety at its core, ensuring that parents can track their teen’s journey and access important information every step of the way. The new feature includes a set of tools to provide peace of mind for both teens and their parents. Parents can follow their teen’s journey in real time, with access to the driver’s name, vehicle details, and drop-off location.

Teens will be required to enter a unique PIN before getting into the car to ensure they are matched with the correct driver. Sensors and GPS data will detect any deviations during the trip, such as if the ride stops unexpectedly, triggering a check-in to confirm everyone’s safety.

Parents can reach out directly to the teen’s driver, or contact Uber’s safety line at any time during the ride. Only highly-rated drivers with a valid PHV license from Transport Malta will be eligible to receive teen ride requests. These safety features, which also include an emergency button, are automatically activated for all teen trips and cannot be turned off by the parent, teen, or driver, ensuring constant protection.

In addition to these safety measures, Uber has partnered with the Malta Police to create a centralized reporting process, managed by the Remote Reporting Unit. This collaboration aims to further enhance the security of the Uber for Teens feature and the Uber platform in Malta. Neyran Bahadirli, General Manager at Uber Malta, expressed her excitement: “We’re thrilled to introduce this new feature to families across Malta.

By integrating essential safety features, we are helping families stay connected and ensure teens can move around safely. This initiative reflects our continued commitment to enhancing the safety of young riders.”

The development of Uber for Teens has been a year-long process, with input from safety experts such as Safe Kids Worldwide and ParentZone, a leading organization working to ensure the online world is safer for children and families. Vicki Shotbolt, CEO and Founder of ParentZone, shared her support for the initiative: “ParentZone is proud to be collaborating with Uber to bring this safe solution to families.

Through consulting with hundreds of parents and teens across Europe, we’ve ensured that Uber is providing a transparent and secure ride experience.

With built-in safety features and constant parental visibility, parents can rest assured their teens are in safe hands.” Starting today, riders in Malta will receive an email informing them of the new Uber for Teens feature. For more information on how the teen accounts work and answers to common questions, visit the dedicated teen accounts information page.

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Daniel Attard Appointed To EP Tourism Task Force Steering Group

Dec 11 2024

Labour MEP Daniel Attard has been unanimously appointed to the Steering Group of the European Parliament’s Tourism Task Force. This cross-party endorsement underscores the trust placed in Attard’s dedication to bolstering a sector pivotal to economic growth and European competitiveness.

“This appointment carries with it a significant responsibility to advance a tourism industry that addresses today’s pressing challenges while unlocking greater opportunities for our communities. It’s not about titles; it’s about having a decisive voice at the table to drive meaningful change and deliver tangible results for Malta,” Attard stated.

‘Attard has consistently championed the notion that shared challenges in tourism demand collective solutions, underpinned by robust EU action. Central to his agenda will be tackling critical issues such as sustainability, labour shortages, and enhanced support for local communities.’

“This is more than policy; it is a forward-looking vision for a tourism sector that strengthens Europe’s competitiveness while safeguarding our cultural heritage for generations to come,” he added.

This appointment follows six months of sustained efforts in the European Parliament, during which Attard has also been entrusted with key roles, including serving on the Petitions Network and as Vice President of the Delegation to Iran, alongside managing other technical dossiers.

In addition to these responsibilities, Attard has been actively engaging with the European Commission on a range of topics of national importance, ensuring that the priorities of Malta and Gozo are championed at every level of European policymaking.

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Searches For ‘Demure’ On P*rnhub Rose 133% In 2024

Dec 11 2024

Adult content website P*rnhub have released their ‘2024 Year in Review’ statistics, and have shown just how culturally impactful memes and viral moments can truly be.

And at the top of the list is ‘demure’, which saw related searches skyrocket throughout the year.

There was a 133% increase in searches for ‘demure’, with searches for ‘mindful pleasure’, ‘mindful JOI’ and mindful sex’, increasing 112%, 87% and 72% respectively.

Meanwhile, there were search increases for ‘coworker’ at +92%, as well as +31% for ‘sex in the office’.

Interest in wife and marital searches also grew, with increases in ‘tradwife’ at +72%.

The 2024 Paris Olympics also saw a contribution, with an increase of 88% in searches for ‘athlete’ and ‘165%’ for volleyball.

Another meme made a massive dent – and that’s the iconic ‘Hawk Tuah’, which saw 10 million searches for related content. There was a whopping increase of 233% for ‘spit on d*ck’, and other related content.

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Increase in HIV & STI cases in Malta

Dec 11 2024

Malta has seen a concerning rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), with the most prevalent being Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, and Mycoplasma genitalium. In 2021, the incidence of these infections notably increased, accompanied by concerns over antimicrobial resistance, particularly in Mycoplasma genitalium. Additionally, a multi-country Mpox outbreak in 2022, mainly among men who have sex with men (MSM), raised public health concerns.

In 2022, the demand for Genito-Urinary (GU) services at Mater Dei Hospital increased significantly, reflecting a growing need for STI testing and treatment. The majority of attendees were male (71%), with a large portion being foreign-born individuals. Interestingly, 43% of those attending were asymptomatic but sought testing due to potential exposure.

While awareness of some STIs, like Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, is high, there is a lack of understanding regarding others, such as HPV and Trichomoniasis. Additionally, only a fifth of respondents in a recent survey correctly identified that STIs can be asymptomatic. There’s also a notable gap in knowledge surrounding HIV prevention methods like PEP and PrEP.

HIV remains a major health challenge globally, with 740 people living with HIV in Malta. While progress has been made in providing antiretroviral therapy, more effort is needed to achieve targets set by UNAIDS, including increasing the percentage of people living with HIV who are aware of their status and achieving viral suppression. Health officials continue to focus on improving STI and HIV testing coverage, including through self-testing kits and increased community outreach.

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