A new law is soon to be introduced in the UK, and it will make the act known as ‘cyberflashing’ a criminal offence.
Not sure what ‘cyberflashing’ is? Well, the practice typically involves offenders sending an unsolicited sexual image to people via social media or dating apps, but it can also be done over data sharing services such as Bluetooth and Airdrop too, and in some instances, a preview of the photo can appear on a person’s device – which means that even if the transfer is rejected, victims are still forced into seeing the image.
It’s a practice that’s sadly on the rise too, as new research conduced by Professor Jessica Ringrose from 2020 found that 76% of girls aged 12-18 had been sent unsolicited nude images of boys or men.
This is why government ministers have confirmed their plans to ban the act, which is set to be included in the landmark Online Safety Bill, alongside wide-ranging reforms to keep people safe on the internet.
Under this new law, perpetrators could face up to two years behind bars.
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The Government says the new offence will ensure ‘cyberflashing’ is captured clearly by the criminal law, giving the police and Crown Prosecution Service “greater ability to bring more perpetrators to justice”, and it follows similar recent action to criminalise upskirting and breastfeeding voyeurism.
The Government says it is “determined” to protect people, particularly women and girls, from these emerging crimes.
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The introduction of the new law means that anyone who sends a photo or film of a person’s genitals, for the purpose of their own sexual gratification or to cause the victim humiliation, alarm or distress may face up to two years in prison.
Speaking on the introduction of the new law, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab said: “Protecting women and girls is my top priority which is why we’re keeping sexual and violent offenders behind bars for longer, giving domestic abuse victims more time to report assaults and boosting funding for support services to £185 million per year.
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“Making cyberflashing a specific crime is the latest step – sending a clear message to perpetrators that they will face jail time.”
“Tech has the power to bring people together and make our lives better, but it can also enable heinous behaviour from those who wish to abuse, harm and harass,” added Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries.
“The forthcoming Online Safety Bill will force tech companies to stop their platforms being used to commit vile acts of cyberflashing.
“We are bringing the full weight on individuals who perpetrate this awful behaviour.”
According to the government, the Online Safety Bill will put more legal responsibility on social media platforms, search engines and other websites or apps which host user-generated content to tackle a range of illegal and harmful content on their services, and the new cyberflashing offence comes after three other new criminal offences were introduced through this Bill, tackling a wide range of “harmful private and public online communication”.
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These include sending abusive emails, social media posts and WhatsApp messages, as well as ‘pile-on’ harassment – where many people target abuse at an individual such as in website comment sections.
Olivia Dean at Albert Hall – star stuns in every way in Manchester
Abbie Bartlett
24-year-old neo soul singer Olivia Dean was in Manchester last night performing her Mercury prize-nominated album effortlessly with a voice and style made for the stage.
Fans of the star have watched her go from strength to strength over the past year, from being nominated for three Brits, performing at Coachella and now preparing for this year’s Glastonbury festival.
As someone who frequents gigs like they’re going out of fashion, it’s a bold statement but I think this may be one of the best I’ve ever experienced, and Olivia Dean can only be described being a star.
Before we dive into the performance, it’s only fair to take a minute to shoutout what an incredible venue for music the Albert Hall is. The former Methodist hall projects and echos acoustics perfectly and the raised stage and balcony area mean everyone in the building has a good view.
It’s no surprise that given her recent success the show at the Albert Hall was a complete sell-out, appearing on stage in a stunning floor-length silk dress the sea of fans filled the venue with admiring applause.
With a seven-piece band behind her, the star jumped straight into an atmospheric UFO before a cheery ‘How are we Manchester?’ and raising a can of Red Stripe. She quickly follows with Ok Love You Bye – a track that gets the whole crowd singing along and contemplating their past love decisions (maybe that last bit was just me).
The singer seamlessly glided through her set with ease, tambourine in hand, wowing fans with gorgeous melodies and relatable lyrics.
Gracefully sitting at the piano the room fell to silence as we heard Everybody’s Crazy and ICould Be a Florist, I’d predict I wasn’t the only person crying at this point.
As the evening rolled on and the songs kept coming the genuine talent Olivia has, not just as a singer but as a lyricist, had the crowd hooked on her every word. Of course she ends with Dive, the standout track from the album that perfectly depicts how it feels to fall in love.
Olivia Dean 2024 setlist
UFO
Ok Love You Bye
Echo
Danger
Cross My Mind
Be My Own Boyfriend
What Am I Gonna Do on Sundays?
No Man
Messy
Touching Toes
Everybody’s Crazy
I Could Be a Florist
Ladies Room
Reason to Stay
The Hardest Part
Carmen
Saying her goodbyes with a ‘I’ve had such a lovely evening’ and telling the crowd how happy she is to be back home in the UK after recent shows in America.
Experiencing Olivia Dean at Albert Hall felt genuinely special, the star is destined for a life time of deserved fame but her voice was made to be experiences in an intimate venue. The opportunity to enjoy her talent in such a perfect venue was nothing short of a divine evening.
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2024 Manchester Marathon raises £29 million for local economy and over £3.7m for charity
Danny Jones
Just under a fortnight on from the 2024 Manchester Marathon and the numbers are finally, with the annual race generating nearly £30 million for the local economy and raising over £3.7m for charity.
This year’s Adidas Manchester Marathon saw record numbers of runners and spectators as over 30,000 took part in the popular race, up by roughly 6,000 from 2023, and more than 125k turned up to line the streets of Greater Manchester.
As a result, these huge crowds spent upwards of £29.2 million at business around the city centre and around the 10 boroughs last weekend, serving as one of the most significant contributions to the local economy on the annual calendar.
Not only was this an approximately £8m increase on last year’s tally but, most importantly, a sizeable chunk of that went straight into both regional and national charities.
The 2024 adidas Manchester Marathon was a spectacular day for the city and its economy.
Beyond the boost to local vendors, the hospitality sector and retail businesses, over £3.7 million were allocated to charities such as Alzheimer’s Charity, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation and The Christie.
Over £32,000 was also raised for the Trafford Active Fund, with £1 from every paid entry to the Adidas Manchester Marathon and Manchester Half donated directly to the initiative that benefits local sports clubs and organisations through Trafford Council.
Better still, with City of Trees selected as the chosen ‘Green Runner’ charity, the eco-friendly drive saw roughly 7% of participants opt out of receiving either a finisher t-shirt, medal or both.
The money saved in production goes towards maintaining woodlands and wildlife across Greater Manchester.
Together you have raised over £3.7 million for charitable causes, adding even more meaning to those 26.2 miles 💕 Well done and thank you to all those who fundraised and donated! 🌟Tag us in those charity top pictures from last weekend 😍😍#ManchesterMarathonpic.twitter.com/5gsi6NtFzB
This year’s Manchester Marathon also helped produce some of the highest number of passengers on public transport in the city’s history, with a over 175,000 journeys made on Metrolink alone – the highest number of journeys ever recorded on a single day.
This was a 20% increaseon 2023’s race day (145k), spotlighting how the event continues to be more environmentally conscious as years go by.
With the 2025 adidas Manchester Marathon confirmed to be taking place on Sunday, 27 April next year – and over 12,000 places already sold – the city can already look forward to reaping the economic and social benefits of hosting one of Europe’s largest, flattest, friendliest and most-loved marathons.