NEWS

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer The Government has announced urgent action to strengthen the Online Safety Act and close legal loopholes that ministers say are putting children at risk, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer  pledging that “no platform gets a free pass” when it comes to online safety. Speaking to parents and young people on Monday 16 February, the Prime Minister will set out new powers designed to ensure the law keeps pace with fast-moving technologies, including

More than 70,000 people across the Northern Trust area have already downloaded the My Care app, with health officials now encouraging more patients to sign up to access key parts of their medical records online. The My Care patient portal allows patients to securely view specific information from their health records, including medications, appointments and some test results, using their smartphone or tablet. The app is available on both iOS and Android devices and is design

Land & Property Services has launched a new digital service designed to make it easier for ratepayers across Northern Ireland to manage their rates accounts online. The new Rates Online platform allows customers to view account details, report changes, make payments and raise queries through a single online portal. Users can also opt to receive their rates bills electronically, reducing paperwork and offering faster access to important information. The service forms part of a

Parents across Northern Ireland have welcomed a move by the Department of Education to formally endorse the Parent Pact, a voluntary initiative encouraging families to delay giving children a smartphone until at least the age of 14. The Department has written to all school principals in Northern Ireland to raise awareness of the Parent Pact, developed by Smartphone Free Childhood, a grassroots parents’ movement representing more than 350,000 families across the UK. Launched i

Parents of around 3,000 children across Northern Ireland have joined forces to delay giving their children smartphones until at least the end of Year 10, amid growing concerns about the impact of early smartphone use on mental health, wellbeing and childhood development. The families are among a rapidly growing number signing up to the Smartphone Free Childhood Parent Pact, a digital tool launched by the grassroots movement Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC) , which now counts a

People across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to make use of the Health and Social Care (HSC) App Library this winter, with more than 1,000 endorsed health apps available to support physical and mental wellbeing. The appeal comes as winter places additional pressures on individuals, families and health services, with colder weather, shorter days and increased feelings of loneliness and stress affecting many people, particularly during the festive period. The HSC App Lib

Fibrus Networks Ltd appointed to deliver Project Gigabit. More than 9,000 rural homes and businesses across Northern Ireland are set to benefit from fast, reliable broadband under a major new £34.6 million infrastructure programme announced by the Economy Minister. Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has confirmed that Fibrus Networks Ltd has been appointed to deliver Project Gigabit, the UK government-funded scheme aimed at bringing gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-re

The United Kingdom’s embrace of the digital realm has reached unprecedented heights, with 98 per cent of adults now online – a testament to seamless connectivity that has transformed everyday routines. Yet, as Ofcom’s comprehensive Online Nations 2025  report illustrates, this near-universal access is shadowed by widening disparities in app adoption and persistent digital exclusion. Drawing on surveys of more than 6,000 adults and detailed usage data from May 2025, the repor

BBC Northern Ireland and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) have teamed up to give pupils across Northern Ireland easier access to GCSE past papers through BBC Bitesize — marking a significant step forward in digital learning support. From Tuesday 2 December, GCSE learners can access past papers and mark schemes for six major subjects directly through BBC Bitesize. This is the first time that GCSE past papers have been made available via the plat

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is urging shoppers to tighten the security on their online retail accounts amid a rise in hacking attempts targeting retail apps in the run-up to Christmas. The warning comes as the UK-wide Protect Network reports an increase in incidents where criminals have gained access to customer accounts to make unauthorised purchases. These include “buy now, pay later” transactions and online credit agreements carried out without the acco

In an era where smartphones and social media dominate young lives, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is intensifying its push for...