Offenders are using virtual reality (VR) to groom and sexually abuse children, as well as share illegal images of abuse, according to new research from the NSPCC. A report commissioned by the children’s charity on VR and immersive technologies said the online spaces at the heart of the technology are being used by offenders to not only interact with children, but also to simulate acts of abuse. It warned that offenders are being desensitised to their own behaviour because of the anonymity such spaces provide through their use of customisable, digital avatars to represent each person present, which the report said offenders are using to hide behind. Virtual reality platforms are based around a person wearing a headset, which immerses them in a virtual world where they can see and interact with other users as well as consume content, and is seen by some as the next iteration of the internet. However, the study warned that these VR worlds invite the creation of tighter-knit offender communities, which could be used to share child sexual abuse material and lead to an escalation in harmful behaviours. These shocking findings should be a wake-up call to us all about the harm young people are facing when engaging with immersive technology Richard Collard, NSPCC In response, the NSPCC has called on tech firms to do more to ensure virtual reality platforms are safe by design by introducing better child safety features and reporting systems. It has also called on the Government to provide more guidance, funding and learning opportunities to law enforcement on how to deal with virtual reality platforms. And with the Online Safety Bill due to continue its passage through Parliament this week, the charity said the Government should review the Bill’s safety regime on a regular basis to ensure that it keeps up with emerging technologies and harms to make sure they are adequately covered under the law. Richard Collard, head of child safety policy at the NSPCC, said: “These shocking findings should be a wake-up call to us all about the harm young people are facing when engaging with immersive technology. “Technology will continue to progress, and so must we to ensure that we can understand the existing and emerging risks that young people face in these virtual spaces. “As the Online Safety Bill completes its passage through Parliament, it is vital that new and emerging technology forms a crucial part of the online safety regime. “This will only be made possible through clear collaboration between educators, parents, policymakers, and the technology industry.” Earlier this year, crime statistics data obtained from police forces in England and Wales by the NSPCC showed that virtual reality was recorded eight times in crime reports, the first time the technology has been specifically mentioned, the charity said. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Russian cyber-attacks ‘relentless’ as threat of WW3 grows, expert warns Warner Music sign first digital character Noonoouri and release debut single Met should thoroughly investigate cyber security practices, say experts

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Susan Hall has been chosen as the Conservative candidate for the London mayoral election. The Tory Hall, beat Mozammel Hossain, a barrister with virtually no frontline political experience, in a ballot of Tory members, winning 57 per cent of the vote. Hall has been a London Assembly member for five years. Her policies include reversing the ULEZ expansion, dealing with the housing crisis and cracking down on crime. Indeed, she said she will "hunt down and lock up" muggers and burglars by creating a special team within the Met tasked with tackling them. She is also known for trolling Gemma Collins, when she appeared on I'm A Celebrity in 2014. “OMG this fat woman Gemma is ghastly, really ghastly,” Hall tweeted, “however watching her squeal may be funny”. She also called Collins a “stupid fat blonde woman”. She supported all the best people, not, like Donald Trump and Liz Truss and once claimed the Black community had a crime problem. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter So there is a lot that makes her memorable to voters but perhaps the most memorable thing about her was how she started her mayoral campaign last month, with a very odd social media graphic indeed. The graphic showed a photo of her against a blue background. Dramatic text alongside it merely read: "Susan." It added: "The one Sadiq Khan fears," as well as "you are safer with Susan". Rather than run to cast their votes for "Susan", people found it hilarious: Upon winning today, she updated her graphic hastily and it was still utterly ridiculous: Responding to her selection, a spokesperson for Sadiq Khan, seeking a third term in office next May, responded: The Conservative candidate for Mayor is a hard-right politician who couldn’t be more out of touch with our city and its values." Being ridiculed while trying to reach high office - it is just part and parcel of British politics. Nevertheless, indy100 has contacted Hall to see how she felt about it when her campaign was originally ridiculed on Twitter. A spokesperson said: “Conservative members across London are supporting Susan because she is the experienced candidate who can beat Sadiq Khan. We are hugely grateful to everyone on Twitter sharing our message that London is safer with Susan.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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