The NSPCC have raised concerns this week about the video game Fortnite and its chat function.

Fortnite is a free computer game with 45 million registered players. It includes the ability to chat to other players around the world while playing.

The National Society for the Protection of Children are worried that the text messaging system in the game cannot be disabled.  

They also reckon that in general, not just in Fortnite, 25% of children have been contacted online by strangers.

Andy Robertson, a family gaming expert and father of two said the warning doesn’t mean parents need to stop their children having fun: “It’s like any of these games, you need to have it in balance” and encouraged parents to be involved in their children’s decisions about gaming.

Andy said: “My older son is 12 and plays it and I think gets a lot out of it, there’s lots of community, lots of strategy but at the same you need to keep an eye on other aspects that are highlighted by the NSPCC.”

Fortnite is rated 12 and is a survival game with zombie-like creatures who try to attack those left alive on Earth. Similar to other modern games, the ability to chat to other players is essential.

“Being able to communicate with the other players in fortnite – that’s up to 100 different people – is a key part of the game” said Andy.

“As long as the parents know that is a feature then they can set up their console and configure the way their child plays…

The Reverend Pat Conroy wrote his resignation letter after being indirectly asked to by Paul Ryan, the House Speaker, but then took it back.  

His resignation letter was read out in the House of Representatives but his letter reversing that decision has got much more attention.

In the letter where he changed his mind, he said: “I have never been disciplined, nor reprimanded, nor have I ever heard a complaint about my ministry during my time as House Chaplain.”

He recalls that Paul Ryan’s Chief of Staff, Jonathan Burks, informed him that the Speaker would like his letter of resignation and added: “maybe it’s time we had a chaplain that wasn’t Catholic.”

Mr Burks also referenced a prayer Conroy made and an interview he did with National Journal Daily. 

Rev Conroy continues: “I had little choice but to resign” but says criticisms made by Paul Ryan since then accusing him of not offering adequate “spritual counselling” mean he now wishes to set the record straight.

He told the Speaker: “no such criticism has ever been levelled against me during my tenure as House Chaplain” and said “you may wish to outright ‘fire’ me…but should you wish to terminate my services, it will be without my offer of resignation.”

He asked for confirmation of Mr Ryan’s recognition of the letter by 12^th May.

Paul Ryan has issued a statement in recognition of the letter, saying the chaplain will remain in his post.

Mr Ryan said: “that decision was based…

On Amazon there is an option to give a percentage of a purchase to a non-profit organisation.

One organisation denied this though is Alliance Defending Freedom – the legal group who defend religious liberty across the world and fight court cases for people of faith whose rights are being abused.

The decision was made by the Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC), whose job is to identify hate groups and have designated ADF as a hate group and an anti-LGBTQ group.

They said in 2017: “The Alliance Defending Freedom spreads demonizing lies about the LGBT community in this country and seeks to criminalize it abroad.”

In a blog on the ADF website, Sarah Kramer writes in response to being snubbed that the SPLC have: “devolved into a propaganda machine dedicated to crushing dissent. It does this by labeling anything they disagree with as “hate” – even if those beliefs are widely held and constitutionally protected (as ours – and those of our clients and supporters – most certainly are).”

She says ADF: “work at the highest levels. Our Supreme Court victories speak for themselves, with seven victories at the High Court in the past seven years. Just last year, we secured a 7-2 victory representing a church-run preschool.”

Kramer says the SPLC are against any support of views that they disagree with: “The SPLC, however, would prefer to silence all opposing views, ridding the public square of civil discourse.”

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