Supreme Court to Examine Case of Paedophile Caught by Vigilantes
- A convicted paedophile who was caught by an online child sexual abuse activist group is to have his case examined at the UK Supreme Court.
- Judges at the UK’s highest court will consider whether activities and prosecutions stemming from so-called “paedophile hunters” contravene the right to privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
- The convicted paedophile used the dating app Grindr to communicate to who he thought was a 13-year-old boy.
- Activist groups have attracted controversy in recent years from the police.
Google Being Sued for Breach of Privacy
- Google has been sued in the US for $5bn (£4bn) over claims it illegally invades the privacy of users by tracking people even when they are browsing in “private mode”.
- The class-action lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in the federal court in California.
- The complaint says that Google “cannot continue to engage in the covert and unauthorised data collection from virtually every American with a computer or phone”.
- The company claims it is not illegal and says they clearly state each time you open a new incognito tab, websites might be able to collect information about your browsing activity. A spokesperson said “the collection of search history, even in private viewing mode, helps site owners “better evaluate the performance of their content, products, marketing and more.”
Zoom Sales Boom
- The use of Zoom increased 30-fold in April, as the coronavirus pandemic forced millions to work, learn and socialise remotely.
- At the highest rate of usage, the firm counted more than 300 million daily participants in virtual meetings, while paying customers have more than tripled.
- Zoom said it expects sales as high as $1.8bn (£1.4bn) this year – roughly double what it previously forecasted in March. “It’s a huge opportunity,” chief executive Eric Yuan told investors on Tuesday.
- When the firm sold its first shares to the public last year, it was valued at $15.9bn. The value stands are more than $58bn as of Tuesday.
Drug Gangs on Recruitment Drive During Lockdown
- Drug gangs have been on a “recruitment drive” during the lockdown, targeting vulnerable children and increasingly girls, according to a report published by The National Youth Agency.
- Social media and “unsafe outdoor spaces” are being used to recruit children.
- The Children’s Commissioner for England warned that with schools and youth clubs closed, thousands of vulnerable young people had “simply gone off the radar”.
- The National Youth Agency report, based on responses from youth workers on the ground, is the first detailed examination of drug gangs during the lockdown.
Lockdown School Closures Likely to Widen Gap of Attainment Between Rich and Poor students
- The charity Education Endowment Foundation (EFF) has published research which concludes that school closures during the lockdown could wipe out 10 years of progress in closing the achievement gap between poor and rich pupils.
- The charity’s research also warned of a risk of high levels of absence after schools formally reopen and that this posed a particular risk for disadvantaged pupils.
- Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the EEF, said: “School closures are likely to have a devastating impact on the poorest children and young people. The attainment gap widens when children are not in school”.
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