Twitch Will Start Banning Abusive Players

  • The game streaming site Twitch says it has started banning users following protests about abuse.
  • In a statement online, the streaming giant said it has “prioritised” dealing with the “most severe cases” of sexual abuse.
  • It says it’s assessing cases “as quickly as possible”, and will be issuing permanent suspensions to some users.
  • Streamers across the world had avoided Twitch to raise awareness of abuse on the platform. Twitch says it encourages anyone with relevant information to come forwards to help them review accusations.

iPhone Update Shows TikTok Snooping on Users Clipboards

  • TikTok has said it will stop reading the contents of users’ clipboards after a new iPhone update revealed that it was still doing so.
  • The popular video-sharing app had been caught silently accessing the clipboard whenever they were open on screen.
  • But a new software update by Apple shows that TikTok is still snooping – as well as numerous other apps including AccuWeather, Overstock, AliExpress, Call of Duty Mobile, Patreon and Google News.
  • The revelation sparked anger and confusion among iPhone users and software developers, who described the clipboard-reading as “creepy”, “mildly terrifying” and “extremely shady”.
  • A spokesman for TikTok said: “TikTok is committed to protecting users’ privacy and being transparent about how our app works.”

Facebook Boycott continues to grow

  • Verizon has joined others in pulling its advertising from Instagram and Facebook, in a growing movement to boycott the social network for not doing enough to stop hate speech on its platforms.
  • Other companies including Ben & Jerry’s, Patagonia, Viber, North Face and REI  suspended advertising from Facebook-owned platforms until the company “can create an acceptable solution that makes us comfortable”.
  • Facebook acknowledged the growing pressure in a call with advertisers on Wednesday, where a Facebook executive admitted there is a “trust deficit” with its clients on the platform.

No Spaces for Excluded Pupils in September 

  • Thousands of excluded pupils who are at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation have no school, college or training place to go to in September because of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 crisis, headteachers have said.
  • Around 10,000 year 11 students who were excluded from mainstream schools in England and moved to alternative provision (AP) will leave at the end of this term, but a survey suggests a quarter have no plans in place and may have become further disengaged under lockdown.
  • AP leaders who responded to the survey, conducted by the teacher training charity The Difference and the Centre for Social Justice thinktank, estimated that a third of their year 11s may be vulnerable to criminal or sexual exploitation.
  • They also said they expected a quarter of their pupils would not be in education, employment or training (Neet) in September and called for specialist sixth-form provision to be opened to keep them safe next term.

Victims of Child Abuse Receive Compensation 

  • A survivors’ group has secured over £46m compensation for 1,340 people who suffered “horrific” abuse in children’s care homes that were infiltrated by paedophiles over several decades.
  • Since then, the Shirley Oaks Survivors Association (SOSA) has been contacted by 1,760 people who have described suffering sexual, physical and racial abuse, mostly whilst in the care of Lambeth council.
  • The highest individual payment to date has been £245,000, and with 620 applications still to be reviewed, and more survivors coming forward daily, campaigners believe the overall compensation bill could double.
  • The money has been paid to people who were in care over a period spanning from the 1930s to the early 1990s, living in homes predominantly run by Lambeth council in south London.

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