Sandwell launches ‘Online Safety-Against Extremism’ guide

  • Sandwell Council’s Prevent team have devised a new online safety guide against extremism for parents and carers
  • This guide was created to raise awareness of how to keep children safe online and prevent them from being targeted by extremist material
  • Information covered includes apps, games, social media platforms and fake news.
  • The guide also offers practical tips and contact details of agencies that can provide further information, support and training.
  • For more on this please visit the Sandwell website.

DfE allowed gambling companies to access children’s learning records

  • DfE allowed gambling companies to access children’s learning records
  • The DfE have been reprimanded by the UK’s data protection watchdog after it allowed gambling companies to access a database of children’s learning records.
  • The ICO found that a database of pupils’ learning records was used by Trust Systems Software UK Ltd, trading as Trustopia, an employment screening firm.
  • They were using the data to check whether people opening online gambling accounts were 18.
  • This database includes information on 28 million children and young people from the age of 14, including their full name, date of birth, gender and a record of their learning and training achievements.
  • For more on this story, please visit the ITV website.

Twitter to hold off on paid verifications and will ban parody accounts

  • Twitter has delayed the rollout of paid account verification until after the end of the US midterm elections.
  • Over the weekend, Elon Musk announced Twitter will be charging £7 a month for its blue, verified checkmark.
  • Elon Musk also said that Twitter users engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying it is a parody account will be permanently suspended.
  • To read more go to the Engadget and BBC’s website.

Child speech delays increase due to lockdowns

  • A BBC analysis has found the number of five and six-year-olds who need speech and language support at school has risen by 10% in England in the past year.
  • This increase is described as being “partly due to lockdown limiting social interactions”.
  • The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists say that the profession is struggling to cope with the demand.
  • However, the government is planning to invest £180m in early years development.
  • Find out more on the BBC’s website.

Girls in Wales more likely to feel unsafe in school

  • A recent study from Girl Guiding UK has found that girls in Wales are more likely to feel unsafe in school compared to those in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
  • The report also highlighted that since the pandemic, 29% of girls and young women in Wales believe that gender equality has got worse.
  • This comes after last year inspections body Estyn found that sexual harassment was “routine” in Welsh secondary schools.
  • This included catcalling, requests for nude pictures, homophobic and hurtful comments and body-shaming described as “rife” in schools across Wales.
  • To read more, go to the Wales Online website.