Online safety bill needs tougher rules on misogyny

  • Social media firms will be legally required to abide by social media company’s terms and conditions, which will generally ban misogynistic language.
  • Failure to enforce these terms and conditions will result in companies either being fined, or their services being blocked by internet watchdog, Ofcom.
  • A group of Tory peers are planning to put forward an amendment that would see the law go further.
  • This amendment would give Ofcom the power to fine social media companies up to 10% of their global turnover if they fail to comply with a code outlawing online misogyny.
  • A potential draft code of practice has been drawn up by campaign groups such as the NSPCC and End Violence Against Women.
  • For more on this story, please visit the Guardian’s website.

AI friendship chatbot Replika hit with data ban in Italy over child safety

  • Replika is an artificial intelligence (AI) operated chatbot which provides ‘virtual friendship’ designed to make human users feel better.
  • Italy’s privacy watchdog have said they are concerned that Replika’s chatbot technology poses risks to both young people and the emotionally vulnerable.
  • The Garante have also voiced concern that Replika lacks a proper legal basis for processing children’s data under GDPR and have stated that failure to comply will result in a fine of up to €20 million or 4% of total worldwide annual turnover.
  • Check out our article, ‘What you need to know about…Replika’.
  • For more on this story, please visit the Tech Crunch website.

Teachers handing out toothpaste as rising UK costs hit pupils’ dental health

  • A survey conducted by hygiene poverty charity Beauty Banks and the British Dental Association (BDA) has revealed that 81% of teachers say that some children in their school have no access to toothpaste.
  • 41% say this leads to them facing social exclusion because of poor oral hygiene.
  • One in four teachers said they were kept awake at night worrying about their pupil’s wellbeing and 38% reported feeling helpless.
  • For more on this story, please visit the Guardian’s website.

Children’s care system plan focuses on early support

  • Children’s social care in England will be revamped with more early support for families, backed by £200m extra funding over two years, ministers say.
  • A major review last year warned that tens of thousands of children could end up in care without reform and £2.6 billion was needed.
  • The plan faces criticism as many changes are being rolled out as localised pilots instead of nationally.
  • The government wants to “put families at the heart of reform”, with better support for vulnerable children “to stay with their families in safe and loving homes”.
  • Without these reforms, outcomes for children and families will remain poor with children growing up in care suffering as a result.
  • There have been acknowledgements that early intervention can prevent problems from escalating.
  • For more on this please visit the BBC News website.