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.
Transfer test: P7 pupils in NI receive AQE and GL results
- Thousands of primary seven pupils in Northern Ireland received their transfer tests results on Saturday.
- It is estimated that 1,000 children sat the tests held in November and December 2022.
- Concerns among parents in Dungannon school arose after those who sat GL tests failed to receive results in the post on Saturday.
- The Post Office and Royal Mail have issued an apology.
- There is due to be a switch to the test later this year. A common test will be held for the first time on two Saturdays in November 2023 and will be used by all selective schools in Northern Ireland.
- For more on this story, please visit the BBC News website.