Teachers quitting over slurs in TikTok videos

  • Teachers are in distress after being targeted by pupil-generated videos on TikTok using staff pictures from school websites.
  • Some videos are published from fake school accounts and some subject teachers to offensive comments, defamatory remarks, abuse, and unfounded allegations.
  • NASUWT spokesperson reports that some schools in Wales have had examples of teachers leaving the profession after the videos.
  • Teachers across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have reported a negative impact on their wellbeing, with some teachers taking off sick.
  • Education departments, teachers’ unions and police forces across the UK have been working closely on the issue to ensure staff safety.
  • For more information and advice, check out our blog post.
  • Full story, here.

Age-checking software ‘may pose data risk’

  • Baroness Kidron, the architect of the UK’s first statutory online children’s protection code warns that online harms legislation needs to consider biometric data.
  • Tech companies must delete any personal and biological data used to verify users’ children’s ages.
  • A private members bill has been introduced proposing mandatory ‘minimum standards’ for age assurance technology.
  • The bill includes guidelines that any sensitive data collected is not used for commercial purposes.
  • The bill has been backed by the Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza and the NSPCC.
  • Full story, here.

32% of young people consider careers as influencers

  • Research conducted by the UK’s Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee explored young people’s perceptions of social media influencers.
  • Over 511 young people across the UK aged 12 to 19 responded.
  • Over 160 respondents reported following over 30 separate influencers on social media, with only 50 claiming to follow none.
  • 32% participants said that they would consider influencer as a career option for their future.
  • 44% reported that they had bought products advertised by influencers.
  • The findings are part of an ongoing inquiry into influencer culture examining how influencer culture operates and the impact it has on children and young people.
  • Full story, here.

One in three NI providers ‘plans to raise prices’

  • One in three childcare providers in Northern Ireland plan to raise their prices amid rising costs.
  • A survey conducted found that a third of childcare providers described their current financial position as “distressed”.
  • A quarter of families in NI reported they are struggling to pay for childcare.
  • Research suggests that the average cost of full-time childcare place is approximately £170 per week.
  • This is equivalent to around 34% of the median weekly household income.
  • COVID-19 affected childcare requirements, with families reporting a need for 39 hours per week in 2021, down from 42 hours in 2020.
  • Full story, here.