TikTok is bringing back a function to show you who has viewed your profile  

  • TikTok is reportedly working on bringing back the option to see who viewed your profile in the app over 30 days, creating more transparency over user interest.  
  • TikTok removed this feature early last year, amid various investigations into its data sharing processes.  
  • If this feature is introduced to the platform again, users will have to opt in to use it.  
  • To learn more, check out Social Media Today’s website.  

Reddit experimenting with NFT Profile Pictures  

  • Reddit is looking to tap into the rising popularity of NFTs or ‘Non-Fungible Tokens’ with the platform experimenting with connected NFT profile images.  
  • This path for the platform makes sense, as cryptocurrency was the most discussed topic on Reddit in 2021.  
  • This has been met by a mixed response, with some praising the step and others expressing concern that the cryptocurrency and NFT digital space is manipulative.  
  • To learn more about NFTs, visit our online safety article entitled A Beginner’s Guide to NFTs here.
  • To read more about this story, check out Social Media Today’s website.  

New campaign ends to stop more encrypted apps  

  • A new government backed campaign is calling on tech giants to stop rolling out end-to-end encryption (E2EE).  
  • The No Place to Hide campaign says that E2EE makes it harder to detect child abuse, as only the sender and receiver can read E2EE messages, not law enforcement or the app owners.  
  • This campaign is being steered by a leading group of charities including Barnardo’s, the Marie Collins Foundation, the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and SafeToNet.  
  • Read more on the BBC News website in the ‘Technology’ section.  

Northern Ireland school leaders ‘left to fend for themselves’ under revised guidance  

  • The National Association of Head Teachers has said school principals have been left to fend for themselves following the revised Covid-19 guidance.  
  • Dr Graham Gault has said new guidance issued by the Department of Education has been met with ‘cynicism’.  
  • Dr Gault went on to state that ‘any efforts to manage the potential spread of transmission across school communities has disappeared in all but name, […] with even the channels for seeking advice around multiple cases has gone.’ 
  • This follows as school staff absences run high, with 488 staff testing positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland the week ending 16 January.  
  • Read the full story on the ITV News website within the ‘Education’ section.  

McIlveen welcomes £1m investment in IT resources for voluntary youth sector  

  • Education Minister, Michelle McIlveen MLA, has announced a one million investment to increase IT capacity within the voluntary youth sector. 
  • All eligible Education Authority registered youth projects will be encouraged to purchase IT equipment to improve communications.  
  • McIlveen stated that ‘increasing the IT capacity of the voluntary youth sector will help support the contact and relationships that exist between youth workers and young people.’  
  • The investment will ensure vulnerable young people have continued communication with youth services, as well as assisting in the streamlining of online support pathways for front line youth workers.  
  • Read more about this on the Education NI website.