Daily Safeguarding News - Safer Schools

TikTok says it’s removed millions of fake accounts since start of Israel-Hamas war

In a statement TikTok have reported removing 925,000 videos “in the conflict region” and millions more “pieces of content” from around the world.
This follows criticism claiming that the platform is falling short in its moderation duties amid the Israel-Hamas war.
The platform has also reported removing more than 24 million fake accounts and more than half a million bot comments on content with hashtags related to the conflict globally since 7th October.
TikTok has said claims that its algorithm disproportionately promoting pro-Palestinian content were based on an “unsound analysis” of its data.
For more, please visit the Engadget’s website.

Under the agreement announced by Bletchley Park, “like minded” governments and AI companies including Meta, Google DeepMind and OpenAI have agreed to allow regulators to test their latest AI products before releasing them to the public.
Large language models, which underpin tools such as ChatGPT, will be tested in collaboration with governments against a range of dangers including national security, safety and societal harms.
Sunak said agreements reached with multiple countries and AI companies had significantly reduced the threat posed by the technology.
Elon Musk reported that he believed the summit had achieved a meaningful shift the development of advanced AI: “Simply having an insight and being able to highlight concerns to the public will be very powerful”.
Sunak said he recognised concerns about AI eliminating jobs, but workers should view the technology as a “co-pilot than something that necessarily is going to replace someone’s job”.
For more, please visit The Guardian website.

Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police commissioner said it was acknowledged how “tragic” it was the children were being drawn into serious crime, but he backed his officers to use the power to keep the public safe.
This year, 55 children have been strip-searched in London compared with 123 during the same period last year and 208 in 2021.
Caroline Russell a member of the London Assembly said it was encouraging that the numbers were falling and that these “invasive and very traumatic” searches were being conducted in the presence of appropriate adults.
However, she raised concerns regarding drugs rather than dangerous weapons being the justification for strip-searches in 70% of cases.
Strip-searching children gained national attention after the case of ‘Child Q’ who was wrongly suspected of carrying cannabis, was made to remove her sanitary towel in a medical room at her Hackney school.
Four officers are facing misconduct or disciplinary action over the incident.
For more, please visit The Times website.

Investigation run by the MPs found the Department for Transport (DfT) is set to miss target of encouraging people to walk or cycle instead of drive.
The report by the Commons public accounts committee suggested cash spend on travel schemes like low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) may have been wasted.
MPs also found that the number of children walking to school had gone down over the past year and was below pre-pandemic levels.
Earlier this year, a report by the National Audit Office found that active travel schemes including LTNs were often rushed and badly implemented.
A DfT spokesperson reported: “We are committed to ensuring that more people choose to walk, wheel and cycle across England and that’s why we are investing £3 billion up to 2025, more than any previous government, to help people choose active travel.”
For more, please visit the Telegraph website.

The hospital is hoping to implement new AI technology into their procedures to reduce waiting lists and save lives.
Retired physician, Dr Prem Ohri, is the first NHS patient in Wales to receive this innovative technique, returning home within the same day.
The implementation of AI means surgeries can be pre-planned on a computer which allows for more precision, creating a faster and more efficient experience for both the patient and surgeon.
A consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Mr Muthu Ganapathi, reported that the robot is a very accurate tool and a “good assistant”.
He continued: “the patients are definitely recovering much faster. We have started doing day surgery arthroplasty, using the robotic personalised alignment technique.”
NHS Wales is looking to introduce more technology into the daily operations of health boards across the country, as Health Minister Eluned Morgan announced the rollout of digital innovations.
For more, please visit the ITV News website.