‘Urgent review’ call over suspended app

The Scottish Government is facing calls for an “urgent review” into its own education department after being forced to pull the plug on a school social networking app following concerns over inappropriate content.

Education Scotland l ocked down Yammer profiles on Friday after it was revealed how bosses had signed off on the service despite knowing it was vulnerable to inappropriate content and individuals looking to find children to “do them harm”.

Ministers have now been told they must urgently investigate why the app was made available to schoolchildren without greater checks and balances and learn any lessons to better protect youngsters in future.

Education Secretary John Swinney was also urged by opposition politicians to explain what action the Scottish Government will now take to keep children safe.

It has f urther emerged parents previously attempted to raise concerns with Education Scotland, the office of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and local digital learning teams – but received no response.

The service will not be reinstated until the conclusion of a review into how the content, including graphic bloody images and messages from individuals with “paedophile” in their usernames, came to make its way on to the app and Mr Swinney has received personal assurances.

A timeframe for its return has not been given by Education Scotland, but a temporary suspension put in place over the weekend has been extended indefinitely.

Scottish Labour’s education spokesman Iain Gray said: “SNP Education Secretary John Swinney must get to grips with this immediately and order an urgent review to find out what has gone on inside his own department.

“The SNP government must quickly establish why apparent risks were ignored, what harm has been done to our children and what can be done to make the app safe.

“Many parents worry for t heir children’s safety online but they should have confidence they are safe when doing schoolwork. Swift action must be taken by John Swinney to sort this mess out.”

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr called for a proper investigation i nto how the social networking tool came to be included in Glow, Education Scotland’s national “digital learning platform”.

A RACCOON stranded on the ledge of a building in St Paul, Minnesota, captivated onlookers and generated interest on social media after it started scaling an office building. Onlookers and reporters tracked the critter’s progress at it climbed the UBS...