School app targeted by predators

Courier probe exposes the shocking content open to Scottish pupils on school approved network. Access is temporarily suspended following concerns over lack of monitoring of graphic posts.

A social networking tool made available to every schoolchild in Scotland has been infiltrated by graphic content, drug pushers and individuals identifying themselves as paedophiles.

Yammer, a Microsoft application available as part of the “Glow” system, allows every school pupil and teacher – and by extension anyone with access to their home computer and password – to connect with one another.

An investigation by The Courier has uncovered conversation threads about drugs and alcohol, individuals with paedophile in their username contacting young girls and children given access to graphic and bloody horror images.

Education Scotland noted concerns that “learners could be identified and located by someone who would wish to do them harm” but claimed the educational benefit “outweighs the risk”.

However, the authority temporarily pulled the plug on access to the service this weekend after being contacted with concerns by The Courier.

A spokesman said it was exploring further options to “enhance moderation facilities”.

A social networking tool made available to every schoolchild in Scotland has been infiltrated by graphic content, drug pushers and individuals identifying themselves as paedophiles.

An investigation by The Courier has revealed shocking oversights in the rollout of Yammer – a Microsoft application available as part of Glow, Education Scotland’s national “digital learning platform”.

The tool allows every school pupil and teacher in Scotland, and by extension anyone with access to their home computer and password, to connect with one another.

It means sixth-year pupils in Shetland can exchange private messages with primary children in Dumfries and access their full name, school, entry year, groups they follow and email account.

Within minutes of accessing the application, The Courier was able to uncover conversation threads where drugs and alcohol were being offered to young children, along with addresses for where these could be purchased.

In one instance an individual with a misspelling of the word paedophile in his username was seen asking young girls for the location of a sleepover and offering to bring illegal substances.

He later wrote to another profile: “Come to mine. Drugs, alcohol and ice cream supplied.”

The user has now been suspended but the conversation threads and a Google map remain openly accessible.

Other profiles were seen to be sharing bloody and violent horror images, including one with a mock severed hand.

A spokesman for NSPCC Scotland said steps must be taken to ensure children “are not putting themselves at risk and that they are not able to share or be exposed to inappropriate content”.

He added: “It’s vital that the Scottish Government and Education Scotland look at how this content is being moderated to ensure the safety of younger users.”

Education Scotland acknowledged in their own privacy impact assessment that there “may be a greater likelihood of inappropriate content and behaviour “following the introduction of Yammer to the Glow platform”.

However, the system’s “keyword monitoring facility” – designed to flag up concerning terms in private or public conversations – appears to be unable to recognise even slightly modified spellings of concerning phrases.

In another section dealing with worries that “learners could be identified and located by someone who would wish to do them harm”, it is written that stakeholders had decided “the educational benefit of this functionality outweighs the risk”.

Large numbers of parents were reportedly not made aware that their children had been signed up for the social networking tool or asked permission for their information to be shared.

Every schoolchild in Scotland has been enrolled in the service but it is understood a number of institutions have already prohibited any further rollout to their pupils.

Access to the platform was temporarily suspended over the weekend after Education Scotland was approached for comment.

A spokesman said: “Yammer is part of Office 365 and the decision to use Yammer, and the moderation of the content subsequently produced, is for the local authority using Glow.

“The decision to give pupils access to the system rests with the relevant education establishment and local authority, and it would be for them to decide on seeking parental consent.

“Education Scotland provides reactive moderation of the Yammer site via the ‘report a concern’ button.

“In addition to lists of inappropriate words and imagery, which are constantly being updated, we are also exploring further options and tools which will enhance the moderation facilities for Yammer.”

The desire of the education system to move with the times is laudable. Increasingly, youngsters are being asked to use online resources in an entirely appropriate bid to ensure they are ready to survive and thrive in a modern workplace.

However, this desire to embrace the digital age must, of course, be balanced against efforts to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

The Glow network was introduced, at considerable cost, several years ago and children across the country have been encouraged to sign up.

Schools appeared to understand there was a potential risk, particularly with regard to the “Yammer” social network, and yet serious questions over the monitoring of some of the content being shared are now being raised.

An investigation by this newspaper has unearthed lurid content easily accessible to primary school age children.

We discovered talk of drugs and paedophilia, as well as a number of harrowing images.

Many parents will be shocked by our findings and NSPCC Scotland have called for the Scottish Government to look at how content is being moderated.

It is perhaps telling that access to the platform was temporarily suspended over the weekend after we approached Education Scotland for comment.

However, it should not take our intervention for the authorities to properly consider the safety of children.