AQW 11608/22-27


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 09/05/2024
Answered On Date: 17/05/2024
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Education (i) for his assessment of the impact misogynistic social media influencers and online content has on children and young people; (ii) for his assessment of how this impacts their behaviour towards school peers, particularly girls and young women; and (iii) what plans he has to (a) prevent this content being accessed or shared in schools; and (b) provide targeted education to prevent this content influencing young people.


Answer:
The Department of Education (DE) fully recognises the challenges in keeping children and young people safe from the dangers of inappropriate communication and content. My officials are cognisant of recent research published by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland that highlights the promotion of misogynistic ideas online as an area of concern. I have also recently met with the Secondary Students’ Union of Northern Ireland (SSUNI), which has produced a report detailing pupil experiences of sexual harassment and sexism, the role of social media in encouraging sexist behaviour and the adverse impact of this on some of the pupils who responded to the survey.
To prevent children from accessing harmful online content in schools, access is restricted on any C2k computer which is connected to the C2k managed network. The C2k wireless provision does not allow anyone using a mobile device to access social networking sites. Pupils, therefore, cannot access social media websites using school ICT equipment without some classroom supervision at a minimum. If a school decides to provide an alternative internet access beyond the C2k network, the effective filtering of any inappropriate online content rests with the school’s Board of Governors. Where schools have adopted a Bring Your Own Device policy, pupils may have unfiltered internet access available through their personal 4G/5G networks.
DE issues guidance in relation to online safety and safeguarding more generally. My officials are currently working to update Safeguarding and Child Protection in Schools - A Guide for Schools to reflect emerging best practice in relation to all aspects of safeguarding, including online safety. DE is also engaged in a range of cross-departmental strategies including the Online Safety Strategy, the Stopping Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Strategy and the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
You may be aware the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland recently launched the Online Safety hub, delivered as part of the Executive’s “Keeping Children and Young People Safe: An Online Safety Strategy”. I wrote to all education, early years and youth settings on 26 April to encourage the use of the hub within settings and to promote its use to parents and our children and young people.
In terms of educating young people on these matters, the design of the curriculum allows for flexibility for such issues to be taught in our schools. I can also confirm that additional supports are available via the Safer Schools Northern Ireland app, which is funded by DE and provides tailored support and information to teachers, parents, carers and pupils about safeguarding issues and online harms, including extremist content and social media influencers.