British schoolchildren being monitored by anti-radicalization software
Schools in England are introducing ‘anti-radicalization’ software to monitor their students’ online activity using keywords searches such as “jihadi bride” and “YODO”, an acronym of you only die once.
This comes as a surge in young British Muslims travelling to Syria have forced plans for legal requirements to be set up for schools to reflect on terror and extreme-related issues among pupils.
The new requirements which come to full effect on the 1st of July under the Counter-terrorism and Security Act 2015 state schools “have due regard to the need to prevent pupils being drawn into terrorism.”
A pilot software produced by Impero is being tested across the UK as well as the US where teachers are able to obtain screen shots of any concerning material flagged up by the system.
A spokeswoman for Impero said: “The system may help teachers confirm identification of vulnerable children, or act as an early warning system to help identify children that may be at risk in future. It also provides evidence for teachers and child protection officers to use in order to intervene and support a child in a timely and appropriate manner.”
“It is not about criminalizing children, it is about helping schools spot the early warning signs so that risk in relation to an individual can be assessed and measured, and counter-narratives and support can be put in place to help educate children before they potentially become victims of radicalization.”
While some schools acknowledge the new requirement, others have proactively taken a step to tackle the issue. Monega primary school in Newham, an area which holds a high concentration of Muslims, is conducting workshops to help identify signs of radicalization. The invitation to the workshop welcomes “all parents” to join a session led by a social worker on “how to prevent and detect radicalization”.
A controversial questionnaire circulated among pupils in primary schools caused controversy last month. The survey asked ‘leading questions’ about views and beliefs including whether they would harm someone who ridiculed their religion. The questionnaire was later withdrawn by Waltham Forest council.
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