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Welcome to the National Online Safety
June Newsletter 2020

This latest update will help you stay informed on the latest online safety news, quickly gain practical tips and advice, and access free online resources. Read on for your complete roundup of all you need to know:

Online Safety News Roundup from May 2020

Coronavirus: Online child abuse will increase during lockdown after 45 arrests in a month, police warn

Police have warned online child abuse is set to rise after 45 people were arrested and nearly 100 children safeguarded across London in the first month of lockdown. The new figures presented by the Met Police revealed that 92 children in the capital were protected from 23rd March to 23rd April after indecent images of them were found online as internet usage soared while people stay at home during the current coronavirus pandemic.

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Coronavirus: 'Plandemic' virus conspiracy video spreads across social media

Major social networks are rushing to take down a new so-called “Plandemic” coronavirus conspiracy theory video which has rapidly spread across the internet. The so-called "Plandemic" video is edited in the style of a documentary, with much higher production standards than many conspiracy videos. The video is littered with misinformation about where the virus came from, as well as how it is transmitted. 

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Huge rise in hacking attacks on home workers during lockdown

According to cybersecurity company Darktrace, the volume of attacks on British people working from home rose from 12% of malicious email traffic before the UK’s lockdown began in March to more than 60% six weeks later. The attacks have also increased in terms of their sophistication, with many specifically targeting coronavirus-related anxieties as opposed to the more usual attempts at financial fraud or extortion.

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Twitter will hide 'misleading' coronavirus tweets with warnings

Twitter has said labels and warning messages will be added to “provide additional context and information” to tweets with “disputed or misleading information” about COVID-19. In a blog post released by the company, they announced that new labels and warning messages will be added to the microblogging site in order to “provide additional context and information” to tweets with “disputed or misleading information” about the coronavirus. 

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Coronavirus: Lockdown walk inspired social distancing game

A new online game called ‘Can You Save the World’ that aims to help children see the importance of social distancing racked up about 10,000 plays in its first two days. Those playing the game are encouraged to keep away from people in a busy street, while collecting masks and avoiding sneezes. A final score is then generated by reviewing how many lives have been saved throughout the game.

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Dark web scammers exploit Covid-19 fear and doubt

A former senior adviser to the US Department of State anti-terrorism assistance programme, says scammers are using Covid-19 fear and doubt as a means of exploitation. Morgan Wright has revealed that scammers and criminals who inhabit the “dark web” have found a new angle, which centres around anxiety which individuals are experiencing over the current coronavirus pandemic. Some of this comes through desperation, with people clicking on things that they never would have before.

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Millions risk being locked out of COVID-19 contact tracing app

Ten million people in the UK are at risk of being locked out of the Covid-19 contact tracing app because of a “digital divide”, charities have warned MP’s. Helen Milner, the chief executive of Good Things Foundation, a digital inclusion charity, was speaking to the culture, media and sport committee. She said that almost 2 million households in the UK don’t have internet access and a further 7 million people have limited skills when it comes to operating apps.

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Disney shuts down ‘Racist’ Club Penguin clones

Disney has ordered the closure of unauthorised clones of its Club Penguin online game after a report found that it was being used as a platform to send explicit messages to children. The fan-run Club Penguin Online, which was launched in 2005, surged in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic with one million new players logging on during lockdown. However, an investigation found racist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic messages were common on the unofficial website. 

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Google deletes millions of negative TikTok reviews

Google has deleted millions of negative TikTok reviews from its Play store after the app's rating fell from 4.5 to 1.2 stars overnight. This comes after Indian creator, Faizal Siddiqui posted a spoof video of an acid attack, which appeared to show Mr Siddiqui threatening a woman who had decided to leave him. He has since apologised, with TikTok deleting copies of the clip.

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EasyJet says 9 million travel records taken in data breach

The UK’s largest airline, Easyjet said that hackers have accessed the travel details of 9 million customers, with the airline also stating that 2,200 had their credit card details accessed too. The company did not say when the security incident happened or how the hackers accessed its systems, but EasyJet said it referred the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office, which is the U.K.’s data protection agency. Under European data protection rules, Companies are given 72 hours to inform regulators of a security incident.

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WhatsApp users warned over scam offering free Cadbury chocolate

WhatsApp users have been warned over a scam that promises to give you free chocolate – but in fact just steals money and personal information. The message being sent around on WhatsApp suggests that Cadbury is celebrating its anniversary by giving away a free hamper of chocolate. All users have to do, it says, is pass on the message and go through a few steps, but the chocolate will never arrive and could lead them to losing money or access to their personal data.

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Apple and Google sued over Rainbow Six game ‘copy’

Ubisoft is suing Apple and Google over a Chinese mobile game it says is "a near carbon copy" of one of its most popular games, Rainbow Six: Siege. Alleged in a 43-page document, Area F2 is "designed to closely replicate... virtually every aspect" of the game. It is also suing the developer, Ejoy, owned by Chinese tech giant Alibaba. Characters, game modes, game maps, animations, and even the user interface were copied, the document alleges.

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Hackers release a new jailbreak that unlocks every iPhone

Renowned iPhone hacking team, unc0ver, has released a new “jailbreak” tool that unlocks every iPhone, even the most recent models running the latest iOS 13.5. Details of the vulnerability that the hackers used to build the jailbreak aren’t known, but it’s not expected to last forever, with Apple working fast to patch the flaws and close the jailbreak, just as the jailbreakers work to find a way in.

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App updates from May 2020

Facebook announces new safety notices feature in Messenger  

Facebook has announced a new feature called ‘safety notices’, which will pop up in a chat and provide tips for people to spot suspicious activity and take subsequent action. Facebook have said that their new feature educates people under the age of 18 to be cautious when interacting with an adult they may not know and empowers them to take action before responding to a message.

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Twitter tests feature for users to choose who replies to their tweets

Twitter is experimenting with a new way for its users to have better control over who replies to their tweets, with those chosen undertaking the test on Android, iOS and the web app. People who are a part of the test will be able to choose whether they want everyone, the people they follow, or the people they mention to be able to reply to their tweet. Other users will still have the capability to like, retweet and, presumably quote tweet posts which have this limit on, but they won’t be able to engage with the conversation.

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