Best Practice Update

AI-manipulated images of smiling children, symbolizing the urgent online safety risks for schools

Guardians of Privacy: Social Media, Privacy, Children and the AI Threat

This article combines guidance from the Guardians of Privacy series, produced by Data Protection Education in collaboration with Litus Digital, with urgent new advice issued in May 2026 following confirmed blackmail attempts against UK schools using AI-manipulated images of children. Key sources include the UK Safer Internet Centre (8 May 2026) and the Internet Watch Foundation.

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Modern visitor management system for schools, balancing safeguarding, data protection, and DfE

Visitor Management: A Guide for Schools

Navigating the entry requirements for educational settings can sometimes be confusing for both the school and the visitor.  To ensure a smooth, secure, and legally compliant process, it is essential to balance safeguarding requirements with data protection principles and DfE guidance.

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A security camera representing CCTV compliance, UK GDPR, and data protection legal obligations.

Under surveillance: Why your organisation's CCTV might not be compliant

Following the popularity of our recent CCTV webinar, we've published some pointers for headteachers, governance professionals, head of operations and estates managers about CCTV compliance.

We discuss the legal obligations and common pitfalls of CCTV surveillance under the UK GDPR and Data Protection law.

Legal Foundations for Organisations

To operate CCTV lawfully, organisations must move beyond just installing camera.

Lawful basis - every camera must have a lawful

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DfE Digital Standards guidance for Wi-Fi networks, highlighting new Wi-Fi 7 and Wi

Wireless Network Standards for Schools & Colleges: What's New?

The DfE Wireless Networks is part of the DfE Digital Standards guidance and has recently been updated to include references to Wi-Fi7. You must check with this standard before you plan any Wi-Fi upgrades!

What's New?

There is a now clear guidance that specifies that any new wireless solution or upgrade must, at a minimum, meet the Wi-Fi 8 standard.

What is Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7 provides significantly higher throughput and lower latency. In a classroom where 30 students might si

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  1. Navigating the Redaction Divide: SAR or PEX?
  2. Records Management Toolkit: Where do I start with records management?
  3. What type of request have you received? SAR? Educational Record? Or FOI?
  4. SAR Extension Template
  5. Leavers' Memorabilia
  6. Sharing photos on World Book Day: Privacy considerations
  7. Make sure DPE is your registered DPO with the ICO
  8. Supplier Due Diligence Step by Step: Are you sharing personal data with a third party organisation?
  9. Time to kick-start your Clear Desk and Screen policy?
  10. The DSL’s Guide to Filtering and Monitoring
  11. Are Governors the Frontline of Cyber Security? (February 12th is Governors Awareness Day)
  12. DPE Webinar Schedule
  13. The Danger of the 'Data Dump': Why more information isn't always better!
  14. Introducing our new Recording and Transcription Policy
  15. Parents and students covertly recording conversations
  16. New DfE AI Standards
  17. Shareable Snippet: Office Security Best Practices for the Holidays
  18. CCTV Policy update: retention
  19. Shareable Snippet: Confidential waste
  20. Sharing information to safeguard children and young people in the education sector in the UK
  21. Fraud awareness from the DfE
  22. Complaints vs. Data Rights: A Guide
  23. Data Breach: School sends out names and contact details in a spreadsheet.
  24. September 2025 Policy and Document Updates
  25. KCSIE 2025: Data Protection, AI, and Cyber Security
  26. The Online SCR Data Breach: What You Need to Know
  27. Back to School Basics for Data Protection and Cyber Security Compliance
  28. Building a Secure School: Using the ICO Accountability Framework to Meet DfE Digital Standards
  29. Why Physical and Data Security Must Go Hand-In-Hand
  30. Digital Safeguarding: DfE announces statutory DfE Digital Standards
  31. The Data Protection Lead/Champion Role
  32. Changes to the Academy Trust Handbook 2025
  33. Social Media Day 2025
  34. How Ofsted looks at AI during inspection and regulation
  35. Preschool Employment tribunal for the use of WhatsApp
  36. Data Breaches 2025 Report Highlights
  37. Not everyone needs access: The Key to Protecting Sensitive Data
  38. West Lothian Schools in Cyber Attack
  39. National Honesty Day: Transparency
  40. FOI Request - BBC News
  41. Social Media and Marketing Guidelines and Training
  42. New Governor Resources
  43. Does stress lead to more data breaches?
  44. Are teachers using AI? 83% say its a time-saver
  45. DfE Digital Standards - narrowing the digital divide
  46. Arbor AI - On By Default
  47. DfE Guidance: Choosing a new MIS
  48. HCRG Care Group data breach
  49. The Importance of AI literacy and training staff
  50. Short Guide to AI Video
  51. Safer Internet Day, Cyber Security & Data Protection
  52. The Cyber Resilience Championship
  53. The Multiple Dimensions of Supplier Due Diligence
  54. School shares sensitive pupil information as part of an FOI response
  55. AI (Artificial Intelligence) Best Practice Area & Policy
  56. Blacon High School Cyber Attack
  57. WhatsApp and FOI's: ICO Warnings
  58. New AI Guidance from the DfE
  59. What the proposed Government legislative proposal around cyber crime means
  60. ICO report on AI tools in recruitment
  61. DfE update to record keeping and management
  62. Update to data sharing for school immunisation programmes
  63. Early Years Settings and Cyber Security
  64. SLT Digital Lead Profile
  65. The role of governors in cyber security and data protection
  66. Navigating Privacy at the End of Term , Special Occasions and End of Year
  67. Contracts Register
  68. DfE Digital Standards Autumn Update
  69. The importance of knowing how to access your CCTV footage!
  70. Cyber Attack on a Special School
  71. Stealing children's data
  72. What is dark data? (and why does it matter?)
  73. Ofqual highlights the value of cyber security training in schools
  74. Searching for data when you receive a Subject Access Request
  75. Fylde Coast Academy Trust Cyber Attack This Week
  76. Calling all IT leads in schools and mult academy trusts!
  77. Ransomware cyber attack on a school in Bromley
  78. Join Our Social Media Family!
  79. School hit by Cyber Attack
  80. Cyber Security Best Practice Area
  81. DfE Digital Standards for Schools and Colleges Tracker
  82. New Policies, Documents, Letters and Posters page
  83. Schools and Trusts Best Practice Area
  84. The DPE Retention Schedule
  85. Making the Rounds Update (now includes reporting)
  86. ESFA Cyber Essentials Requirement for Colleges from 2024/2025
  87. ICO Reprimands a School
  88. Out of date technology
  89. Data Retention and the Pupil File
  90. Have you assigned your SLT Digital Lead yet?
  91. Getting Started with AI (Artificial Intelligence)
  92. Cyber attack on a school during half term
  93. The rise of cyber attacks in schools are causing pupils to miss classes
  94. ICO: Learning from the mistakes of others report
  95. Cyber attack on a Trust; the aftermath
  96. School Focus: The Vale Federation | Aylesbury
  97. DfE Dealing with Subject Access Requests (SARs) Guidance
  98. Update to the Guidance on Information Sharing from the DfE
  99. FOI Requests generated by Artificial Intelligence
  100. Social Media Best Practice Area
  101. Lettings Best Practice Area
  102. MFA Bombing - What is it?
  103. Protecting your Social Media Accounts
  104. Checklists - Are They Your Most Powerful Compliance Tool?
  105. Product Focus on Checklists : Initial Trust Plan
  106. Product Focus on Checklists : End of Term Checklist
  107. Product Focus on Checklists : Information and Cyber Security
  108. Product Focus on Checklists : Social Media
  109. Product Focus on Checklists : Lettings
  110. Product Focus on Checklists : Record of Processing
  111. Milk Island: The secret location that allows children to view restricted content on Google Maps
  112. Why Data Should Stay Put: Benefits of Keeping Data in Its Original System
  113. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Retention and Destruction
  114. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Migration
  115. Product Focus on Checklists : Biometrics
  116. Product Focus on Checklists : Supplier Due Diligence
  117. Free Cyber help, advice and training with the Cyber Resilience Centres
  118. The Perils of Paper: The Printing Vulnerability
  119. Product Focus on Checklists : FOI
  120. Product Focus on Checklists : Governors and Data
  121. Product Focus on Checklists : DPIA
  122. Product Focus on Checklists : Site Moves
  123. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Breaches
  124. Product Focus on Checklists : Subject Access Requests
  125. Product Focus on Checklists : Bring your own device
  126. Product Focus on Checklists : Working out of school/offsite
  127. Cyber Attack on a School
  128. Product Focus on Checklists : Redaction
  129. Why Due Diligence is Important: Fake apps
  130. Product Focus on Checklists : CCTV
  131. Product Focus on Checklists : Clear desk
  132. Product Focus on Checklists : Commitment to compliance
  133. Product Focus on Checklists : Photos and video
  134. Product Focus on Checklists : Passwords
  135. Product Focus on Checklists : Information Classification
  136. Free cyber training for staff
  137. DfE Digital Standards Update
  138. The Mother of all Breaches
  139. International Data Transfers (part 1): Navigating Cross-Border Data Transfers: Understanding EU SCCs, UK Addendum, and UK IDTA
  140. ClassCharts Possible Data Breach
  141. Where is your data stored?
  142. IAPP looks at AI privacy risks
  143. If you suspect a financial scam .....
  144. School Focus: St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School | Brighton
  145. Guardians of Privacy: 16. Social Media Checklist
  146. Guardians of Privacy: 15. Navigating Social Media in Educational Settings Summary
  147. Guardians of Privacy: 14. Social Media and Cyber Bullying
  148. Guardians of Privacy: 13. Social Media, Copyright and Intellectual Property
  149. Guardians of Privacy: 12. Social Media and Going Viral
  150. Guardians of Privacy: 11. Staff Social Media Accounts
  151. Guardians of Privacy: 10. Social Media and Cookies
  152. Guardians of Privacy: 9. Social Media and Morality
  153. New Resources for Schools from the ICO
  154. Guardians of Privacy: 8. Social Media Policies
  155. Guardians of Privacy: 7. Social Media Data Retention
  156. Guardians of Privacy: 6. Posting Safely
  157. Guardians of Privacy: 5. Social Media and Consent
  158. Guardians of Privacy: 4. Social Media Access Control
  159. Guardians of Privacy: 3. Social Media Channels
  160. Guardians of Privacy: 2. Law and Regulations
  161. The ICO reprimands a Multi Academy Trust
  162. Guidance for the use of school email and applying email retention in schools
  163. Data Protection Tips for Early Years Settings
  164. Children's Privacy around the world is a puzzle
  165. Trust Initial Plan Checklist Update
  166. Records Management Best Practice Update
  167. What do I need to redact?
  168. Trust Initial Plan for Data Protection Compliance (for Multi Academy Trusts)
  169. Google for Education Resources: Helping IT Admins meet DfE digital and technology standards
  170. Lettings Best Practice and Guidance
  171. Considerations when migrating to a new MIS
  172. Public bodies and sensitive data
  173. Get a DPE Badge for your website!
  174. ICO: 10 Step guide to sharing information to safeguard children
  175. Help after a Cyber Attack/Incident
  176. Data Protection and Cyber Security (Inset Day) Training Ideas
  177. How KCSIE is linked to Cyber Strategy
  178. Handling Freedom of Information Requests the right way
  179. Where's Harry the Hacker?
  180. The ICO Reprimands a school
  181. Redaction Guidelines Updated
  182. Using WhatsApp in Schools
  183. How to contact us for support, subject access requests, data breaches and FOI's
  184. FOI: Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete
  185. FOI: Henry Jackson Society
  186. FOI: Vaccination Justifications
  187. How the Record of Processing Can Help You
  188. What does a Data Protection Officer Do?
  189. Carrying out Supplier Due Diligence
  190. How Long Should You Keep Personal Data For?
  191. B&H FoI: Racist/religious incidents/bullying
  192. Protocol for Setting Up and Delivery of Online Teaching and Learning
  193. Class Dojo International Data Sharing
  194. Model Publication Scheme: Amendments, Improvements and Updates
  195. Transparency
  196. Research projects and GDPR
  197. Secure file transfer of files using Royal Mail
  198. Emergency contacts and consent
  199. Key elements of a successful DPIA
  200. FOI Publication Schemes
  201. Best Practice for Managing Photos and Video
  202. New Drip Feeds: Recognise and Respond to Subject Access Request
  203. When to contact the Data Protection Officer?
  204. National child measurement programme
  205. Headteacher fined for breach of data protection legislation
  206. Acceptable Use Policy

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