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

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