Tag: technology

Free cyber security courses for schools in Scotland

Young people aged 11-14 years in Scotland are being invited to participate in a series of free, virtual CyberFirst courses to help students explore their passion for technology and inspire the next generation of cybersecurity talent.

Created by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ, and delivered in partnership with QA and the educational charity The Smallpeice Trust, the CyberFirst courses are designed to show students interested in computing and cyber security what a diverse range of career paths are available in the field and to help them develop the skills they need to excel.

The content is structured in a way that aims to harness every student’s individual potential whilst delving into the ins and outs of everyday technology using realistic scenarios.

The interactive, instructor-led courses, that will take place in virtual classrooms throughout February 2021, include:

  • CyberFirst Trailblazers – open to any student starting Year 8, S2 in Scotland in the 2020/21 academic year. Students will become ‘digital detectives’, employing digital forensics to identify the source and spread of malicious software and learning how open source intelligence can help with the collection of further information. They will also learn the basics of website customisation.
  • CyberFirst Adventurers – open to any student starting Year 9, S3 in Scotland in the 2020/21 academic year. Students will use ‘big data’, work against the clock in a cryptography exercise, and have the chance to create their own models using 3D design software.

The courses will also instil a strong sense of responsibility in students, emphasising the importance of acting safely, legally and ethically in the cyber security profession.

Chris Ensor, the NCSC’s Deputy Director for Cyber Growth, said: “I’m delighted we are offering our CyberFirst Trailblazers and Adventurers courses online next year, giving more students from across Scotland an exciting opportunity to develop their digital skills.

“I would really encourage students to sign up to learn more about what cyber security careers actually look like and to connect with other like-minded people with a shared passion for technology. The cyber security experts of the future will play a vital role in keeping the UK safe online, and the NCSC is committed to nurturing the young talent this country has to ensure we have a well-equipped and diverse workforce.”

Dr Kevin P. Stenson, chief executive of The Smallpeice Trust, said:“With many students continuing to shield or facing the possibility of self-isolation, the online CyberFirst courses will provide a brilliant – and most importantly, safe – opportunity for young people in Scotland to boost their digital skills and enrich their problem-solving abilities from their own homes.”

The CyberFirst Trailblazer and Adventurer courses will take place during February. Further information and booking for the CyberFirst courses can be found here: https://www.smallpeicetrust.org.uk/cyberfirst

Government efforts to narrow digital divide will still leave disadvantaged children in the cold

Education expert welcomes new help but says inevitable rush by schools to access what’s on offer will slow delivery

The UK Government’s last-minute decision to close schools to the vast majority of children has again highlighted the so-called digital divide – the large number of homes where there are insufficient digital devices for pupils to work on – or no broadband connection at all. 

About 9% of children in the UK – between 1.1 million and 1.8 million – do not have access to a laptop, desktop or tablet at home, according to Ofcom. More than 880,000 of them live in a household with only a mobile internet connection. 

But pupils in England who have no access to laptops have now been designated ‘vulnerable’, the Department for Education has said, meaning that they can continue to attend school for face-to-face learning during lockdown. 

And Three UK, which has an 11% market share of mobile subscriptions in the UK, said on Tuesday that it would provide unlimited data upgrades to disadvantaged schoolchildren in England until the end of the school year in July, amid pressure on others to do the same. 

There is an existing DfE scheme for disadvantaged children who do not have access to a home broadband connection to temporarily increase their mobile data allowance. Schools, trusts and local authorities need to request the support on a pupil’s behalf.

As for the tablets themselves, the Department for Education says it had delivered more than 560,000 devices to schools and councils in England between the start of the pandemic and the end of last year, though there have been widespread complaints from schools that the numbers promised have not arrived. 

Ministers say they aim to have delivered a further 100,000 laptops and tablets to schools by the end of this week to help it reach its overall target of 1 million devices.

Former primary school teacher Oli Ryan of education resources experts PlanBee, which has produced learning packs to help parents having to home-school their children, says: The government scheme looks pretty good – at least in theory.

‘In addition to laptops and tablets which schools and local authorities can order, they can also get 4G routers, apply for extra data allowances on parents’ mobile phones, and get their entire school set up on either Google or Microsoft’s virtual classroom learning platforms,’ he says.

He continued: ‘There’s training available for staff on distributing, setting up and using all the tech, too. The site says that once a school has registered that they are closed due to outbreak, or supporting a vulnerable child learning from home, they can get the tech delivered within two days of placing an order.’

But he warns that although the government technology offer is now better established than during the first lockdown, there are likely to be significant delays getting the technology into the hands of those who need it most: disadvantaged children.

‘It’s bad enough that learning is being interrupted for all pupils, as teachers scramble to prepare remote learning materials, but even worse is the fact that, once again, it’s the children in poorer families who will suffer for longer while they wait for laptops, tablets and 4G routers to arrive.’

He says that had the decision to close schools been made sooner, and more notice given, schools could have placed orders in time for the start of the new term.

‘Now, many primary schools and local authorities will all be applying for laptops at the same time; there are bound to be issues with delivery as a consequence.’

PlanBee’s Learn at Home Packs each contains eight lessons with teacher-led teaching input videos, parent-friendly friendly lesson plans, slideshow presentations and printable worksheets.

‘We hope these packs will take some of the pressure off parents who are new to home schooling. They’re designed specifically for mums and dads, so there’s no educational jargon. Educating your children at home can seem a pretty daunting prospect, but with these packs, we think we’re helping with the heavy lifting.’

He added: ‘We have kept the need for technology to an absolute minimum, but all education providers have to rely on it to some extent, even if it’s only to download PDF worksheets.

‘The Government needs to get the digital divide sorted – and fast.’

PlanBee have put a lesson videos up online for FREE, so you can get a taste of what’s included in the packs. And there are lots of free teaching resources for parents here.

Transforming Planning for the digital age

A £35 million five-year programme will make it easier for planners to work together and for members of the public to get involved in creating and shaping their places. 

The new data and technology system, to begin development in early 2021, will provide a single place to access services and information about planning. This will generate up to 1,600 jobs in the construction and development sectors, and their supply chains, over the next 10 years, and bring as much as £200 million in economic benefits directly to users of the planning system.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart, who will launch Scotland’s Digital Strategy for Planning tomorrow, said: “There is immense potential for digital to provide new ways to get people involved in the planning of great places.

“Our Digital Planning team has been hearing about the experiences of people who work within planning, and also of those who participate in various ways. We’ve learned about what works well, what could work better, and how digital transformation can help deliver positive impacts and outcomes at both the local and national levels.

“We’re now preparing to put our findings into action, and over the next five years we will be building a world-leading digital planning system, helping connect people with their places, influence positive change, strengthen decision-making and focus on delivery of high-quality planned development.”

Introducing new technology and ways of working in the planning system will simplify and speed up the application and assessment processes. It will give planners the tools and data they need to collaborate and improve decision making, making it easier to understand the planning process and get involved at every stage. 

Transforming Places Together: Scotland’s Digital Strategy for Planning will be launched by Mr Stewart on Tuesday 24 November.

3FINERY technology makes objects magically come to life

Ground-breaking Augmented Reality Communications spin-out recruits as it prepares to go to market

A NEW Edinburgh Napier spin-out business is expanding as it seeks to market a product which brings real-world objects to life in mobile devices.

3FINERY uses ground-breaking Augmented Reality (AR) technology which can boost customer engagement with remote marketing campaigns by portraying goods, services and venues in innovative ways. It is expected to appeal strongly to businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new twist on traditional AR methods was developed at the School of Computing over a three-year period by Professor Kenny Mitchell (above) and his former PhD student Dr Llogari Casas.

Intermediated Reality technology enables uniquely efficient communication via animation of real objects. It has been showcased at international conferences and trade shows, and the growth of 3FINERY has been supported with major cash injections from the ICURe programme and Innovate UK.

Now the start-up is looking for Graphics Software Engineer and Technical Artist talent with the intention to grow the team rapidly in readiness for the final push to get the product market-ready.

Co-founder Llogari (above) said: “The technology provides a novel way of interacting with products both around you and far away, and can be easily integrated with existing software, offering unique interactive experiences.

“It is very exciting to have got the project to this stage, with the backing of the University, and we are now looking to press on with commercialisation.”

Augmented Reality allows brands to create fun interactive experiences for their customers with a few taps on their mobile phone, but the 3FINERY technology goes a step further than competitors, who use AR to overlay content on the screen, and can bring any desired object to life remotely and realistically.

Intermediated Reality, the technology behind the company, is a framework for highly efficient distributed communication. It was developed by Llogari and Kenny through an EU Horizon 2020 project entitled ‘DISTRO’.  3FINERY enables play and collaboration via remote channeling of voice and motion through objects that come to life in mobile Augmented Reality.

The ICURe programme – Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research – made a grant of £45,000 to support six months of intensive market assessment and engagement with prospective customers, suppliers, partners and regulators to test the project’s commercial potential.

3FINERY raised a further £150,000 to develop the product for the market by winning a highly competitive Innovate UK funding competition.

Fiona Mason, Head of Business Engagement and IP Commercialisation at Edinburgh Napier, said: “3FINERY is a really exciting new technology emerging from our School of Computing.

“As a follow-on from the EU Horizon 2020 funding where the idea was developed, we were delighted to receive backing from ICURe to help us with our commercialisation journey – this is a highly competitive funding programme and well sought after, and the team found the support invaluable.

“The recent award from Innovate UK is further testament to the ingenuity of the idea, the expertise and skillset of the inventors, and the market readiness of the idea.

“Over the last 10 years, our School of Computing has achieved three successful cyber spin-outs – ZoneFox in 2010, Symphonic in 2013 and Cyan Forensics in 2017. We are delighted to be including 3FINERY in our venture portfolio and believe this magical technology will be a welcome disruptor in a fast-paced marketing landscape.”

Game-changer? New spin-out will tackle the ransomware threat

Memcrypt aims to repeat earlier University cybersecurity success stories

Edinburgh Napier’s School of Computing has revealed plans to spin out a business dedicated to tackling the multi-billion pound ransomware market.

Memcrypt follows earlier University cybersecurity ventures ZoneFox, Symphonic Software and Cyan Forensics in making the leap from research lab to the market.

Ransomware – malware that encrypts files, giving the attacker scope to demand a ransom to restore access – is increasingly becoming the attack of choice for cyber criminals as it has a high chance of financial return coupled with a low chance of detection, and the threat is increasing daily.

However, the University’s cryptography experts are developing new methods of detecting ransomware as it runs. This will provide new ways of stopping the ransomware from infecting systems before it has a chance to spread.

The team’s work is part of Innovate UK’s CyberASAP programme accelerator, and is also supported more recently by Scottish Enterprise’s High Growth Spin-out Programme – the early stage growth challenge fund.

Memcrypt has evolved around a technical team of Professor Bill Buchanan, Dr Peter McLaren, Dr Owen Lo and Dr Gordon Russell, and a core business team of Dia Banerji (Imagine Ventures Ltd) and Matt Burdge (the Business Development and Relationship Manager supporting the School of Computing), as the University seeks to repeat earlier successes in converting ground-breaking research into high impact spin-outs.

Threat analytics spin-out ZoneFox has since been acquired by US giant Fortinet, and Symphonic Software and Cyan Forensics have also scaled up to become players in the international marketplace.

At the heart of Memcrypt lies Dr Peter McLaren’s PhD work, the first to discover the presence of the key schedule of a popular encryption method – ChaCha20 – within running memory on the computer.  Another team member, Dr Owen Lo, earlier showed that encryption keys could be discovered just by listening to the electrical noise created by a device.

Dr McLaren said: “The core of our approach is to search for things that look completely random with memory, and mark these as suspicious.”

Dia Banerji said: “Ransomware attacks can have a debilitating effect on businesses, often leading to loss in revenue, falling share prices and reputational losses. We aim to better protect those at risk, and work with law enforcement agencies on improving their responses to these attacks.”

PGP Academic – Bill Buchanan (Dr), lecturer in the School of Computing

Professor Bill Buchanan (above), who played a key role in the research which paved the way for Edinburgh Napier’s earlier cybersecurity spin-out successes, added: “Ransomware affects virtually every market sector, and can affect every size of company. While building our company in Edinburgh, we aim to scale on an international basis.”

Fiona Mason, Head of Business Engagement and IP Commercialisation at the University, said: “We are delighted that our emerging spin-outs are recognised by CyberASAP and by Scottish Enterprise.

“Our success here is testament to the entrepreneurship, commitment and creativity of the University’s academic staff and students, supported by our talented Business Engagement and IP team in the Research Innovation and Enterprise Office who worked tirelessly to bring these opportunities to life.

“Over the last 10 years, our School of Computing has achieved three successful cyber spin-outs; ZoneFox in 2010, Symphonic in 2013 and Cyan Forensics in 2017.

“All of these spin-outs are currently in operation and growing, with ZoneFox having been acquired by the NASDAQ-listed US company Fortinet. This success is further highlighted in a UK government-backed report from The London Office for Rapid Cybersecurity Advancement (LORCA), which listed Edinburgh Napier in the top six universities that have contributed to the cybersecurity spin-out ecosystem.

“We believe Memcrypt will be our next game-changer.”

BT bursaries to support small businesses

  • 1,000 UK start-ups to be awarded six months’ free fibre broadband, digital phone line and mobile bundles
  • Launched as part of BT’s recently announced Small Business Support Scheme
  • Bursary includes Halo for business – the UK’s best converged connectivity plan which gives micro-businesses three powerful connections in one

Scottish start-ups and entrepreneurs can now apply for one of 1,000 bursaries being offered by BT as part of its Small Business Support Scheme.

With the UK home to the biggest and most vibrant start-up community in Europe, BT is pledging its support for start-ups by giving it a financial head start through free superfast fibre broadband, digital phone line and mobile bundles, including its Halo for business product. The bundles will be provided completely free of charge for the first six months on a 24-month contract.

BT recently launched its Small Business Support Scheme to help boost the sustainability and growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs around the UK as they continue to manage the economic impact of Covid-19 and as they prepare for a post-Brexit climate.

The new support package – which was welcomed by business groups and senior politicians around the country – consists of ten initiatives aimed at boosting the connectivity, cash flow and confidence of small businesses around the UK. Improving access to high-speed connections through bursaries and the launch of BT’s Halo for business product forms a central part of the scheme.

Pete Oliver, MD, SME, for BT’s Enterprise business, said: “BT has a proud history of backing the UK start-up sector, for example by helping to incubate companies at its tech cluster in Adastral Park, Ipswich.

“Start-ups will be critical in kickstarting the economy as the country gradually recovers from the impact of the pandemic. We want to do our bit by easing the financial burden on these fledgling companies by giving 1,000 of them free high-speed connectivity for the first six months.

“It’s just one example of how our Small Business Support scheme is helping start-ups, sole traders, micro businesses and more established firms to bounce back – from faster connections and digital payments to support around mentoring, digital skills and marketing tools.”

Businessman drawing diagram on glass wall in tech start-up office

Under the new bursary scheme, BT is offering UK start-ups a number of bundles to choose from, starting from £34.95 (excluding VAT) per month after the first 6 months. These include:

  • BT Halo for business broadband and digital phone line bundle

First 6 months free, then £34.95 per month excluding VAT for next 18 months

  • BT Halo for business broadband, digital phone line and 4G SIM-only bundle

First 6 months free, then £39.95 per month excluding VAT for next 18 months

Eligible companies can apply for a bursary from today by visiting: www.bt.com/tech-bursary.

To qualify, customers will need to have set up their company after 1 October, 2019 and they’ll need to be taking a BT business broadband service for the first time. BT’s customer service team will contact applicants the next working day to talk them through the best bundled broadband, digital phone line and mobile option to suit their needs.

While the bursary will be made available to 1,000 eligible companies initially, BT will be closely monitoring interest in the scheme and will consider extending it to more UK start-up companies, subject to demand.

BT recently announced the launch of its BT Halo for business offering – the UK’s best converged fibre broadband, mobile and digital phone line bundle for micro-businesses, which represent 91 percent of all businesses in the UK. 

Featuring three powerful connections in one, BT Halo for business includes superfast fibre broadband that automatically switches to 4G if there’s a problem to ensure that small businesses always stay connected; a digital phone line that lets businesses use their office number remotely, so they never miss a call; and an unlimited mobile plan with no data caps or speed restrictions. Business customers also have the option to upgrade to 5G for a truly converged experience.

One of the key benefits of BT Halo for business is the new digital phone line, which gives businesses access to a range of services which aren’t available through traditional fixed phone lines. It allows businesses to stay connected from any place, at any time, by simply downloading an app on their mobile device to make and receive calls from their business landline number when they’re on the move. The number will not change, so business customers can retain their identity and local presence even if the business premises moves.

BT Halo for business also features free Guest Wi-Fi, to allow firms to turn their workplace into a Wi-Fi hotspot for their customers without their broadband speeds or security being affected. It’s password-free so customers can easily browse online while they shop and clients can work whilst they visit the business premises.

All of these features are backed up by 24/7 UK-based customer service support to ensure that business customers can get assistance when they need it most.

Local public health consultant develops technology to reduce risk of exposure to COVID-19 in economic spaces

Medical doctor, clinical epidemiologist and public health consultant, Dr Paul Nelson, has developed a pioneering technology that will significantly reduce the risk of exposure to Covid-19 in all ‘economic spaces’ – shops? – across the City of Edinburgh and beyond.

The groundbreaking innovation, supported by early adopters, Essential Edinburgh and a number of independent retailers, is set to roll out across the city next month, affording shop workers and patrons a safer working environment whilst inspiring confidence and supporting the recovery of economic activity. 

Dr Paul Nelson said: “We are creating a Movement which is enabling business owners and residents alike, to take back some control and mitigate the effects that the pandemic has had on their livelihoods.

“We’ve witnessed a significant amount of initial interest so far and are delighted to be working with Essential Edinburgh to roll this out across Edinburgh and beyond.

“As we all get on board and as the shopkeepers (and other business owners)  become gatekeepers, we all safeguard the economy by identifying symptomatic people. Businesses, harnessing the Dunkirk Spirit, will create a Cordon Sanitaire or Community Screening Programme that is currently lacking and not even possible to be provided in the usual way via public services.”

“Contact tracing is crucial to halt the spread of the virus and currently there is no way of picking up people who have symptoms if they don’t go to their doctor. According to the latest figures from ONS, 70% of cases are not currently referring themselves for testing.”

Roddy Smith, Chief Executive and Director of Essential Edinburgh commented: “Consumer confidence has understandably taken a big hit and businesses are also dealing with the huge impact of lockdown and will be for some time.

Empowering both businesses and consumers, FFZ has the potential to provide an additional level of confidence for both. We’re really looking forward to working with Paul and the team to further support our businesses and local community.”

Ian Murray MP, Labour Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South commented: “I am delighted that this idea, developed by a local resident Dr. Paul Nelson, is coming to fruition.

“I appreciate that many businesses will have suffered and most importantly will continue to suffer for the coming weeks or months as we recover from lockdown and this innovation provides a technological route to augment recovery for businesses across Edinburgh and beyond.”

The simple integrated symptom screening membership service designed to enable businesses and customers to reduce the risk of exposure to people with Covid-19 is completely non-invasive and simple to operate.

Shop owners will take the temperature of patrons on entry into their spaces using a clinically approved, contactless thermometer which will then communicate via Bluetooth to a free Fever Free app downloaded by each user.

The process uses a progressive web app, which means it doesn’t need to be downloaded from the App store and requires only bare minimum personal data.

Once cleared, the person is issued a six hours pass attesting they are fever-free. During this time, the pass ‘holder’ will experience a frictionless outing as they show it to other participating businesses in the area, all while preserving the privacy of all participants

If high temperature is detected, the shopkeeper will encourage the person to go home and the app will prompt them to pass on details to the contact tracing services (if they agree), who will get in touch with the person to be sent a test.

Argyle Place and Roseneath Street area, Edinburgh (EH9) businesses are driving the first Fever Free Zones as the team begin to roll out the technology.

An early adopter of FFZ, Karen Kirkness, owner of Meadowlark Yoga on Argyle Place, added: “We need to keep our spaces open if our economy is to survive, while maintaining the responsibility to do so as safely as possible.

“FFZ empowers us to identify symptoms that help our community to help itself in its efforts to stay healthy, engage with the economy, all while supporting the NHS’s efforts to track and trace.”

Dr Nelson concludes: “It is hoped that the frictionless access to fever-free high streets will inspire confidence and boost economic activity. If fevers are measured at the point-of-access, and if in turn this triggers a consent-initiated contact with NHS Test and Protect, then these measures could dramatically improve NHS Trace and Protect’s ability to eradicate COVID-19.”

UK government guidelines should be followed at all times, such as wearing a face covering and maintaining social distancing guidelines.

For more information visit: www.feverfree.zone

Delivering R100 for Scotland

Voucher scheme to ensure superfast broadband access for all.

Details of a voucher scheme to help ensure everyone in Scotland will have access to superfast broadband by the end of 2021 have been announced.

The Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme will provide funding of up to £5,000 to help homes and businesses not in scope of either Reaching 100% (R100) contracts or planned commercial investment to obtain superfast broadband where providers may not ordinarily go.

Interim vouchers of up to £400 are also being made available for premises where superfast broadband is planned for after the end of 2021 – with an additional £250 for those in the hardest-to-reach areas.

An online postcode checker has been launched to give homes and businesses information on superfast roll-out in their area as well as providing information on voucher scheme eligibility.

Scotland’s Connectivity Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “Digital Connectivity has played a vital role in supporting our efforts to keep people safe during the Covid-19 lockdown and will be pivotal in plans for our strategic economic recovery from the pandemic.

“Work is underway to build the infrastructure which will underpin R100, backed by Scottish Government funding of £579M. This, together with commercially-driven work, will ensure the vast majority of homes and businesses across the country can access superfast broadband access by the end of 2021.

“But Scotland has some of the most challenging locations anywhere in Europe for providing telecoms infrastructure and I have always been clear that additional measures may still be needed to provide superfast access to some of the hardest-to-reach areas.

“That is why we have been developing plans in parallel with the main infrastructure investment to ensure our 100% commitment is met, and the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme offering a level of funding far exceeding that of any other broadband voucher scheme currently in operation within the UK, will ensure that everyone can access and benefit from this world-leading digital capability.” 

The R100 online postcode tracker is live now.

CONNECTING SCOTLAND

Around 23,000 low income households without proper internet access will be helped to get online with the assistance of £15 million of Scottish Government funding.

The investment, part of the Connecting Scotland programme, will prioritise disadvantaged families with children and young people leaving care. These families will get a device, twelve months unlimited data as well as technical support to get online safely and securely.

Households will also be linked with a Digital Champion who will provide six months of training and support over the phone. Suitable recipients will be identified by local authorities and third sector organisations who apply to the programme on behalf of those they support.

This second phase of the programme, builds on an initial £5 million to get up to 9,000 households with people at clinical or high risk from Covid-19 connected online.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “It has never been more important to be connected and online. It enables us to access information about how to stay safe and healthy during Covid-19, keep in touch with friends and family, and study or work.

“I am therefore very pleased to be able to extend our Connecting Scotland programme and tackle the digital divide by reaching over 30,000 households across both phases that are experiencing difficulties with online access.

“An additional £15 million will help thousands of families and young care leavers who could not otherwise afford to get online, making sure they are not further disadvantaged by providing the necessary hardware, data, and skills they need to get connected.

“This builds on £25m investment in devices and connectivity which will support around 70,000 school pupils.”

David McNeill, Director of Development at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, added: “The first phase of Connecting Scotland has made a significant difference to the lives of thousands of people who were missing out on the benefits of being online. It has enabled them to stay connected to friends and family, informed and entertained, and able to continue with learning and work.

“This additional investment will enable hundreds of organisations from across the public and third sectors to provide support to those who need it most, removing the barriers related to the affordability of kit and connectivity, as well as helping to build digital confidence and skills.”

Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive, Children 1st also said: “Children 1st were delighted to take part in the first phase of the Connecting Scotland programme to help families without access to IT to cope through coronavirus.

“Good digital access is essential to keeping both children and parents connected to education, their friends and families and to wider support from charities like Children 1st during these extremely difficult times.  It’s great to see the programme being rolled out to reach even more families.”

UK’s internet use surges to record levels

Adults in the UK are now spending more than a quarter of their waking day online with services such as TikTok and Zoom seeing unprecedented growth, according to Ofcom’s latest study into the nation’s online lives.

Ofcom’s annual Online Nation report shows that in April 2020, during the height of the coronavirus lockdown, UK adults spent a daily average of four hours and two minutes online. This is up from just under three and a half hours in September last year.

With people looking for new ways to keep connected, informed, entertained and fit during the pandemic, video-sharing and video-calling services are surging in popularity.

TikTok, which allows users to create and share short dance, lip-sync, comedy and talent videos, reached 12.9 million UK adult visitors in April, up from just 5.4 million in January. Twitch, the popular live streaming platform for video gamers, saw visitors increase from 2.3 million to 4.2 million adults.

The proportion of people making video calls has also doubled during lockdown, with more than seven in 10 doing so at least weekly. Houseparty, the app which combines group video-calls with games and quizzes, grew from 175,000 adult visitors in January to 4 million in April. But the biggest growth was seen by Zoom, the virtual meeting platform, which grew from 659,000 users to reach 13 million users over the same period – a rise of almost 2,000%.

A nation of content creators

Sites and apps such as YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok, which allow people to create, upload and share videos online, have never been so popular.

Our report reveals that nine in 10 adults, and almost all older children aged 8-15, with access to the internet used at least one of these in the last year, with many doing so several times a day. One third (32%) of online adults now spend more time viewing video-sharing services than broadcast television.

And we’re not only watching but creating and broadcasting our own content too. Two in five adults (40%) and 59% of older children who use video-sharing sites and apps now create and upload their own videos, driving an explosion in short-form, user-generated content.

Vlogging is also a money-making enterprise, with 17% of adults who create and upload videos receiving revenue or gifts in return. With some vloggers going on to achieve global celebrity status, the proportion of children under 13 who aspire to become a ‘YouTuber’ had increased by 19% by the end of 2019 compared to 2018. Boys in particular are more likely to consider it as a career.

A graph showing how many users of video-sharing services upload videos.

How the pandemic is changing communications

Our study shows that, before the pandemic, many people were moving away from more established forms of communication – particularly landline calls and SMS text messages – and adopting newer methods.

A graph showing that adult internet users are as likely to send a message by WhatsApp and they are to send an SMS.

In the 12 months to February 2020, more people were sending daily text messages using online messaging platforms (52%), such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, than using SMS (41%) or email (26%). Daily use of online voice calls (31%) was only slightly lower than mobile calls (38%).

The pandemic appears to have sped up the adoption of online services to keep in touch. More than seven in 10 people in the UK are now making video calls at least weekly, up from 35% pre-lockdown. This trend is particularly noticeable among older internet users; the proportion of online adults aged 65+ who make a least one video-call each week increased from 22% in February 2020 to 61% by May 2020.

Confident but cautious

For many adults and children, watching or creating content on video-sharing sites or apps is a positive experience. But 87% of adults – and 79% of 8 to 15 year olds – have concerns around children using these platforms. Bullying or trolling, harmful or age-inappropriate content and receiving private messages from strangers are among the top concerns.

Adults’ trust in sites to remove illegal, offensive and harmful material has grown by seven percentage points since last year, to 54%. Nevertheless, most adults (57%) continue to support greater regulation of video-sharing platforms (64% in 2019).

Ofcom is preparing to take on new duties for the regulation of UK-based video-sharing platforms. This summer, we will be publishing a call for evidence to inform our guidance on how platforms should protect users from harmful content.

Yih-Choung Teh, Ofcom’s Director of Strategy and Research, said: “Lockdown may leave a lasting digital legacy. The coronavirus has radically changed the way we live, work and communicate online, with millions of people using online video services for the first time.

“As the way we communicate evolves and people broaden their online horizons, our role is to help ensure that people have a positive experience, and that they’re safe and protected.”

Clever tech roll out helps vulnerable people during pandemic

Vulnerable customers of an Edinburgh housing and care provider are being able to keep in constant contact with friends and family – and where necessary their carers – during the Coronavirus lockdown thanks to its pioneering technology.

Blackwood has provided its customers with tablets complete with accessible care technology and wifi access to help keep them more digitally connected at all times, despite most being currently ‘shielded’ in their homes.

It has already led to a remarkable 800% increase in the function that allows customers to contact friends and family.

And with visits from care staff being impacted because of social distancing and virus protection measures, the technology is ensuring customers do not feel isolated as they can also keep in touch with carers via video calls, even those who use Blackwood’s night-time support service.

Each tablet gives customers access to CleverCogs™, Blackwood’s own bespoke care system, which enables people to stay in touch with friends and family through video chat, while also allowing them to catch up on their favourite tv shows, access information and receive calendar reminders of care visits and medication.

The system allows customers to attend GP appointments through the NHS service, Near Me, which is linked with more than 30 GPs across Scotland.

CleverCogs™ is personalised to each customer meaning they will be able to easily access their interests, whether it’s music, sports or movies. The system is designed to only take users maximum three taps of the tablet to access any of its features.

Blackwood – which operates across Edinburgh as well as 28 other local authorities, providing housing and care support to people with a wide range of care needs – is also fronting a new campaign #ImInAwe to showcase the work of front-line social care workers during the pandemic crisis.

Anne Jenkins, Blackwood’s Innovation Delivery Manager, said: “As an organisation we understand and appreciate how uneasy and stressful the current lockdown situation is for many of our customers and their families.

“CleverCogs™ gives our customers and families some peace of mind in that they can stay fully connected throughout this, so reducing feelings of loneliness, anxiety or isolation.

“In fact where previous there was a reluctance to use CleverCogs™ as a communication tool, now customers are freely using it to keep in contact with friends and families.

“We personalise every CleverCogs™ device, which has had huge impacts on our customers’ lives. Being digitally connected really has the opportunity to change people’s lives – it opens their horizons to a whole new online world.

“In the current circumstances, it’s even more important that we facilitate every measure possible to ensure our customers have access to the required care and communication to allow them to continue living a fulfilled life as independently as possible.”

Currently the system features include information about Care, Safety, Housing, Home Automation, Information, Digital Inclusion as well as Health & Wellbeing.

CleverCogs™ has also been implemented across all of Blackwood’s care services, as well as being the ‘hub’ for each of its Blackwood Houses. Within the Blackwood Houses, CleverCogs™ enables customers to control lights, heating, doors and blinds.

Blackwood’s #ImInAwe campaign aims to shine a light on the important front-line role care employees are playing, to encourage businesses and individuals to look at ways they can show gratitude.

It’s estimated up to 150,000 staff work in the social care sector, providing care to people in care homes and retirement developments as well as care-at-home services. The social campaign is spreading online with the hashtag #ImInAwe to show collective support.

Blackwood customers are at the heart of shaping its future. With over 1500 properties across 29 local authorities, it is the largest provider in Scotland and helps the transform customers’ lives on a daily basis – at a time when funding is becoming increasingly tighter.

For more information, please visit: https://www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk