Richard Leonard criticises response to pornography on school app Yammer

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has accused the Government of failing to ensure proper safeguarding on a school network app.

Scottish Labour Leader Richard Leonard. Picture: Greg Macvean

It emerged earlier this year that a pornographic image had been uploaded to the Yammer app in April, with the app later taken down in June after a separate incident.

At First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood, Mr Leonard called for an investigation and said the app is back online despite no proper safeguarding product being procured for it by the Government.

He said: “The Deputy First Minister was told about pornographic material on this app in April and the app remained online until June.

“The Government is only now looking for a safeguarding product for Yammer, with the specification expected to be issued tomorrow at the earliest.

“So not only did the Government relaunch this app without proper safeguarding, it relaunched it without knowing what proper safeguarding looks like.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pointed out the app is only back online for teachers and not for pupils.

“There is an investigation and a review already under way being carried out by Education Scotland,” she said.

“Yammer is offline to pupils, pupils cannot currently access it and will not be able to access it until we are satisfied that those issues are resolved.”