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scratch.mit.edu - Inappropriate Image(s) Today

Extinction
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Extinction

Extinction

Posted
Posted

Just raising awareness that Scratch had a very very inappropriate image of a sexual nature posted on it today visible in the Explore section, identified in one of our primaries.  The content we believe was taken down earlier today, then unfortunately re-appeared.  It currently looks like it has gone again at 14:05 onwards.  We are blocking Scratch across our schools (some of you will know which MAT) awaiting feedback from MIT on moderation of content - hopefully a very temporary measure.  Great tool, but unfortunately was open to abuse today.   We have also reported via CEOP and local police.  Phil S.  

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3s-gtech

3s-gtech

Posted
Posted (edited)

Saw same here. I knew their utter lack of moderation and safeguarding would bite them one day (the bloody messaging bit!)

Absolute shambles.

Blocked and very reluctant to allow it back after this.

Edited by 3s-gtech
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itskdog

itskdog

Posted
Posted

Do they still have a desktop app? Might be worth reverting back to that so there's none of this social-network type stuff that might be useful for children using at home to practice their coding skills, but in the classroom where they're following instructions from the teacher and saving to the StudentShared drive, it's not as necessary IMO.

 

I don't think we block the website, but we do have the app installed, and AFAIK the teachers use that in the ICT lessons.

LeMarchand

LeMarchand

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Extinction said:

awaiting feedback from MIT on moderation of content

 

What moderation? FREE SPEECH is what it's all about. I used to have it blocked after reports of "Hey Step-bro? I'm stuck!" games on there. Then a lesson plan that couldn't possibly be adapted to the installed version was used and I was ordered to unblock it.

 

Maybe this time...

Extinction

Extinction

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Trying to keep this reasonably safe but on the Explore page the project image was a photo of someones ejaculating member!  So definitely safeguard no.1 concern.  Sorry for anyone offended.

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3s-gtech

3s-gtech

Posted
Posted
54 minutes ago, paulkerton said:

We've had reports of this, but we were unable to see it before the report came in. Is it worth asking what it was, or was it THAT inappropriate?!

I averted my eyes like a Victorian spinster, but I think it involved something pink and not appropriate for daytime TV.

sigma

sigma

Posted
Posted

Unfortunately, Scratch has also become a de facto CDN for many of what I would describe as the ‘time wasting” games.

 

Our pupils can access the editor to code/create, but that’s about it.  They can’t access any studios or projects.

 

Good luck if you are with ‘a certain ISP’ as they will whitelist for you in the defaults they set for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ITGuyNW

ITGuyNW

Posted
Posted

Staff need to be told then. It's safeguarding at the end of the day. I've already told my staff its being blocked and given them alternative options to choose from, such as the offline editor. It's not a case of compromise, its doing your duty and dealing with the situation.

 

or are they more comfortable dealing with complaints from parents, public and the press about how their children were allowed to view inappropriate content?

itskdog

itskdog

Posted
Posted

Ultimately it's a question for the DSL to take, as to whether they would accept the risk or back you with forcing use of the offline editor.

 

They're in charge of the filtering now per KCSiE, and if you don't have their backing, it could cause more headaches for you.

LeMarchand

LeMarchand

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, ITGuyNW said:

Staff need to be told then. It's safeguarding at the end of the day. I've already told my staff its being blocked and given them alternative options to choose from, such as the offline editor. It's not a case of compromise, its doing your duty and dealing with the situation.

 

or are they more comfortable dealing with complaints from parents, public and the press about how their children were allowed to view inappropriate content?

 

I contacted the head, deputy and DSL about the problem and with the potential workaround of using the offline editor yesterday afternoon.

 

None of them has bothered to respond.

  • Haha 1
Steve101

Steve101

Posted
Posted

It's not your job to decide it's your job to advise. You can react and take action but it needs to be followed up and supported by SLT / Head teacher / DSLs etc..

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Steve101

Steve101

Posted
Posted
11 minutes ago, Gongalong said:

Anyone know if MIT have made a statement about this and/or fixed the issue? 

It's in their terms of use -

 

4.5 Although the Scratch Team requires all users to comply with these Terms of Use,

some inappropriate user-generated content may be submitted and displayed on the Scratch website.

You understand that when you use Scratch you may be exposed to user-generated content that you find objectionable or offensive.

If you see any content that violates the Community Guidelines or Terms of Use, please let us know by using the "Report this" button.

You only need to report an item once. The Scratch Team reviews reported content every day.

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LeMarchand

LeMarchand

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, Steve101 said:

It's in their terms of use -

 

4.5 Although the Scratch Team requires all users to comply with these Terms of Use,

some inappropriate user-generated content may be submitted and displayed on the Scratch website.

You understand that when you use Scratch you may be exposed to user-generated content that you find objectionable or offensive.

If you see any content that violates the Community Guidelines or Terms of Use, please let us know by using the "Report this" button.

You only need to report an item once. The Scratch Team reviews reported content every day.

 

 

So something could be up for 24 hours (probably linger at the weekend) depending on people reporting it and we all know that teachers live in the Everybody/Somebody/Nobody/Anybody story.

 

Plus I can't see them pulling horror games which aren't suitable for KS1/2.

sigma

sigma

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Koldov said:

Does blocking https://scratch.mit.edu/ affect any functionality of the downloaded version, or is it completely stand alone?

 

It looks to be completely stand alone.   I noticed a pupil on it in a room where scratch.mit.edu is blocked in its entirety.

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mrstrong

mrstrong

Posted
Posted

which "bit" of the website had the "inappropriate image" ?

 

I'm wondering if it's possible to block parts of the website (we use smoothwall)

e.g. the main editor the kids need is at

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/editor

 

a lot of the user uploaded content seems to be e.g.

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/number

e.g.

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1175653194/

 

could smoothwall block these with a url pattern match ?

 

LeMarchand

LeMarchand

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, mrstrong said:

which "bit" of the website had the "inappropriate image" ?

 

I'm wondering if it's possible to block parts of the website (we use smoothwall)

e.g. the main editor the kids need is at

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/editor

 

a lot of the user uploaded content seems to be e.g.

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/number

e.g.

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1175653194/

 

could smoothwall block these with a url pattern match ?

 

The problem I would have here is that the lesson plan calls for an uploaded project to be used. I guess, if we had access to our filter* and (more to the point) advance notice, we could block projects except for the needed one/s.

 

*Without filling in request forms.

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