Biometrics in school

Concerned parent/campaigner of the 'Biometrics in Schools' blog when my young children’s biometrics were nearly taken at school in 2005 without my consent.

[Camus @newstart_2024]

This important update on the new UK guidance for under-5s screen time came from @BBCNews.

Full segment here: https://t.co/00ZKhbF9sv

[Camus @newstart_2024]

New UK screen time rules just dropped — and they’re stricter than most parents expected.

From 27 March 2026, England says: zero solo screens for under-2s (except quick video calls with family), and max one hour a day for 2–5 year olds — no screens at meals or the hour before bed. Co-view everything, stick to slow-paced content, and ditch fast social-media clips and AI toys completely.

The science is sobering: toddlers’ brains process info up to 10 times slower than adults. Fast-paced screens push them into fight-or-flight mode — racing heart, surging energy — while they’re sitting still. Researchers at the University of East London say this mismatch can wire kids for more tantrums and emotional struggles later. Using screens to calm meltdowns? It often backfires long-term.

As a parent, it’s brutal — we all know that explosion the second you take the tablet away.

But this feels like evidence finally catching up with what our gut has been telling us.

How are you handling screens with little ones — strict limits, co-viewing, or mostly winging it?

[Alex & Books 📚 @AlexAndBooks_]

In 2016 Norway gave every 5-year-old child an iPad.

Within a few years, Norway's reading scores plummeted and dropped below the OECD average.

They ranked dead last out of 65 countries.

Now Norway is spending millions of dollars to reverse this trend and get people reading.

[BBC News (World) @BBCWorld]

Back to books - Sweden's schools give up digital learning https://t.co/rnb51C6dQ0

[Biometrics in school @Pippa_King]

@Miss_Snuffy Scotland next 🤞https://t.co/lKYcaCxdYu

[The Register @TheRegister]

UK Home Office dangles £1.3M prize for algorithm that guesses your age https://t.co/6hfiKKxuWx

[Defend Digital Me @defenddigitalme]

It’s back-to-school — and the Department is still stalling. There is no exemption that applies to ‘wait for a Ministerial decision’ — we generously waited an extra 20 days permitted for a public interest test. The DfE is now in breach of its FOI obligation https://t.co/XPXS0TB7kR

[Biometrics in school @Pippa_King]

@mcclure_colette @Togetherdec @thecoastguy Parents and the child can opt to use an alternative, they have a right to use an alternative and the school must provide another means of ID under the Protection of Freedoms Act https://t.co/1q0LVcSyn0 - which school is it?

[𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗🐦‍🔥𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍 @XPHOENIXDRAGON]

Anti-skynet clothing beats face recognition and becomes “must have” as people prepare for the worst…

[Biometrics in school @Pippa_King]

@stuart_o15145 @ForeverScept @grok @grok is wrong. See company in U.K. https://t.co/bWoExNDZBH 24/7 recording audio and visual. Been in U.K. schools for 7 years.

[UKAuthority @UKAuthority]

Francesca Whitelaw KC has been appointed as the interim UK biometrics commissioner.
https://t.co/38dxyE2aPJ #ukgovernment #biometrics

[Biometrics in school @Pippa_King]

@LXIPOP @WarriorSpeech28 The school also has to legally give your son an alternative which is great - but why would a school have to legally run two systems, biometric and non biometric, side by side - can’t be cheap and must be more time consuming 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️ https://t.co/sSE33oX9dQ

[Biometrics in school @Pippa_King]

@LXIPOP @WarriorSpeech28 No worries at all, completely understand. Happy if you feel you could DM it but also understand if not 😊🙏

[Biometrics in school @Pippa_King]

@LXIPOP @WarriorSpeech28 Hi, I’ve been campaigning to get biometrics out of U.K. schools for 20 yes. Which school is using iris scans? I wasn’t aware iris scanning was in U.K. schools. And good that you said No, ultimately kids can say no as the end decision lies with them, even if the parents said yes

[LX 💥 @LPXIOP]

Heads up for anyone with children starting secondary school in September

ALL our local schools are now using biometrics for lunch payments - My son is the ONLY child in class to not give his fingerprint / iris over

Check the small print - Protect their privacy - Do not consent.

[Defend Digital Me @defenddigitalme]

“Learning about learners: Protecting Children's #Data”. A @privacyint podcast and interview with @TheABB (June 2025)

What’s in your National Pupil Record, current issues in UK pupil data, #EdTech, #AI, what futures are possible and how, and why it matters https://t.co/UMcpo3NCdF

[Jen Persson🌻 @TheABB]

Today’s #DUABill Committee Stage discussion of abuse of personal data seems self evident as right to prevent content creation, not only distribution, for CSAM or coercive control—but I wonder if this is the place for it, given DP law is exempt for personal / household activity?

[Defend Digital Me @defenddigitalme]

It's our annual #HappyAdvent National Pupil Database countdown calendar!

Even more MPs than ever, aged under 50 in the @HouseofCommons, are now in the data too—including half the Cabinet Ministers—but do they know where their data go? 1/26

What's the NPD https://t.co/kAIkqywAAu

[Big Brother Watch @BigBrotherWatch]

🚨We've uncovered a £20,000,000 tender for facial recognition expansion across the UK

@DianaJohnsonMP is promising to investigate this mass surveillance tech, yet tens of millions of taxpayers' cash is being allocated on expanding it.

#StopFacialRecognition