Online Safety Advice
Parent Zone
We are working closely with Parent Zone to promote on-line safety for all our students and their families. You can access their site here.
A Parent Zone Guide to...
Did you know that TikTok is currently the fastest-growing social media platform? As a result, many parents have questions around how it works and how to help their child use it safely. That’s why we’re hosting a live and interactive workshop to provide you with all the ‘need-to-knows.’, you will find more information here.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (or ‘PUBG’) is a popular battle royale-style game available for console and mobile devices. It’s compatible with almost all gaming platforms. PUBG regularly has millions of users, as it is both free-to-play and very accessible. The game features realistic and engaging battles with many other players. More information can be found below.
YouTube is the most popular video sharing service in the world, with 22 billion monthly visits. Alongside video uploads, users can live-stream, broadcasting directly to their audience.
To make an account and upload content, users must be 18+ (or 13+ with parental consent). However, you don’t need an account to watch content on the site.
The Parent Guide explores the risks children might encounter on the platform and the settings available to help them have safer experiences while they watch - it can be found below.
Find out about search engines and what you need to know about safer searching from Parent Zone here.
Sharing things is a key part of online life – and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Many young people use social media to express who they are, update what they are doing or post things they feel particularly proud of.
But some things are not suitable to be shared online, and in some cases, could even be dangerous.
This Parent Guide explores the risks around oversharing and what parents can do to help their child share more safely online.
WhatsApp is a free, instant messaging app that offers direct messaging, voice call, video call and group chats of up to 256 people. There is also a web version – WhatsApp Web – that you can use on a desktop or laptop.
While WhatsApp has an age rating of 16+, there is no strict age verification to prevent younger children from signing up.
So, are there any risks parents should be aware of, and what can they do to help their child be safer while using the app?
Think U Know
The parents and carers website has been recently updated and provides advice and guidance on a number of topics such as sharing images, social media, live streaming, gaming and more. You may find useful the following articles from ‘Thinkuknow’, which is an education programme from the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Command to help keep children safer online:
- A Parent's Guide to Privacy Settings
- Gaming: What Parents and Carers Need to Know
- What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?
#Ask The Awkward
CEOP have announced the recent launch of #AskTheAwkward, a brand new resource for parents and carers of secondary-aged children.
#AskTheAwkward aims to help parents and carers have regular conversations with their children about online relationships and more. The resource includes three short films created in a social experiment style, with real parents and their children to capture their reactions to a range of questions.
UK Safer Internet Centre
The UK Safer Internet Centre has produced guidance for parents and carers on looking after the digital wellbeing of children and young people, which you may find useful . The guidance includes having an awareness of how being online can make children and young people feel, and how they can look after themselves and others when online. The guidance includes: age specific information for 3-7 year olds, 7-11 year olds, 11-14 year olds and 14-18 year olds, about how children and young people are interacting with the internet; top tips to support young people at this age; and ideas to help start a conversation about digital wellbeing. The guidance can be accessed here.
Harmful Content
UK Safer Internet Centre has launched a new online reporting tool for abusive and harmful content, which you may find useful and want to share with children in your school/setting and their parents/carers. ‘Report harmful content online’ is a reporting and advice system for online issues relating to: bullying; harassment; impersonation; pornographic content; suicide; self-harm; threats; unwanted sexual advances; violent conduct.
To report harmful online content, please follow this link.
Reporting Racism Online
The Safer Internet Centre has useful information on how to report racism on line. You can find information here.
Other Advice for Parents and Carers to Keep their Children Safer Online
Is TikTok safe for children?
A recent report by Ofcom highlighted that just over half of all 3-17-year-olds are using TikTok. Over the last few months, you may have seen reports in the press about young people coming across inappropriate and harmful content on the platform. The NSPCC have put together a guide to help understand the risks, and give an overview of some of the safety settings that might help to keep children safer on the app. The guide that you may find useful can be accessed here.
IPAD Training
Family Fund are offering free iPad workshops. One of the workshops focuses on online safety. You can find out more here.