Online Safety Guides
As a school we have access to free onlne materials from National Online Safety to support parents, carers and staff with the children. There is a poster for each of the apps or advice mentioned below.
10 tips to keep your children safe online. The internet has transformed the ability to access content. Many apps that children use are dependent on user-generated content which can encourage freedom of expression, imagination and creativity. However, due to the sheer volume uploaded every day, it can be difficult for platforms to regulate and moderate everything, which means that disturbing or distressing images, videos or audio clips can slip through the net. That’s why we’ve created this guide to provide parents and carers with some useful tips on keeping children safe online. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as age inappropriate content, privacy issues and mental health.
A free online safety guide on Digital Lives. Most parents frequently chat with their child about how things are going at school or what’s happening in their friendship groups – but those discussions often doesn’t extend to youngsters’ online activities. In fact, National Online Safety conducted a recent survey which found that only slightly more than half (54%) of parents regularly talk to their children about staying safe online. it can be an awkward topic to broach and, of course, it needs not to feel intrusive. However, just checking in with your child about their digital life can get them thinking about online safety and alert you to any issues they might be having. In support of Safer Internet Day 2023, our #WakeUpWednesday guide has some useful tips on potential ways to start those conversations. In the guide you'll find a number of useful tips such as being as honest as possible, discussing how misleading the online world can be and creating a ‘family agreement’.
A free online safety guide on supporting children to express themselves safely online. The past year has left many children feeling uncertain and worried. So this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week has adopted the theme of ‘express yourself’. It’s not necessarily about being the best – but encouraging young people to relish the joy of being ‘in the moment’ and loving what they do. So whether they’re into music, art, photography, film, drama or dance, here are our top tips for helping your child to express themselves safely online. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of tips such as celebrating their identity, supporting their interests and enabling emotional expression.
How to sensitively address upsetting news content that children may have seen online.
Combatting online bullying. It highlights a number of tips such as playing online games with your child, talking about your child’s online life and being prepared to listen without showing any judgement or criticism.
Suggested safer apps and games for children. In an ever-evolving online world, sometimes it’s difficult to make sense of the huge selection of apps and games available to young minds. The choices are almost endless and it’s not always possible to know which apps are age-appropriate, which games are safe to play and just what content your child is being exposed to. That’s why we’ve created these three handy guides for parents and carers with suggested apps and games that children might enjoy using to learn and play. In these guides, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as age appropriate content and games, age ratings and more.
A free online safety guide on iPads. When Apple unveiled the iPad in early 2010, they almost single-handedly rewrote people’s idea of what of a portable computing device was capable of – and sparked a tablet revolution. There are several very respectable imitators on the market now, but the iPad remains the standard bearer for tablet computers and still routinely shifts upwards of 40 million units every year. Their immense popularity, of course, has made the iPad a familiar companion for children and young people: an auxiliary TV; an aid for schoolwork; and a blessing on long car journeys. That said, there are still some aspects of Apple’s flagship tablet that parents and carers should bear in mind to help protect their child from online risks – as our #WakeUpWednesday guide explains. This guide highlights possible hazards including the risk of age-inappropriate content, physical damage to the device and potential screen addiction. This is part of our Online Technology Category.
A free online safety guide on how to set up parental controls for iPhone apps. - Most smartphones allow parents and carers to choose which apps and features appear on their child’s device and which ones don’t – also preventing young people from buying and downloading anything that’s unsuitable for their age. Our #WakeUpWednesday guides to parental controls for managing apps on iPhones will help you to reduce the chance of your child using a game or app that might not be appropriate for their age. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of tips such as how to restrict built-in apps, the game centre and app store purchases.
A free online safety guide on how to set up parental controls for Android apps. Most smartphones allow parents and carers to choose which apps and features appear on their child’s device and which ones don’t – also preventing young people from buying and downloading anything that’s unsuitable for their age. Our #WakeUpWednesday guides to parental controls for managing apps on Androids will help you to reduce the chance of your child using a game or app that might not be appropriate for their age. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of tips such as how to block app downloads, how to stop auto-updates and how to restrict apps.
Social media and mental health. It highlights a number of tips such as how to hide content, setting daily limits and discussing what children have seen online.
WhatsApp is the most widely used messaging platform on the planet, with over two billion users (forecast to become three billion by 2025), across more than 180 countries. The majority of those people (70%) open the app at least once a day – but what exactly are they seeing? Contact from strangers, fake news and convincing scams are all among the service’s well-documented hazards. According to Ofcom, WhatsApp is used by more than half of 3- to 17-year-olds in the UK (including one in three from the 8–11 bracket), despite its 16+ age restriction. If your child hops onto WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends or family, our updated #WakeUpWednesday guide to the service contains the key details you’ll need to support them in doing it safely.
A free online safety guide on Netflix. Netflix is a subscription-based streaming service that allows users to watch TV shows and movies on any internet-enabled device that supports the software, such as smart TVs, phones and tablets. The pandemic saw a surge in children consuming on-demand content as many families relaxed their screen-time rules. Netflix’s diverse range of programming caters for all age groups – so it’s important for parents to recognise the potential risks of children using the service and the measures to help their child enjoy a safe streaming experience. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as screen addiction, inappropriate content and hacking attempts.
A free online safety guide on Minecraft. Minecraft is a beloved classic of modern gaming. First released in 2011, this open-ended ‘sandbox’ game of building and exploration still has over 140 million players who happily return to play it at least once every month. Minecraft has also been utilised for much more than just entertainment: it’s sometimes used in schools to teach children coding, and it's also employed as a tool for computer-aided design, which is another valuable skill. Encouraging creativity and problem solving, Minecraft has plenty to offer gamers of all ages, and it's available on almost all video game platforms. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as in-game purchases, addiction and chatting with strangers.
A free online safety guide on FIFA 23. - FIFA 23, like its many predecessors, is a massively popular football simulator featuring lifelike recreations of thousands of real-world players, drawn from teams around the globe. While the gameplay is subtly improved year on year, the publisher EA’s focus remains firmly on FIFA Ultimate Team – a mode in the game that can tempt players of all ages to spend actual money on recruiting better players for their side. With each new release of FIFA comes a host of new players to unlock – meaning that youngsters can feel pressured to keep buying to compete with their friends. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as age-inappropriate chat, scammers and addiction.
A free online safety guide on Omegle. Omegle is a website that pairs random strangers for live text or video chats. It ¬first launched in 2009 and its slogan is “Talk to strangers!” There is an option for adult (18+) content and a section for people aged 13+ with parental permission. Anyone can use the site. Users simply go to Omegle.com and then choose ‘Text’ or ‘Video’ chat and the page states how many users are currently online. Depending on the time of day this can be hundreds of thousands. Omegle markets itself as a great way to meet new friends however has been known to feature pornography and inappropriate content within chats, so it’s important parents are aware of the risks associated with the site. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as pornographic content, cyberbullying and the chats being unmoderated.
A free online safety guide on Discord. - Discord is a free app which allows users to communicate in real time via text, video or voice chat. Available on desktop and mobile devices, it was originally designed to help gamers cooperate – but has evolved into a more general networking platform for a range of online communities, discussing topics like TV series, music, Web3 and more. Discord is organised around closed groups, referred to as ‘servers’. To join a server, users must be invited or provided with a unique link. It’s a space for users to interact with friends, meet others with shared interests and collaborate in private online — but it’s also a place where young people can be exposed to risks if the right precautions aren’t taken. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as cyberbullying, predators and inappropriate content.
What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Snapchat- This free online safety guide focuses on Snapchat. It highlights a number of risks such as sexting, visible location and contact from strangers.
12 social media online safety tips for children with new devices. With Christmas only a few weeks away, many of you will be using social media to share your excitement with friends and family. The guide takes a look at a number of tips on social media such as don’t accept friend requests from strangers, block online bullies and to never share your personal information with people you don’t know.
YouTube. The guide highlights a number of risks such as connecting with strangers, inappropriate content and high visibility.
Roblox. The guide highlights a number of risks such as online daters, in-app purchases and contact with strangers.
TikTok guide highlights a number of risks such as age-inappropriate content, dangerous challenges and contact with strangers.
Group chats. Highlighting a number of risks such as bullying, inappropriate content and unknown members.
A free online safety guide on Instagram. Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over 1 billion users worldwide. The platform allows users to upload images and videos to their feed, create interactive ‘stories’, share live videos, exchange private messages or search, explore and follow other accounts they like – whilst at the same time continuously updating and adding new features to meet the needs of its users. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as addiction, unrealistic ideals and the influencer culture.
Fortnite Chapter 2, Fortnite Chapter 3 & Fortnite Battle Royale - First released in 2017, Fortnite has become one of the most popular games in the world. It currently has around 350 million registered players. Developed by Epic Games, it began life exclusively as a ‘battle royale’ contest, where up to 100 online player characters would fight – with weaponry including rifles, handguns and rocket launchers – to be the last one standing. Today, it features multiple modes which each offer something different (although some modes, such as ‘Save the World’, are only available on certain platforms). In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as scams, in-app purchases and user-controlled content.
Zoom. The guide takes a look at how to tackle a range of potential risks such as ‘Zoom bombing’, phishing and privacy concerns.
Houseparty. The guide takes a look at how to tackle a range of potential risks such as strangers joining your child’s call, cyberbullying and in-app purchases.