Useful Links

If you are concerned about an app that your child might be using, visit the website below for tips and safety ratings:

https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/?page=3

Parents Guide to Cyber Security - Click Here

Pokemon Go Parents Guide - Click Here

Removing a nude image shared online - Click Here

Online Safety Tips for Parents: The leaflet has useful tips for parent to ensure that their children have a positive experience online. It includes advice on having an open and ongoing conversation, agree rules, and leading by example.

Download your copy for free Parents Online Safety Checklist - Click Here

Online Safety at Home Packs - Click Here

Parents Guide to a Better Internet: This booklet will help parents to help their children have a positive experience when they are online. It provides information, advice and conversation starters about the benefits and risks they need to be aware of when using the internet. Topics explored in the guide include cyberbullying, screen time, sexting, social media and online pornography. 

Download your copy for free Parents Guide to a Better Internet. - Click Here

Family e-Safety Kit: Aimed at six to twelve year old's, The Family e-Safety Kit, was created to help parents share the benefits and risks of surfing the web in a fun and engaging way. 

Download Family e-Safety Kit Parental Guide - Click Here

Play and Learn: Being Online: Intended for 4- to 8-year-olds, this book gives a glimpse of the impact of modern technology on everyday life, through 30 pages of fun and games. Above all it offers an opportunity for parents and teachers to sit together with their children and discuss these important issues.

Download Play and Learn: Being Online - Click Here

Checklist: How to deal with cyberbullying: Help your child take control by not putting up with offensive content and by reporting it when you come across it. Here are some ways you can respond to unwanted messages.

Download How to deal with cyberbullying - Click Here 

Checklist: How to manage your online reputation: Help your child make the most of their time online with this useful checklist for managing their digital footprint.

Download the How to manage your online reputation Checklist - Click Here

New Guidance - Sharing Nudes and Semi-Nudes

Previously called 'Sexting in Schools and Colleges', the UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS) have released brand new non-statutory guidance to respond to incidents involving the sharing of nudes and semi-nudes.

It is in 2 parts: the first part is a one-page overview which would be good to share will all staff as a training update. The second part is in depth, specifically for DSL's and SLT's going into a number of areas such as risk-assessing, handling devices, recording etc.

LInk HERE

LGfL Undressed Campaign

With 1 in 10 primary aged children asked to change or undress when using streaming apps (survey HERE) it is important we educate children both at home and at school, which is why London Grid for Learning have created this campaign. With guides, posters and a video this is a timely and vitally important resources to share.

Link HERE.

TikTok Strengthening Privacy

On 13th Jan TikTok announced they would be making additional improvements to the app, specifically for younger users. All users who have registered as aged between 13-15 will now have their accounts set to 'private' by default, allowing children to make an informed choice about who they are sharing with. This is a good decision by TikTok, but fundamentally relies on the user indicating their correct date of birth at sign-up. As we all know, there are many users below the age of 13 that are using TikTok and all of these will have had to lie about their age in order to create an account, so whilst it is a step in the right direction, and certainly better than all the other popular apps out there, it still isn't enough.

I have included a link below to more information and it might be useful to share this with parents.

Link HERE

Inclusive Digital Safety

I have shared this before, but just in case you missed it, and specifically for new subscribers, the Inclusive Digital Safety resource is for teachers and parents of children and young people with SEND, who are care-experienced or LGBTQ+. This is a brand new hub full of superb advice and guidance.

Link HERE

CSA Online Soars to Record Levels

The Internet Watch Foundation continue to report worrying rises in activity, calling these 'record-breaking'.

As the coronavirus has forced many to be at home, offenders are spending more time online and have more opportunities to contact children. As an overview:

In 2020, IWF analysts processed 299,600 reports, a 15% increase over 2019.

Of these, 153,350 were confirmed as containing images/videos of CSA, a 16% increase over 2019.

Of these, 68,000 reports were tagged as self-generated, a 77% increase on 2019. This is really concerning and it's vital we keep chipping away at this using discussions and resources such as the LGfL Undressed campaign (above) or other free resources such as Project Evolve or ThinkUKnow.

For more information see the IWF web page HERE.

New Report - Refuge and Risk

This is a brand new, really interesting report from Adrienne Katz and Aiman El Asam, brought to you by Internet Matters. Refuge and Risk explores how UK children, with some form of vulnerability, show how the online world has become their lifeline yet at the same time some are up to 7 times more likely to experience risk compared to their non-vulnerable peers, for example those with 3 or more vulnerabilities are:

Four times more likely to experience some form of cyber aggression (e.g. online bullying, racist/homophobic comments) - 40%

Three times more likely to be scammed online - 14%

Three times more likely to see harmful content, e.g. self-harm content - 40%

Link to the web page and report HERE