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25/05/2022 Toddlers and screen time
A free online safety guide on toddlers and screen time.
The toddler years are full of excitement, exploration and energy. It’s a critical time in children’s development, when brain connections are rapidly forming. Youngsters often begin to discover devices around this age, as they learn to communicate with friends, play games and watch videos (Ofcom recently found, for example, that one in five 3–4-year-olds in the UK uses social media). These activities can make a child happy and relaxed but have a damaging impact if overused. Setting screen time limits for toddlers can be a challenge, so we’ve pulled together some suggestions for making sure your little one is interacting with the online world in a safe, healthy way.
In the guide, you'll find tips such as setting parental controls, removing devices at certain times and using screentime as a reward.
29/03/2022 WhatsApp
A free online safety guide on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging service, with around two billion users exchanging texts, photos, videos and documents, as well as making voice and video calls. Its end-to-end encryption means messages can only be viewed by the sender and any recipients: not even WhatsApp can read them. Updates to its privacy policy in 2021 (involving sharing data with parent company Facebook) caused millions to leave the app, but the new policy was widely misinterpreted – it only related to WhatsApp’s business features, not to personal messages. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as scams, strangers and location sharing.
26/01/2022 Youtube
A free online safety guide on YouTube.
YouTube is a video-sharing social media platform that allows billions of people around the world to watch, share and upload their own videos with a vast range of content – including sport, entertainment, education and lots more. It’s a superb space for people to consume content that they’re interested in. As a result, this astronomically popular platform has had a huge social impact: influencing online culture on a global scale and creating new celebrities.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as connecting with strangers, inappropriate content and high visibility.
17/01/2022 Fortnite Chapter 3
A free online safety guide on Fortnite Chapter 3.
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.
15/12/2021 Make the most of the online world this Christmas
A free online safety guide on making the most of the online world this Christmas.
When parents and carers finally have the chance to spend some quality time with their child over Christmas, many face a familiar struggle to prise their young one’s attention away from their phone, console, tablet or computer. Fun family bonding over the festive period, however, doesn’t have to exclude devices. There are sackfuls of Christmas activities and ideas online which grown-ups and children can enjoy together. We’ve compiled our own ‘nice list’ of seasonal suggestions of how to make the most of the online world this Christmas.
In the guide, you'll find tips such as video calling family members, playing video games as a family and listening to your favourite seasonal songs online.
10/12/2021 Connecting at Christmas
Let's connect this Christmas some way. A song from the people at National Online Safety.
01/12/2021 What parents and carers need to know about age inappropriate content
“Inappropriate” means different things to different people. What’s acceptable for one age group, for example, may be unsuitable for a slightly younger audience. Online, young people can chance upon inappropriate content in various way – from pop-up ads to TikTok videos. The increasingly young age at which children become active in the digital world heightens the risk of them innocently running into something that they find upsetting or frightening. Trusted adults need to be able to help children be aware of what to do if they’re exposed to age-inappropriate content.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as social media, gaming and adverts.
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26/11/2021 What parents and carers need to know about Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency is software enabling the exchange and storage of digital ‘coins’ representing financial value. To monitor who owns which coins, platforms save an online record of every transaction, called a ‘ledger’ or ‘blockchain’. This is secured by cryptography: a set of methods for protecting sensitive information. Bitcoin, released in 2009, was the first cryptocurrency; other platforms have since launched such as Ethereum, Tezos and Filecoin. As cryptocurrency becomes a more established part of digital life, young people are bound to encounter it – so it’s vital that trusted adults understand its risks, and how it can be explored and used safely.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as complex technology, scams and risky investments.
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17/11/2021 10 ways you can show kindness online
Sadly, the expansion of internet-enabled technology means that bullying is no longer confined to its historical orbit of the school day. Victims can now be harassed through their phone, laptop, console or tablet at any time of day … or night. When this happens, the attacks can feel impossible to escape from – exacting an amplified toll on the target’s mental health.
The positive flip side of this, however, is that it’s equally easy online to reach people with messages of encouragement and support – whether they’re particularly in need or you simply want to spread some feel-good vibes. This #WakeUpWednesday, our guide brings you some easy ideas for brightening someone’s day the next time you’re online.
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10/11/2021 What parents and carers need to know about 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.
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10/10/2021 What parents and carers need to know about social bots
Around one in every three people has been fooled (even if only briefly) into thinking a social media bot was a real person. Evidence suggests that bots are increasingly being used on social platforms to artificially amplify the popularity of a person or movement, to influence political outcomes and as accessories in phishing scams – so their ability to deceive us is becoming more of a concern.
Twisting public debate, disrupting online courtesy and – in some cases – jeopardising human wellbeing are among the more worrying threats that bots can pose. In our #WakeUpWednesday guide this week, you’ll find useful tips on how to identify bots on social media – including giveaways like odd usernames, unusual patterns of posting and dubious profile pictures.
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