Online safety
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STAYING SAFE
We have become significantly dependent on and accustomed to the digital services and devices we use for being online. Online safety plays a vital role in the proper use of these tools. Find out more here.
Report Harmful Content have studied the community guidelines of several different platforms and found that these types of harm are most likely to violate terms. You can find out more about these here, as well as get further specialist advice and support with reporting the harms, if necessary.
Links to further information and advice including access to resources, tips on reporting, responding to societal issues, guidance for law enforcement, and signposting to other support services.
Seven million of us in the UK, are registered with an online dating service, right now. It could be a really exciting opportunity to meet someone who you connect with - but you still need to look after yourself and take steps to ensure your safety.
‘Sexting’ refers to exchanging sexual messages, while ‘sending nudes’ means sending sexual images of yourself to someone else. Learn about the risks of sexting and sending nudes, and how to stay safe.
If you have already or want to make friends online, make sure you are doing so safely - you can’t always trust someone you have met online.
Find out how to stay safe when you are making friends or getting into relationships online.
However it happens, and whatever form it takes, bullying is horrible and unfortunately, the internet and mobile phones provide bullies with a variety of opportunities to get their kicks. Find out more here.
Online banking, also known as internet banking, has become increasingly popular over the past decade. It’s a great way to take control of your finances and an easy way to make sure you’re keeping up to date with payments. But how does it work and is it safe?
If you’re worried someone close is expressing extreme views or hatred, which could lead to them harming themselves or others, act early and tell the police your concerns in confidence. You won’t be wasting their time and you won’t ruin lives, but you might save them.
CHILDREN AND ONLINE SAFETY
If you need urgent help, call 999.
The NSPCC has a wide range of information available for parents and carers of children regarding keeping children safe online. We all have a part to play in keeping children safe online. Find out how with these online safety guides.
Childnet works directly with children and young people from the ages of 3-18, as well as parents, carers, teachers and professionals, finding out about their real experiences online and the positive things they are doing. Working directly with these audiences is important in helping to equip them to stay safe online and informs the resources that they develop for them.
It’s not always easy to know what’s safe online and what’s not. Childline's advice can help you to keep safe and to know what to do when things go wrong.
Whether you play games online, by yourself or on your mobile, Childline have advice to keep you safe.
Grooming is when someone builds an online relationship with a young person and tricks them or pressures them into doing something sexual. Childline have information to tell you what you need to know to keep you and others safe from online grooming.
If you are worried about the radicalisation of a child, you can go to this page from the NSPCC for help.
REPORTING
If you need urgent help, call 999.
If you stumble across child sexual abuse online, report it here. These images and videos are very upsetting, but if you stumble across it, report it. It is quick, easy, and anonymous - it can lead to the removal of criminal content and even the rescue of a child from further abuse.
If you are under 18 years old and a nude image or video of you has been shared online, Childline can help you to remove it. Though nude imagery of under 18s is illegal, don’t worry about making a disclosure - the police and Childline are here to protect you, not get you in trouble.
If you are aged 18 or older and have been a victim of ‘revenge porn’, i.e. if someone has shared private and/or explicit images of you without your consent, you can report this and you can get help. You can report online or call 0345 6000 459.
If you've experienced or witnessed harm online, Report Harmful Content can help you to report harmful content online by providing up-to-date information on community standards and direct links to the correct reporting facilities across multiple platforms.
If you need to report fraud, please follow this link to report it to the police.