Digital Discussion

           What are your questions? Find out our             Digital Leaders' Answers below...

If you have a question fill out a form below. We will answer your questions ASAP. There are also answers to other people's questions at the bottom of the page that you might find helpful. 

Children's Form

Parent Form

If you have a worry, question or concern you don't want to tell a Digital Leader here are some other useful numbers and links that will help you as well:

ChildLine - 0800 1111 or https://www.childline.org.uk/ 

Young Minds - https://www.youngminds.org.uk/ and click on find help.

Samaritans - https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/  which can also be used for adults.

                   Answers to Children's questions.

Someone on our group chat is being rude on iMessage. How do I delete them from our group?

Tap the group message that has the contact you want to remove. Tap the group icons at the top of the thread. Tap the grey arrow icon to the right of the contacts, then swipe left over the name of the person you want to remove. Tap Remove, then tap Done. 

What age do you recommend a child should have a phone?

Everyone is different. You may have an old phone with no Sim card to play games on or your parents may chose to say that you can't have a phone until you move to secondary school. However, there is no rush to get a phone and remember many of the apps that sound exciting can also have age restrictions, which are really important to stick to to help keep you safe from unwanted messages and images that could be really upsetting. The best thing to do is have a conversation with your parents and talk about why you might need a phone. You might realise that you don't actually need one after all!

What is Pinterest?

What age should you able to have WhatsApp and Snapchat?

WhatsApp - WhatsApp is a hugely popular mobile and desktop app. The WhatsApp age limit is 16 for users based in Europe. WhatsApp’s new age limit has been chosen in response to the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into effect from the 25th May 2018 and will only apply in the European region, and not elsewhere (e.g. the USA). 

Snapchat - the age minimum is 13 however you have to add your birthday. Your photos are not displayed permanently and they cannot be monitored but this doesn't stop people copying them. 

More information - Nearly all other social media services require users to be at least 13 years of age to access and use their services. This includes Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok and Skype. 

Whilst there is no age restriction for watching videos on YouTube, users need to be 13 or older to have their own YouTube account (enabling them to subscribe to other channels, like videos, post comments, share their own content and flag inappropriate content). 

How do I report someone in Roblox?

First, when you are on the game where someone has been mean to you, click on the button in the corner that you use to leave the game. The top options  should be leave, reset (e.t.c.). Underneath that the options are players, settings, report and help (there may be a record option as well). Next, click on the report option and you can then choose which player on the server that was mean to you, how they were mean to you and then there is a text box for you to explain what happened. Once you have submitted that, Roblox will check the chat to double check what you said was correct and then it will be dealt with.

How old do you have to be to play roblox? 

According to the roblox site, some content is generally suitable for all ages. They do separate games into four age categories: All, 9+, 13+ and 17+. Some games may contain infrequent mild  violence and/ or light unrealistic blood. Some games on roblox are for all ages.

I'm having trouble with a scammer in Roblox, it happened once, so you would've thought I've learnt my lesson, but now it keeps on going! What should I do to get myself disassociated with scammers? 

It's really tricky to become completely disassociated with scammers as they take so many forms and so many are automated bots. But Roblox update their advice centre regularly and always suggest that you block and report scammers as soon as they happen to help prevent them doing it again to others. Here's a link to their help site https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/203312390-Player-Trading-Scams 

What would you do if somebody is hacking in to your personal details?

Tell a trusted adult instantly and make sure you stop the hacker by blocking or reporting them on the website they found out your details.

What would you do if you accidentally told someone where you live who is a cyber bully?

You should immediately tell a trusted adult so they can help you by blocking them and reporting them and contacting some who can stop the cyber bully before it gets out of hand. 

How much 'fake news' is on the internet?

An offcom report in 2017 found that almost 2 in 5 young people have seen fake news online! It is likely that this number is even higher now.  

                   Answers to Parents questions.

 How do I check if apps are safe for my children to use?

There are lots of ways to find out this information but here I will tell you a few different ways. First if you type the app you are concerned about in to the search bar at the top of https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews (common sense media - this can be used for films as well). If you click on the app you are confused about it has the age rating according to children and adults. The other way is to check the rating on the app store like Google Play or the App Store. These are not always that accurate to double check with Common Sense Media or Internet Matters https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/apps-guide/ 

What do you recommend as a messaging app for students as they go up to senior schools and have smart phones. Many of our children are already using WhatsApp but it is 16+. What do you suggest?

Messaging apps are a great way for your child and their friends and family to keep in contact. There are a range of 'child friendly' messaging apps that are available to download and use. As with any apps your child would like to download it is a good idea to research it and set it up together to ensure you are comfortable with the settings that are applied from a parental perspective. 

The top messaging apps that are reviewed and well known are:

Kinzoo 6+

Just Talk Kids (6-12) 

Messenger Kids (6-12) by Facebook

Apps allow for parents to have visibility of messages and settings can be edited to suit.  

If you do allow your child access to apps like WhatsApp and other chat platforms the NSPCC has some excellent safety information for parents when considering which apps to use and how to set them up https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/social-media/chat-apps/ 

I have heard mix views on the safety of Pinterest - is it the same as other social media sites in terms of safety and control of content? 

Pinterest is a social media image sharing site.  It is not as widely used amongst teens and children as it allows for a collection of images based on interests that have been searched for and collated by the user. If your child is using Pinterest it should be noted that bulletin boards or collections are based on previous searches, so your child should be supervised when looking for material such as ideas for bedroom decor or birthday ideas. Like other social media apps there is an minimum age restriction of 13+ and settings such as: preferences, permissions and notifications can be managed on initial set up. 

More information can be found at Internet Matters - Pinterest 

Is there a social media platform suitable for children under 13?

There are now many different social media platforms being released which are suitable for a younger audience, to help educate everyone in the safe and positive use of social media. We've put together a list to help. At the time of writing the ages listed were correct and functionality of the sites were researched to give the pros and cons. As with any social media it is important that parents check the settings and keep up to date with any updates and changes to the app or site.

Pop Jam - This app is aimed at 7-13 year olds and is basically an Instagram for kids. It encourages creativity and has thorough moderation. This doesn't mean that your child is 100% safe from language and other forms of unkind behaviour, but it is important to learn how to block and report any content as Pop Jam is good at moderating and taking action quickly! Kids can only access the site from 6am-11pm, there are no in app purchases or live streaming and there is a designated parent portal to help support kids and their parents! https://parentzone.org.uk/article/popjam 

Kinzoo Messenger - This is a great app for families to introduce their children to messenger apps without the worry. Everything is approved by parents, including contacts, so children can happily video call, edit photos and share messages with family and friends. There are certain in app purchases for features like upgraded stickers and games, but lots of the same great content is free within the app. https://kinzoo.com/ 

Play Kids Talk - This app is a well-recognised platform aimed at enabling chat and messaging for pre-13's. Parents have complete control and can authorise microphone and video use as well as keep an eye on anything that is shared in real time. https://appadvice.com/app/playkids-talk-free-kids-safe/1020028752 

GoBubble - GoBubble puts schools at the centre, allowing children to chat, collaborate on school projects, learn about new cultures, develop pen pals, teach children about safe social media use, and send parents messages.

The key difference with GoBubble compared to other sites is that schools sign up pupils, with parental approval, rather than the children signing up for themselves.

Safety features