- Don’t post any personal information online – your address, email or mobile number
- Think carefully before posting any pictures online, once they are posted a photo others can see it, share it and save it. When you post remember that the picture is no longer yours.
- Social media accounts have privacy settings, to keep yourself safe, these should be set at the highest setting.
- Do not share your password
- Only add people you know in person, avoid adding people suggested by friends.
- Sometimes, online meet ups are organised through game channels or group chats. To be safe, we would suggest you do not attend, however, if you really wish to go, inform an adult or parents where you are going or ask them to come along with you initially.
- Remember that not everyone online is who they say they are. Safety online is not just for children, its for adults too.
- Respect other people online, just because you say something online, doesn’t make it any less powerful.
- If you feel uncomfortable, unsafe or worried: leave the website, turn off your computer if you want to and tell a trusted adult immediately.
Parents
Children and young people go online to connect with friends, and make new ones, to browse the internet for information, chat with others and play games. It is common for children today to form ‘online friendships’, society has changed and it has become the new way to socialise. It is not always practical to stop children having access to information and sources online, however, we can manage how much time they spend online. As parents you can also monitor children’s online usage. One way to do this is to understand what children do online:
They may:
- search for content on search engines like Google
- create, share, comment on or ‘like’ images or videos through apps such as Musical.ly, Instagram and Snapchat
- keep up-to-date with friends and celebrities on social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter and Instagram
- live-stream videos through sites such as Facebook Live and Instagram Live
- communicate with others using voice and video chat, or instant messenger. This can take place on social networks, through messaging apps like Whatsapp and in some types of games
- play games through websites, apps or game consoles. They may also watch others playing games or stream their own game-play through sites such as Twitch and YouTube
When online, children and young people can learn new things, get help with homework, express themselves creatively and connect with friends and family.
There are also risks, but by understanding and talking about the dangers you can help keep your child safe online.
Dr Patricia Barber 