Here are the top tips for 2024 from our safety team.

General Guidelines for Online Safety

Earlier this summer, we interviewed Lara, Neil, and Michael from our internet safety speaker team. These are a few of the key points they highlighted. 

• Make sure to be present when young children are using social media or gaming online.
• Keep them in a supervised family area so you can observe their activities.
• Make use of content blocking and other parental control technologies,

Parental control technology can help monitor and restrict usage. Consider using child controls on your home router and BitDefender or Norton Premium on devices for around £75, $75, or €75 per year for up to 10 users. Many companies offer installation help.

Set Rules, Boundaries not guidelines

• Set clear rules regarding screen time and internet usage.
• Use timers (even egg timers) and control how long they can be online,
• Set specific times like no internet before bedtime to avoid sleep disruption.
• No Phones in the bedroom

Rules not guidelines. For example, extra treat time online or on a device gaming, social media is a privilege, not a right

Use Kid-Friendly Content:

Always make sure app stores and websites for their user reviews and ratings. Check for feedback about age-appropriate content. Most apps and websites have age ratings provided by developers or third-party organisations. These ratings can give you a general idea of the suitable age group for the content. Spend a little time on the app or website yourself to understand the content and suitability, double check for any content likely to upset your kids.

PEGI.org

Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system was established to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games

The above link to Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III from Activision Blizzard UK Ltd is very clear about the game.

'There is a scene in which multiple innocent characters are executed in a stadium, and it is possible for defenceless prisoners in a jail to be shot. The 'zombie mode' includes copious dismemberment and decapitation with large amounts of blood. The dialogue includes occasional use of strong language ('fuck').

Other issues This game offers players the opportunity to purchase in-game items, in the form of an in-game currency ('Cod Points'), which can then be exchanged for in-game items, which some parents or carers may want to be aware of. Parents, carers or other responsible adults should check to see what is being offered before making any purchase on behalf of a child. It should be noted that the game can still be played without the need to purchase such items.

So that's nice and clear. a warning that the game is gory, violent and uses in-game purchasing. Always switch off In-app purchasing.

Stranger danger is one of the first principles of the internet. Let's not share personal details with anyone they don’t know (link to 5 things)

Safe Browsing:

As your children grow up, educate them on safe websites and potential online threats. Show them the importance of not clicking on unknown links or sharing their passwords.

Engage in Online Activities Together:

Spend time using the internet with your child. This helps you understand what they are doing but also allows you to teach them about safe practices in real time.

Monitor Behavior Changes:

Be attentive to changes in your child’s behaviour that indicate they are experiencing issues online, such as becoming withdrawn or secretive. Address any concerns promptly. By implementing these strategies, parents can significantly enhance their children’s online safety and help them navigate the digital world more securely.

Building a better digital world

• Protecting Children's Privacy
• Personal Information
• Their E Footprint
• Social Media & Gaming
• Fake News & Spoofing
• Cyberbullying
• Junior Sexting 

Establish clear rules and boundaries for their children's online activity. Make extra time a privilege, not a right.

• Limiting screen time, 
• Monitoring their online activity, 
• Ask permission before downloading new apps or accessing new websites.

Makre sure as a parents kids know how to report any issues or concerns they may have while using the internet, such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, or suspicious behaviour from strangers online.

5 things kids must protect forever

• Name
• Age Date of Birth
• Address
• Phone
• Email 

All about common sense!

It's not just names, schools, home addresses, nicknames, friends' names, city or town, or phone numbers. It is everything, even your dog's name.

In 2021 we heard of this clever entrapment from the Police in West Hampstead about a 9-year-old girl.

They tricked her into giving a stranger her dog's name, 'Snowy', which she thought was harmless. A year later, he re-approached her online (through Instagram) and asked her how her dog 'Snowy' was. She dropped her guard and agreed to meet him a few days later, mistaking him for some long-lost relative or old family friend. 

First, this conversation ought to have never taken place. Second, it shows how clever people can be when entrapping children online. Email us for School Booking