Keeping Children Safer Online

What is e-Safety? e-Safety = keeping our children safe online e-Safety = not about restricting and blocking but helping children understand the risks as well as the benefits so they can feel confident and happy online e-Safety = adults being educated how to help children online without being fearful of the technology

“There are three ways to get something done; do it yourself, hire someone or forbid your kids to do it” Mona Crane

How do we use the internet? What are the benefits? What are the risks? Content Contact Conduct Global content and information Education and learning Fun! Communication tools Friendships and Community Accessible to all

What are the risks online? CommercialAggressiveSexualValues Content Child as recipient Adverts Spam Personal info Violent content Hateful Content Pornographic content Unwelcome sexual comments Bias Racist Misleading info/advice Contact Child as participant Tracking Harvesting personal info Being bullied, harassed or stalked Meeting strangers Grooming Self-harm Unwelcome persuasions Conduct Child as actor Illegal downloading Hacking Gambling Scams Terrorism Bullying or harassing others Creating and uploading inappropriate content Providing misleading info and advice Table developed by EUKids online project referenced in paragraph 1.3 of the Byron Review

CEOP The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) is a UK based Police Force Agency, which was set up in April 2006 to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation on and off line CEOP’s Report Abuse button is a way of reporting an online concern to the Police at CEOP and has received over 50,000 reports CEOP works as part of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) to safeguard children globally

Using the Report Abuse Button:

Have you heard of any of these...?

Social Networking Forty-three per cent of 5-15s have a social networking profile –22% of 8-11s –80% of 12-15s (Ofcom, 2012) 25% of children aged have “public” accounts online (Ofcom, 2012) It’s essential for parents to understand how to use them safely as banning them doesn’t always work! –Ask your child to show you how sites work –Explore privacy settings –Discuss being a good online friend –Talk about posting personal information –Know how to block and report

Cyberbullying What is Cyberbullying? “Cyberbullying" is the use of technologyparticularly mobile phones, games consoles and the internet, to deliberately upset, humiliate, embarrass, threaten or intimidate someone.” Advice for Parents/Carers Be careful about denying access to technology if your child is a victim Be aware your child is as likely to be a cyberbully as they are a victim as many children do not realise the impact it can have Encourage your child to save evidence and not retaliate or respond Report the cyberbullying: - Service provider - School - Police

What’s the biggest risk… …that’ll you only think of the risks and forget the benefits!

“ Everything that's already in the world when you're born is just normal… Anything that gets invented between then and before you turn thirty is incredibly exciting and creative and with any luck you can make a career out of it… Anything that gets invented after you're thirty is against the natural order of things and the beginning of the end of civilization as we know it until it's been around for about ten years when it gradually turns out to be alright really” Douglas Adams

Follow the Golden Rules Ground Rules –Establish how the internet will be used in your house as a family – have rules about safe and appropriate online behaviour Online Safety –E.g. Antivirus software, filtering, firewalls and secure your internet connections –Use Parental Control functions for mobile phones, internet and games consoles but remember they aren’t 100% effective Location –Locate the computer/laptop in a Family room –Don’t allow webcams to be used unless supervised –Consider other devices in your home such as Mobile Phones and Games Consoles Dialogue –Talk to your child and share their internet experiences with them –Ask them to show you how they use technology and learn from them –Be aware of online risks your child might face – visit to find out morewww.thinkuknow.co.uk –If your child reports a problem make sure you support them, report it and seek advice

Always Consider Do you know? –How these sites or technologies work? –What are the age recommendations? –Is there a section for parents/carers? –How do you report a problem? –Can it be made private? –Are there parental controls?

Parental Controls Can help: Block sites that are not age appropriate limit inappropriate and illegal material Set timings – automatic switch off at bedtime Monitor activity Apply them to laptops, computers, mobile phones and games consoles No filtering or control is 100% so education around safe use and appropriate supervision is key For information and guides on popular devices & tools provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP)

Is my child to young for Facebook? The age limit for Facebook (along with many other websites) is 13. This is due to Privacy laws in the USA and is not related to the suitability of the website. It can be difficult to stop a child from registering and parents can be concerned that children might set up a profile behind their back. Parents should be involved in their child’s life online, and it is better that they use a site safely with parental involvement, than hide their online behaviour. If you do allow your child to use Facebook then consider the following: Help set up their profile safely Add your as the main contact (if possible) Set the privacy settings to “friends” only and ensure they are children you know Discuss the possible risks and boundaries Who are the allowed to have as friends, what games and apps can they us and what information should and shouldn’t they share? Discuss safe and appropriate behavior and what to do if something happens which makes them feel worried ‘Like’ the Click CEOP page: Check in with your child often about how they are using the site Keep updated – websites change so it’s essential to keep up to date Adapted from:

Where to go for more help? Contact: –Your Child’s School or Pre-School/Early Years Setting– Speak to the e-Safety Coordinator, Safeguarding Lead, teacher or the Headteacher/Manager –Kent Police – if you are concerned that a crime has been committed –CEOP – if you are concerned about online sexual behaviour –The Internet Watch Foundation to report content you think is illegalwww.iwf.org.uk –Other parents – do they know how to set up controls etc? –Look at useful websites e.g. and –The service provider e.g. Websites (many have advice for parents), Gaming Site, Mobile Phone Provider, Internet Service Provider

Digital Parenting from Vodafone

Summary Get involved and learn about technology together with your child Use safety tools and parental controls to help keep children safe but don’t rely on them 100% Have family rules and boundaries for safer internet use in your home Use support from your school or pre-school setting, visit useful websites and talk to other parents Visit: – – –