Safer Internet Day February 7th 2017

https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/2017

Children and young people use the internet for a number of reasons and many are oblivious to the risks and dangers that can be involved. According to the NSPCC 1 in 3 children have been a victim of cyber bullying and around 1 in 7 young people have taken a nude picture of themselves online.

In today’s society, the internet is the most common source for communication and research. It is something that is regularly relied upon and used on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, using the internet is becoming second nature to children and young people. The internet opens up a whole world of exciting possibilities but how do parents and carer’s keep track of what their children are doing and ensure their safety?

Parental controls are an essential aspect of the internet and it could be the vital component to protecting children from any risks or harm online. These parental controls can be used to block any harmful content, control purchases and manage how long your child spends online.

The NSPCC has joined up with O2 to guide parents and carers on how to help keep children safe online. The partnership is to encourage parents to talk with their children about the internet and what is suitable and not suitable to search for and post. The O2 and NSPCC advocate a four-step approach to manage family online activity.

Explore what your children are doing online,

Talk to them about it,

Manage the technology and finally

Agree family boundaries.

This will help parents become more aware of any dangers and what they can do to help keep their children safe online.

The online world can be daunting and over-whelming for parents and carers, especially for those who are not confident online. It is important to talk to the children and encourage them to be open and honest about their online activity and make them aware of what safety measure they should take.

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/parental-controls/