In today’s world the internet is an incredible aspect to every day life for children and young people. It allows them to play, learn, create and connect with their friends or people across the world. It opens up endless possibilities, but due to the countless changes happening all the time, how can you keep your child safe?

According to the NSPCC, one in five 8 to 11 year olds and seven in ten 12 to 15 year olds have a social media profile. By having their own profile it can build their independence and give young people privacy to speak to their friends and family. However, if your child has their own account, it is important for you to know what information they are displaying and whether or not it is age suitable.

Children should understand the risks online to ensure they keep safe and know what safety measures to comply with.

Profiles and accounts are required for most online games or social media platforms. Initial steps would be finding a profile picture, creating a memorable password and thinking of a username. All of which the parent or carer could either help the child with.

A key detail in setting up child’s accounts would be the email address it is linked to. By having a family email address, it can be a great way to keep track of what websites each family member has an account on. This way you can keep an eye on the activity and any notifications.

Choosing a user name;
Don’t use full names.
Avoid using first names.

Creating a password;
Make sure the password is a minimum of 10 characters.
Use numbers aswell as letters.

Choosing a profile picture;
Ensure no information of the child is included in the photo or no information showing in the background. For example; street name or school uniform.

https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/blog/key-things-remember-when-helping-your-child-set-new-profile

If your child or young person has access to the internet, a smart phone or tablet, it is more than likely that they have downloaded one of the many social media platforms. Many of these apps have an age restriction, however identification is not usually required to prove the age. Therefore, it is essential that parents and carers commnunicate with their child to develop their online safety knowledge.