Online Safety

Keep your child safe online

It is important to have regular conversations about staying safe online and to encourage children to speak to you if they come across something worrying online.

Talk to your child about the importance of creating a safe online environment, including keeping any log-in details and passwords safe.

These resources will support you to talk to your child about a range of online safety issues, set up home filtering in a child-friendly way and set up age-appropriate parental controls on digital devices:

OMEGLE

Content from Omegle is now being shared by popular influencers which could encourage young people to visit this platform. We are aware of instances where popular influencers are live streaming reaction videos of them using the platform.

Young people are likely to use these chat rooms and chat room apps because they seem fun, and the randomisation of people can be exciting. As young people spend so much more time online due to ongoing restrictions there is an increased chance that they will come across these sites.

The risks are:-

·       Young people are at risk of seeing distressing or highly sexualised imagery without warning

·       They may be asked or pressured to remove clothing or reveal personal information

·       They may be asked to have private conversations on other apps or platforms

·       They may be sent malicious links or spam

Top tips:-

·       Keep on engaging young people in a conversation about keeping safe online and who they would talk to if someone made them feel uncomfortable

·       When talking to a child or young person it is best not to mention the website or app by name as it may increase the risk of them checking out the platform

·       Submit an online report to CEOP

We have heard from the police  that there is information going around on Tik Tok and Twitter telling young people to watch on You Tube ‘Megan is Missing’.  

This is a 1hr film which was banned in 2011 because it is so traumatising to watch. The film is about  two girls meeting someone on social media and then being  murdered. 

DO NOT watch this or share it with anyone. The sites are being monitored. Keep yourself and others safe.

Fortnite, one of the biggest video games of all time, has received an update.

Fortnite Chapter 2 has a whole host of new in-game features, is more visually appealing and has a brand-new map for players to explore. It’s likely that your child will be spending hours on end getting to grips with the new updates. Please see the guide to help parents and carers understand exactly what Fortnite is all about.

Fortnite

We have had a few issues this week regarding children arguing and playing inappropriate games based on the computer game Fortnite.

Please could parents be aware that the game does feature violence, in-game purchasing, and also the option for group chat, which is unfiltered and accessible to strangers. 

As with any age restricted programs (13+), our guidance is to avoid the game, but if you do choose to let your child play, please be aware of the issues surrounding it and your child's online safety.

Houseparty

This group video chat is a video-focused social media app.  Friends (and friends of friends) can communicate with each other via live video and texts.  Because there is no screening and the video is live, there's always the possibility of inappropriate content for children