How do you keep safe online? There’s a lot of information online and not all of it is for children. You might be surprised to hear that some things online are illegal!
If you ever come across something you think you shouldn’t have seen make sure you tell someone about it.
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Please use this link to report any concerns that effect you or someone you know. More information at kooth.com |
| Please use this link to report to the police any safeguarding concerns that effect you or someone you know. |
Social Networking
Social Networking sites make it easy to be creative online, keep in touch with friends and make use of videos, photos, music, and chat all in the same place.
- Always check your privacy settings to protect your privacy and yourself from strangers.
- Get your friends and family to check that you aren’t giving out too much personal information or posting inappropriate photos/films because they might see something you’ve missed.
- Keep your passwords to yourself.
- Respect yourself and others online.
- If you have a bad experience online report it to the service provider and tell an adult.
- Cyberbullying is NEVER acceptable. If you or someone you know is targeted by bullies online:
- Report the bully to the website/service operator.
- Keep evidence of the bullying behaviour.
- Resist the temptation to reply to nasty messages.
- Tell an adult.
Personal Profiles
If you have a public profile anyone can see it but not everyone online is trustworthy. Personal information like your date of birth, your address, your mobile phone number and some photos are best kept offline.
Images & Videos Online
Photos and video are an important part of many websites. Always think before you post. Images stay online forever and can be copied, changed and used elsewhere.
If you wouldn’t be happy for your class teacher to see your social media photos then you should edit your profile. When you post something online, you are posting it on the biggest screen in the world to billions of people!
Some people use sites like YouTube to showcase their favourite movies and link to people who like the same sort of things. Videos on these sites aren’t classified in the same way as films at the cinema so sometimes children come into contact with films meant for adults only.
If you see a film that worries you or makes you feel uncomfortable tell an adult and remember you can report it to the website.
Digital Footprints
What you post online can be seen by lots of people and might stay online forever. They are like digital footprints – a trail that people can follow, picking up pieces of information about you.
We all leave digital footprints and with every new profile, photo or comment we add new ones. Even people you don’t know can learn a lot from them.
Your footprints can show you at your very best or very worst. This is one reason why to use most sites you can share information on you need to be over 13. If you’re under 13 you shouldn’t be using them.
If you have posted something you regret - it’s never too late to do something about it.
Contacting Social Media Sites If Someone Has Posted Something Upsetting About You
Most websites have a way for you to ask them to remove videos, pictures, comments or profiles – that upsets you. Making a report doesn’t mean the content will definitely be removed. Websites have a set of rules which they expect people using their site to obey.
If you want to have something taken down from a site you should check to see if it breaks one of their rules (also known as Community Standards or Guidelines).
Before using any website you should read them to learn what is and isn’t, acceptable on the site. You should also learn how to report content to the site.
Remember, that to use any of these sites you need to be at least 13 years old. If you're under 13 and someone has posted something about you get an adult to help you report it.
Here’s where to find the rules and how to report for the most popular social networks and messaging apps:
Facebook
YouTube
Twitter
Instagram
Tumblr
- Read Tumblr's rules
- Report to Tumblr by email
- If you email Tumblr about harassment:
- Use the keyword "harassment" in your title and in your email.
- Take a screen grab as evidence and attach it to your email
- Put your Tumblr link and the details of the person harassing you in the email – give as much detail as possible.
Ask.fm
- Read Ask.fm's 'terms of service'
- Read Ask.fm's safety tips
- Reporting on Ask.fm:
- You do not need to be logged into the site (i.e. a user) to report.
- When you move your mouse over any post on someone else’s profile, you will see an option to like the post and also a drop down arrow which allows you to report the post.
- It is also possible to block other users, by scrolling to the bottom of their profile page and clicking on but users need to be logged in to do this. Users can also remove any questions from their own profile by clicking on the cross in the top right hand corner of every question and answer.
- If you are using the app through Facebook, there is an option to report the application by clicking on "report/contact this app" which is displayed in the final tab in the right-hand column.
- Otherwise, it appears that the block function acts a form of reporting, however, there is no evidence on the site that carrying out the blocking process alerts moderators to inappropriate content.
Kik Messenger
Parents and Carers
Parents and carers play a key role in supporting children to learn about how to stay safe online, and they are one of the first people children turn to if things go wrong.
- Have ongoing conversations with your children about staying safe online.
- Set boundaries in the online world just as you would in the real world.
- Be involved in your child’s online life.
- Keep up-to-date with your child’s development online.
- Use safety tools on social networks and other online services, e.g. Facebook privacy settings.
- Consider the use of parental controls on devices that link to the internet, such as the TV, laptops, computers, games consoles and mobile phones.
- Understand devices and the parental control tools they offer.
- Emphasise that not everyone is who they say they are.
- Know what to do if something goes wrong.
National Online Safety is an organisation that works to educate parents on the potential risks of online platforms and what you can do to minimise risk. They have produced a number of useful guides on topics such as social media, gaming and smart TVs, which can all be viewed by clicking here.
Useful Links
Operation Encompass provides an efficient, confidential channel of communication between police forces and Key Adults within schools. This enables the immediate and discrete recognition of the child's situation by the Key Adult, ensuring a secure and sympathetic environment is provided and the broader effects of abuse are addressed.
Use Think U Know to find the latest information on the sites you like to visit, mobiles and new technology. Find out what’s good, what’s not and what you can do about it. Report if you feel uncomfortable or worried about someone they are chatting to online.
Childnet’s mission is to work in partnership with others around the world to help make the internet a great and safe place for children. They promote the positive opportunities, as well as responding to the risks and equipping children and young people to deal with them.
The UK Safer Internet Centre is coordinated by a partnership of three leading organisations; Childnet International, the South West Grid for Learning and the Internet Watch Foundation. The centre has three main functions: an Awareness Centre, a Helpline and a Hotline.
Internet Watch Foundation are the UK Hotline for reporting criminal online content such as child sexual abuse content hosted anywhere in the world, criminally obscene adult content hosted in the UK, and non-photographic child sexual abuse images hosted in the UK. All reports are confidential and can be made anonymously.
ChildLine is a free helpline for children and young people. You can contact ChildLine about anything. No problem is too big or too small. It is a private and confidential service, whatever you say stays between you and ChildLine. Call them on 0800 1111 (the number won’t appear on your phone bill), you can also visit www.childline.org.uk to speak to a counsellor online.
ADT Healthcare offers a free helpline dedicated to assisting women suffering from drug, alcohol and mental health issues.
Get Safe Online provide practical advice on how to protect yourself, your computers and mobiles device and your business against fraud, identity theft, viruses and many other problems encountered online. It contains guidance on many other related subjects too – including performing backups and how to avoid theft or loss of your computer, smartphone or tablet. Every conceivable topic is included on the site – including safe online shopping, gaming and dating.
CEOP helps young people who are being sexually abused or are worried that someone they’ve met is trying to abuse them. If you’ve met someone online, or face to face, and they are putting you under pressure to have sex or making you feel uncomfortable you should report to CEOP.
This might be someone making you feel worried, anxious or unsafe; making you have sex when you donʼt want to; chatting about sex online; asking you to meet up face to face if you've only met online; asking you to do sexual things on webcam; asking for sexual pictures of you.
If this is happening to you, or you’re worried that it might be, you can report it to CEOP and they will help make it stop. If you or someone else is in immediate danger please dial 999.
The Educate Against Hate website gives parents, teachers and school leaders practical advice on protecting children from extremism and radicalisation.
Mobiles
- Think about who you give your number to – you don’t know where it might end up.
- If you receive a nasty text save it for evidence but don’t reply to it, if you reply you are likely to get yourself into trouble too.
- If you start getting annoying, nasty or rude texts, remember don't reply, but do keep a record of it. If any of these things bother you, talk to an adult you trust or report it to your school or mobile phone operator.
- Remember to be a good digital citizen try to talk quietly on mobiles in public places and keep your music quiet.
- A growing number of viruses are attacking mobile phones be careful what you download onto your mobile.
- If you often receive spam (junk mail) texts from random numbers report it to your mobile phone operator or Phonepayplus.
- Your phones IMEI Number can be used to block your phone if it is lost or stolen. It's a good idea to write this number down and keep it in a safe place. Find out the IMEI number of your phone by pressing *#06#
Premium Rate Numbers
All premium rate numbers start with 09…calls and message to these numbers can cost from 10p to a whopping £1.50 for every minute or message you send plus your network charges. When you buy things online always read the small print! If you have problems with a premium rate number tell your parents to look at this website to find out what you can do about it.
Picture and Video Messages
If you are taking photos or video of your friends and want to put them online, always check with them first. Remember to keep control of your image too. Once a picture is posted online it can be copied, changed and distributed without your knowledge. Only upload and exchange photos that you would be happy for everyone to see.