Online Safety

Be Positive and try something new. The Internet is a fabulous place with a wealth of resources for you to use, even more so at this current time as many ‘paid for’ resources are giving their content away for free for a limited time. Why not learn something new? Take an online course? You have the time now to pursue an interest rather than just completing work that you’ve been set.

Check information. It’s understandable that you may turn to the Internet to seek answers you may have about the coronavirus or other things. If you do this, try to use reputable and well-known web sites and remember the Internet is a public space where anyone can post anything, whether true or not. Try to confirm information by looking it up on a number of different sites and don’t just assume the first link on a Google search will be the best source of information.

Protect your online reputation. Be careful about what you post. Content posted online can last forever and could be shared publicly by anyone. If you wouldn’t print information on a t-shirt and walk through the centre of town with it on, is it suitable to share online?

Know where to find help. Understand how to report to service providers and never be afraid to use blocking and deleting tools. If something happens that upsets you online, it’s never too late to tell someone.

Don’t give in to pressure. If you lose your inhibitions you’ve lost control. Once you’ve pressed send you can’t take it back.
Know who you’re talking to online. Remember, not everyone online is who they say they are. People who you have met online may have ulterior motives or may not have your best interests at heart. Protect yourself and distance yourself from these people if necessary. Do not be afraid to block anyone that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Respect other people and their views. Even if you don’t agree with people, keep things polite. If you see something you disagree with online, it may be easier to scroll on rather than getting into an argument with someone.

Scams. Cyber-criminals have been found to target individuals as well as organisations, particularly at times such as this as they play on people’s fear of coronavirus. Phishing attacks try to trick victims into handing out sensitive information, such as usernames and passwords. Often arriving by genuine-looking emails, they tempt users to click on links where they are directed to a spoof login page where the victim enters their details. The scammers then take these details and log in to the genuine site with them. For further information, see here.

Take a break. We all need time away from technology to help our mental and physical health. Consider setting ground rules for the use of technology with your household and stick to them. Try to get outside once a day, in line with any government guidelines of course!

As everybody knows, we are in unprecedented times. With many confined to their homes for long periods, the demand for internet services is rising rapidly. For many, these services are a lifeline, but this is probably a good time to remind ourselves of a few key points to keep safe online:

Talking with children and young people about the pandemic. Children and young people are the same as the rest of us. There is understandable a lot of confusion around coronavirus and its impact. While nobody is expected to have all the answers, an open discussion with children can help allay their fears. If you don’t know the answers to their questions, consider researching to find out together. Think about the sources you’re using, are they reliable? How do you know?

Talking with children and young people about their use of technology. It’s also a good time to have that conversation about what your children are doing online. Try and be as open and non-judgemental as you can, keep the lines of conversation open and take a genuine interest in what they’re doing. Some of you may be able to encourage them to show you and teach you how to use that game or whatever else they’re doing.

Embrace the positives. There is a wealth of content out there to help youngsters. Even more so at the moment as many services that have been available at a cost are being given away free for limited periods. Social media can be an invaluable tool for communicating with friends and relatives who are socially isolating and can be used to maintain contacts whilst observing social distancing rules.

Be mindful of online contacts. Whilst social media can be a fabulous way of keeping in touch with others – not always a bad thing depending on the age of the user – please take the opportunity to remind the young people in your care about the dangers of communicating with people they do not know in the real world. Remind yourself of how privacy settings work on particular sites/apps (or ask your young person to show you) and discuss how to block users if the need arises. For more details on many of the most popular online platforms/apps, see here. See here too for advice on a number of different internet-connected devices.

Think before you share. An old mantra, but an important one. If you wouldn’t print information on a t-shirt and walk through the centre of town with it on, is it suitable to share online? When people are bored, they often lower their guard and share more personal information than normally they would. Think carefully too about information you share that you cannot validate. Social media is great at spreading information from ‘expert’ sources that might not be so expert!

Scams. Cyber-criminals have been found to target individuals as well as organisations, particularly at times such as this as they play on people’s fear of coronavirus. Phishing attacks try to trick victims into handing out sensitive information, such as usernames and passwords. Often arriving by genuine-looking emails, they tempt users to click on links where they are directed to a spoof login page where the victim enters their details. The scammers then take these details and log in to the genuine site with them. For further information, see here.

Securing Support. If you choose to supplement your child’s work from school with the support of online tutors or tuition companies, try to ensure that these are reputable and evidence is available that they are safe and can be trusted. Sadly, some people with dubious motives may use the current situation to try and initiate contact with young people and harm them.

Consider setting boundaries. With young people being at home for long periods, it’s very tempting for them to spend extended periods using technology. Consider setting limits or establish guidelines for the use of technology and get agreement from all of the family. This could include limiting the use of technology to certain times of day or setting time limits. Remember that time out of the house, withing government guidelines, is also vital to everyone’s mental and physical health.