We have recently become aware of an increase in a phishing scam, often known as ‘Hi Mum’. The scam involves the impersonation of friends or family members, and can be conducted through text message or an instant messaging service, such as WhatsApp. Our Scam Alert will help you understand what the
When a viral challenge is reported in the news or on social media, it's often easier to consider the risks than establish the facts. Making the decision to issue guidance or warnings about challenges and hoaxes is often informed by the principle of ‘better safe than sorry’. While safeguarding responses to online harms are vital, the
If a young person in your care has an active suicide plan you should go with them to your nearest A&E for immediate support. #WorldSuicidePreventionDay World Suicide Prevention Day happens every year on September 10th. This year the theme is ‘Creating Hope Through Action’. The theme aims to suggest that all of our
After a consultation period that ran from January 2022 to March 2022, Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2022 was released on the GOV.UK website on May 20th, 2022. This guidance came into effect on the September 1st, 2022 and will replace the previous Keeping Children
89% of the UK’s internet users know what Snapchat is. It’s one of the most popular social media platforms and is widely used by young people to send ‘disappearing’ pictures, videos, and messages. Parents and carers have been asking the platform for more parental controls for
Going back to school can be an exciting time for carers, parents and pupils alike, but it can also be a challenging period, full of uncertainties and unknowns. In this guide to the back-to-school need-to-knows, we take a look at some of those concerns from the perspective
The way children and young people use social media is changing. Ofcom reported earlier this year that younger generations are posting less on popular platforms like YouTube and Instagram because they are dominated by superficial posts from influencers and celebrities. Children and young people want to engage with
What are Esports? Esports (or electronic sports) are best understood as competitive-level online videogaming. Esports players compete against each other for prizes, money, and prestige. Any videogame with the potential for competition can become an esport – from sports games (e.g. FIFA) to first-person shooter games
For this year's International Friendship Day, we look at why young people are making friends online, what the risks are and provide top tips for you to follow to help keep the young people in your life safer with internet-based friendships. Whether
This guide to deepfakes explains not only what deepfakes are, but also outlines the risks they could pose and provides practical, helpful advice on how to help protect the children and young people in your care. We’ve all had that wow moment when something
Header Image ©yoti.com With the recent announcements that both Yubo and Instagram will be partnering with Yoti as part of their new strategy to verify users’ ages, our online safety experts took a closer look at what Yoti is, and whether photo age verification
We have received reports from parents and young people around a new feature found in popular app Snapchat. This feature allows users to obtain directions to another user’s exact location and address. Since its release, many users have expressed their outrage and have called out the platform for including it without
Today’s children and young people are engaging with content that would have seemed unbelievable when their parents were their age. It can make it difficult for their parents and carers to decide what is ‘age appropriate’ and what is not. This is especially true for horror,
It’s summertime and holidays are well and truly upon us, whether that be at home, abroad, or just a change of scenery. While we can’t guarantee sun time, we can predict high levels of screentime for our children and young people during the school holiday season.
According to the latest Online Nation report by Ofcom, only 14% of young people (13-17 years old) are reporting and flagging potentially harmful content or behaviour they see online. This article investigates why our children and young people aren’t reporting online abuse and inappropriate content and
It has never been more important to stay up to date with the latest advancements in the digital world. As headlines about virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse become more commonplace, one platform is beginning to rise in global prominence. Meta have recently released their virtual
It's Pride Month in the UK, which marks the celebration of and focus on LGBTQ+ communities. It is also an important time to shed light on the difficult everyday situations which many young people who are exploring their sexuality or who identify as LGBTQ+ find themselves
In our digital world, there are many apps and platforms created to help us stay connected to those we love and find new connections with people from all over the world. Children and young people are growing up in a time where instant messaging and video calls are equal to in-person
When we think of ‘missing’, and in particular missing children, many of us gravitate towards abduction and the ‘snatched-from-their-beds' scenarios. The reality is much broader than that – it’s not always a complex tale with twists and turns like that of a five-part TV drama. However, whether a case is
In the last few years, battle royale style games like Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite: Battle Royale have become global hits with children and young people. One videogame, however, has taken a different approach to the genre by creating a diverse and interesting world for gamers to explore and enjoy. We’ve taken a deeper look at the popular game Apex Legends to help parents and
Thursday the 19th of May is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (also known as GAAD). It’s a day to reflect, discuss and learn about digital access and online inclusion. In a time in which we rely on online spaces and technology more than ever, it’s important that
We understand that the world of FIFA (and gaming in general) can seem overwhelming and unfamiliar as a parent or carer, especially if a child knows everything about the game. Our online safety experts have taken an extensive look at the popular game to help you better understand exactly what the child in your care
Passwords are the first line of defence when it comes to protecting your personal information. Think about how many of your details are stored online. Things like your address, date of birth, credit card details, and both work and personal banking information are used for things
While tech companies are constantly releasing new updates and features for mobile phones, laptops, and tablets, one of Apple’s upcoming releases is getting a lot of attention from safeguarding professionals as well as parents and carers. We’ve taken a look at the ‘Communication Safety in Messages’
Ofsted have published their new strategy which outlines their focus and aims for 2022 to 2027. Their corporate strategy sets out eight new strategic priorities for Ofsted and the plan for how they will be met in education and children’s social care. Following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on