There seems to be ‘an app for everything’ now. With the simple push of a button, we can now order our groceries, listen to an entire album, play complex videogames... The list is endless. It makes sense that some companies have begun to try and use this
Communications regulator Ofcom has released its latest Media Use and Attitudes Report 2022 looking at the recent online trends and attitudes of children and parents across the UK. The report provides a clear snapshot of parents, children, and young people’s current media habits that can help us understand the emerging trends,
A horror game character from ‘Poppy Playtime’ named Huggy Wuggy has been raising concerns amongst parents, police and safeguarding professionals. WARNING: This contains images and details some people may find disturbing. This should not be shared with young children.
Research shows that disabled youth, especially those with autism, are at increased risk for bullying compared to their neurotypical peers. At Ineqe Safeguarding Group, we believe that all young people should have safe and equal access to the digital world. Social media and the online world can be a difficult place
The lifestyle of being a carer is often a lonely one and for young carers any isolation can be tough to cope with. In honour of Young Carers Action Day 2022, here’s our guide on how to spot, support and stand with the young carers in your
As a global community, we have faced a turbulent few years, ruled chiefly by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions it brought. Now as we enter Spring 2022, the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine has taken over media attention and national concern. We live in a time
This article features a case study which includes details that some readers may find upsetting. Please note: this article should not be shared with children and young people. With Facebook changing its name to ‘Meta’ and news outlets releasing investigative reports around the
In the last few years, as the impact of social media influence continues to grow, there has been a growing concern over the link between influencers and eating disorders. Websites that encourage disordered eating have been around almost as long as the internet has existed. In the 90s, ‘pro-anorexia’ sites (often
Over the course of the pandemic, mental health in the UK has worsened by 8.1%, with young people and women most affected as the groups who already had been struggling with mental health issues prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. We know from emerging research that self-harm referrals and presentations at
Snapchat have recently announced the release of a new feature: Snapchat live location sharing. It will allow users to share their real-time location with friends via the app, expanding their existing Snap Map feature that launched in 2017. What is Snap Map? The Snap Map is a
As we get further into 2022, many of today’s top social media apps and platforms have started rolling out new features with the intention of protecting their users. Instagram’s new features mainly focus on screen time limits, account security, and content control - areas that its
For this year’s Random Acts of Kindness Day, we want to share some of our resources that can help take kindness beyond just today and into the everyday. We believe that by educating and empowering children and young people to be kinder online and offline, we can help create a
Bumble, Hinge, Badoo, Tinder. This may sound like a list of nonsensical words with no connection, but that is exactly what they all have in common – they are all about connection. These are just a few of today’s most popular dating apps. While many of
This week marks Children’s Mental Health Week across the UK. After nearly two full years of a pandemic, the newest research indicates it has taken a heavy toll on children’s mental health. Between the social impacts, education and home life adjustments, and the stress and uncertainties of
After gaining fame through popular social media app TikTok, this iOS widget has been shooting up the App Store charts – but what is Locket and how does the Locket widget work? What is Locket? You may not have heard of
Every new year sees new trends, risks, and threats to online safety emerge, especially for children and young people. This can seem overwhelming (and sometimes even frightening) if you feel like you’ve just got your head around the last new ‘thing’. To help you stay ahead of
Data Protection Day, also known as Data Privacy Day, is celebrated every year on January 28th. It’s a day to stop, assess, and reflect on how we share and protect our data and personal information, as well as consider how our data is being collected, stored, and
We’ve received recent reports of children as young as six discussing an online horror character called ‘Slender Man’. Our online safety experts have taken a deeper look at Slender Man to address any risks or red flags, as well as our top tips for parents, carers, and
After two years of lockdowns and isolation, young people are feeling more isolated than ever before. As many continue to use the online world to seek support, we’re now seeing the mainstreaming of AI friends and support bots. Keep reading to find out all about the newest chatbot on our radar, Replika.
Header Image ©& TM 2022 Roblox Corporation. All Rights Reserved We have recently received multiple reports from parents and school staff about harmful content on gaming platform Roblox. To help you understand how to keep children and young people safe, we’ve created this important Roblox Parents Guide. The latest reports we’ve received have outlined worrying accounts of younger children
If you had just begun to wrap your head around cryptocurrencies and Deepfakes, we have news for you – there’s another online trend on the rise! The digital craze of NFTs has exploded in popularity over the last few months and it doesn’t show any signs of stopping. Our beginner’s guide
Do you know how much time you spend on social media? What about the children in your care? Instagram users may have noticed a recent addition to the app with the launch of the platform’s Take a Break feature. This opt-in feature will prompt users to ‘step away’ from the
Guidance for Parents and Carers WARNING: This contains images and details some people may find disturbing. This should not be shared with young children. Our online safety experts have been alerted to a video game, being described by some users as an “introduction to
As a parent or carer, you might be deciding to give your child their first phone, tablet, or laptop (or third, fourth, fifth – even a new update). This is a big decision! The responsibility and freedom that comes with owning a device is a big step for children – and you! It might even
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is typically understood as an offline issue. In our line of work, however, we are seeing increasing reports of online sexualised abuse and harassment towards women and girls. To remedy this issue, we need to understand that online risks have offline roots. November 25th marks the International Day for