Smart speakers can be great addition to any household. Not only can they be of practical use (like adding to the seemingly never-sending Christmas shopping list!), but they can be a source of fun for the whole family. However, knowing how to use them safely is important. In 2019, children’s
After two years of things feeling not quite normal, we’re all looking forward to a bit of family connection this Christmas. While the festive period is normally a time of joy it can also be a time of reflection. Some people may be reflecting on complicated feelings or experiences that might
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
Connected Christmas Visit our Online Safety Hub Members of our network receive weekly updates on the trends, risks and threats to children and young people online. These updates include access to articles, resources and factsheets to help make sure you’re ahead of the curve. Visit
Read the script below Hello and welcome back to Safeguarding in 60! It’s your quick as a flash safeguarding news rehash! Let’s get started. This week we’ve been talking about Yubo –which, if you haven’t heard of it before, you could be forgiven for mistaking it
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
The cyber essential steps to keeping children safe online Do the children in your care understand the importance of strong passwords and cyber security? Do your passwords contain the name of members of your family, pets, sports’ teams, or birthdates? In 2021, an annual evaluation by NordPass reported that they
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
Join our Safeguarding Hub Newsletter Network Members of our network receive weekly updates on the trends, risks and threats to children and young people online. Pause, Think and Plan Guidance on how to talk to the children in your care about online risks. Watch video
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
Join our Safeguarding Hub Newsletter Network Members of our network receive weekly updates on the trends, risks and threats to children and young people online. Pause, Think and Plan Guidance on how to talk to the children in your care about online risks. Watch video
Once upon a time, chatting with friends outside of school meant using a landline. Playing games with pals involved knocking on their doors. Being bullied by other pupils was confined to school hours. Now, the virtual world has created a 24/7 timeframe for children and young people to become the targets
We can all conjure up a mental image of a “bully” – someone mean, troubled, and angry who takes out these feelings on others. You might imagine a person from your life or a character from a film or television show. But what happens when the “bully” in question is the child in your care? This is a
Join our Safeguarding Hub Newsletter Network Members of our network receive weekly updates on the trends, risks and threats to children and young people online. Pause, Think and Plan Guidance on how to talk to the children in your care about online risks. Watch video
Have you ever seen the term “troll” or “trolling” used on social media? If you look at the comment section of any controversial topic, you’ll likely find it. Trolling is typically used to irritate communities, fans of celebrity targets, or people who hold specific beliefs or positions of power. The seemingly anonymous nature of internet
INEQE Safeguarding Group have been alerted to a number of incidents concerning the online targeting of teachers and school professionals by students. Pupils have been creating online posts that ridicule, harass, or otherwise bully staff on social media sites, such as TikTok and Instagram. The nature of these posts includes photographs of
Join our Safeguarding Hub Newsletter Network Members of our network receive weekly updates on the trends, risks and threats to children and young people online. Pause, Think and Plan Guidance on how to talk to the children in your care about online risks. Watch video
Every day, we see the release of new apps and new features that promise to help keep you more connected to others. One of the most popular online spaces for children and young people to connect is Discord. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about this platform and why it presents
Instagram has recently changed its link sharing in Stories feature to allow all users access to add links. Previously, this ability to add links into Stories was limited to those with verified accounts or users with a certain number of followers. It was first introduced in August 2021 as the main link-sharing method, replacing the
A viral post is circulating on social media about a child accidentally stumbling across a video called ‘Evil Santa’ on YouTube Kids. The video allegedly features Santa telling the child to harm themselves and others to get more presents. The post has been shared widely on social media, worrying parents, carers,
Join our Safeguarding Hub Newsletter Network Members of our network receive weekly updates on the trends, risks and threats to children and young people online. Pause, Think and Plan Guidance on how to talk to the children in your care about online risks. Watch video
Incel stands for involuntary celibate. The incel ideology can be complex, with many different subcultures associated with the term. Some incels hold or express extreme, misogynistic views and blame others, particularly women, for their lack of sexual experience or success in relationships. Online communities of self-identified incels have become known for promoting harmful ideologies, based
What’s New? Instagram have recently launched two new features ‘Desktop Uploads’ and ‘Collaborations’. Both features are now available on the latest version of the app and desktop site. The platform has also announced that they are currently testing two further video features. Our online safety experts have taken a look to see what these changes
Join our Safeguarding Hub Newsletter Network Members of our network receive weekly updates on the trends, risks and threats to children and young people online. Pause, Think and Plan Guidance on how to talk to the children in your care about online risks. Watch video
The phrase ‘dark web’ might bring up all sorts of connotations in your mind, none of which are probably good. For most people, the dark web is a place never ventured to or even given much thought. It’s the other side of the internet, the shadowy depths where criminals and people who are up