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
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
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
Police in Northern Ireland have issued a warning following a surge of recent reports about a WhatsApp scam targeting victims across the region. This scam involves a scammer pretending to be a child or relative asking their loved ones for money via a WhatsApp message. Superintendent Gerard Pollock, Chair of
Online Safety Alert Our online safety experts have been alerted to the concept of ‘Gacha Heat’ videos using the characters and backgrounds from the popular roleplaying game Gacha Life. These videos contain characters and backgrounds made on Gacha Studio which is part of their suite of apps. The ‘Gacha
With the rapid advancement of technology and the big boom of the gaming industry in 2020, there is a good chance your household has at least one gamer living in it. Gaming is one of the fastest evolving social forums. Even if someone games privately instead of “online” (meaning they can play simultaneously with
There are so many online gaming platforms nowadays, it can be difficult to keep track of them all! One of the oldest platforms is Roblox, which is celebrating its 15th birthday this week. Roblox experienced a 122% increase in platform engagement over 2019 and 2020 due to the pandemic. With over 42 million daily users,
Recently, many of the popular online platforms that we use every day released plans to improve the experience for users under 18. But will these changes actually improve the online safety for children and young people? Our analysts have reviewed the latest changes announced by Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Google to provide you with
With nearly two billion users worldwide, WhatsApp remains one of the most popular social media messaging services after ten years of being on the scene. Though they’ve clearly found a formula for success WhatsApp continue to develop and expand. Our online safety experts have examined the newest features to let you know what’s up
Urgent Online Safety Alert Why are you receiving this alert? Our online safety experts have been alerted to an extremely dangerous website and app called ‘Monkey’, which allows users to have video calls with strangers. The platform markets itself as ‘an alternative to Omegle, with a TikTok vibe’. Our online safety
Ever since TikTok surged into popularity, especially with children and young people, every other social media giant has attempted to answer the accessible, trendy format with new features on their existing platforms. Instagram introduced Reels, Snapchat created Spotlight, and now video hosting platform YouTube is entering the mix with Shorts. Here’s everything you need to know: Latest Updates
Last Updated: 23rd June, 2021 We have previously raised concerns about the dangers of self-generated sexual imagery created by children and young people. It can be scary and confusing for children and young people, especially if they lose control of any images. Here, we help define this issue and give you some top tips on supporting children and young people by keeping control of images.
Date Published: 21st May, 2021 If you have a gamer in your household, chances are you’ve heard the word “Twitch” being used. The name sounds fun, age-appropriate, and harmless and it would be easy to assume it is a type of game or a new slang word. In reality, Twitch is a far more
Date Published: 14th May,2021 Among Us is an online multiplayer game with over 300 million monthly active users which has become hugely popular among children and young people. Although the game has been around since 2018, its popularity skyrocketed during the summer of 2020 due to lockdown restrictions and after several famous gaming live streamers played it on their channels. But what is it? How
At INEQE Safeguarding Group, our online safety experts constantly monitor the development of new apps, platforms and the emerging trends and safeguarding risks they present. We know that standing still can mean falling behind. In recent weeks, our team have been alerted to a new image-based app called Dispo. This app is currently in the testing phase, but several large-scale media outlets have already commented on the app’s appealing features and bright future. In
This new feature is currently being rolled out, as it becomes available our online safety experts will provide updates on the new function. What's Happening? Instagram is rolling out a new feature called ‘Live Rooms’, which will allow users to ‘go live’ and broadcast with up to 3 other people to their audience. This new feature
What is this alert about? This safeguarding blog contains a TikTok alert for your immediate attention. We have been alerted to reports of the tragic death of a 10-year-old girl in Italy. It has been reported that she died after taking part in the so-called ‘blackout’ or ‘choke challenge’ on the video-sharing platform TikTok.
Many of us, including young people, use WhatsApp daily. It’s established itself as a messaging giant in the world of social media. But there are more names arriving on the scene which could put more pressure on WhatsApp as it battles to defend its privacy policy due to a recent backlash. It concerns how
TikTok has released privacy default changes to its platform. In this article, we explain what the new changes are and discuss their effectiveness. We also share our most recent TikTok safety resources. TikTok has announced a series of changes to protect children’s privacy and safety on the
Following continued coverage of the risks the platform can pose to children and young people, TikTok has announced changes to its parental control settings. This article details the changes to the parental control settings and provides an overview of existing settings you can use to protect the children in your care.
WhatsApp has now launched its disappearing messages feature and our team of online safety experts are busy testing this function. Sign up to our Safeguarding Hub Newsletter to keep up to date with alerts and changes like this one. WhatsApp has announced that they are releasing a Disappearing Messages function, which will
With over 1.5 billion downloads across 155 different countries, TikTok has soared in popularity. Some of you have recently got in touch to ask for more information about TikTok and its safety settings. To help you support the children and young people in your care, we have made a short video overview of
What is it? Facebook have officially rolled out their gaming platform as a brand new App. Facebook Gaming is a separate App to Facebook and is designed for users to stream their gameplay, whilst also watching their favourite streamers play the most popular video games. Although it is a seperate App, it can
What is it? Instagram, which is very popular with young people, has officially launched their latest function ‘Reels’ in the UK. It’s the latest feature to be added to the platform and lets users create short 15 second videos with popular music, different filters and effects. It is largely considered to be Instagram’s