In 1990, computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee changed the world forever with his invention of the World Wide Web. Since then, the internet has become a valuable resource, enabling over four billion people across the world to access information, to form connections and to communicate.
It is an important tool for young people for the same reasons, opening up new and exciting opportunities for creativity and innovation. Therefore it is increasingly important that they have the necessary protection when accessing the internet and are given the knowledge and skills to manage their activity online.
Social networking
All parents will have received an email discouraging the use of various social networking sites such as Facebook, Google+, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat etc. by children in the Prep Department. However, even though the minimum age limit across the majority of these sites is thirteen, you may not be aware of how easily restrictions can be bypassed and the risks that may arise from accessing particular sites.
The NSPCC’s Net Aware site reviews many of these online platforms and a useful guide to the social media sites that your child might be using is available here.
Search engines
Children will often want to conduct innocent searches on the internet, but these can sometimes lead to no-so-innocent results. Using safe, child-friendly search engines such as Kidrex and Swiggle will help alleviate these issues.
Parental controls
Parental controls are an important way to keep your child safe online. Used to block upsetting or harmful content, control in-app purchases or manage how long your child spends online, parental controls are easy to set up for any device. Visit the NSPCC website for simple guidelines and instructions.
Helpful resources
Childnet :
Supporting Young People Online: Information and Advice for Parents and Carers
UK Safer Internet Centre :
Information and Online Resources Factsheet
The NSPCC also has lots of information online to help parents keep their children safe online while using apps, games and social networks. Visit NSPCC Share Aware
