Online Safety
Online Safety – After five years of campaigning, the ‘Online Safety Bill’ was finally passed through Parliament in July 2023.
The Bill states that social media platforms will be required to: -
- Remove harmful content quickly or prevent it appearing in the first place
- Enforce age limits and implement age checking measures
- Provide parents and children with clearer and more accessible ways to report issues online
So, what does this mean for you?
- You should be seeing less content that is deemed inappropriate or harmful
- You should be able to report anything you see hurtful or upsetting more easily
- You should feel SAFER when online
For Parents I know that it can be difficult to monitor what your children are accessing online, especially as they move on to secondary school. Here are some advisory links on how to approach the topic of Online Safety:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/talking-child-online-safety/- https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/have-a-conversation/
- https://saferinternet.org.uk/blog/having-an-open-and-honest-conversation-about-online-safety-5-questions-for-parents
Every September a new ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ document is released. This
document provides information on how to keep children safe in school and how to work with
other agencies.
In September 2023 one of the changes made to the document was that we monitor use of IT
equipment in schools, for example searches carried out on the internet. This allows schools to
be alerted to and respond to searches that may be a cause for concern, e.g. searches that
include the words gun or suicide.
Our equipment is being monitored and the children use a set device so that we can identify who has carried out a search we are alerted to. If we identify a search that parents need to be aware of we will let you know.
Just as a reminder that if, at any point, your child feels unsafe online or they are seeing content that is upsetting - be sure that they:
- Report the content that is hurtful to the platform provider such as Facebook/Instagram/TikTok/SnapChat
- Speak to an adult, whether it be a parent/guardian or teacher
Phones, computers and tablets are part of everyday life - online banking, shopping, email and social media. But the longer you spend online, the more risks you are exposed to. So it's more important than ever to take steps to protect your accounts, data and devices from cyber criminals.
By answering a few simple questions, we'll tell you the most important things you can do to protect yourself online.'
This is a useful video for parents to watch, to consider internet safety at home. Parental Guidance is advised, the content of the video is not suitable for children.
Capture, who's looking after the children? | FT Film Standpoint - YouTube
An FT drama starring Jodie Whittaker (Dr Who), Paul Ready (Motherland), Shaniqua Okwok (It's a Sin), looks at online harm, regulation and responsibility. The search for their missing son leads a mother and father to a tech company, and a digital gatekeeper who seems to have all the answers.
#onlinesafety #childsafety