Staying safe online

Talking to a young person about what they’re doing, looking at, and how long they’re spending online is incredibly important. This isn’t you disciplining or checking up on them but making sure they know their boundaries and the risks of being online. It also helps them understand that they have a safe, judgement-free space to come to if things ever go wrong.

Think about asking them:

• What are the newest / best / your favourite websites and apps?
• What are your friends doing online?
• What social media sites do you use?
• Has anything you’ve seen online ever made you feel weird, sad or uncomfortable?

Understand their digital footprint

To help a young person understand the extent of the internet, it can be helpful to sit with them and Google both them and yourself. We all have a digital footprint, which is the data that gets left behind every time we use a digital service. 

For example, each website we log onto, email we send or photo we tag on Facebook provides a trail of information that can be traced back to you.

WHERE TO START?

Because of the sheer size of the internet, it can feel a little overwhelming. However, we recommend starting the conversation around the following areas: 

• Security (passwords and internet parental controls)
• Social media (including things like TikTok, WhatsApp and Snapchat)
• Gaming (both on and offline)
• Risks online (grooming, radicalisation, bullying and cybercrime)

What is cybercrime? 

Cybercrime refers to a range of crimes carried out online, through computers, laptops, tablets, games consoles and phones. 

Cyber criminals look to exploit human or security vulnerabilities so they can steal passwords, data or money directly.

WHAT IS RADICALISTION?

Radicalisation is when people come to support terrorism and extremism and, in some cases, go on to take part in terrorist groups. 

Being radicalised is different for every individual and can take place over an extended period or within a very short time frame. Violent extremists can be so persuasive that even the least likely young person can get swept up and attracted to their cause.

If you’re concerned about a young person being radicalised online, get help and support from the Leicestershire Police Prevent Team.

Social media

Social media is simply a space online for communities and friends to share ideas, thoughts, information, videos and photos.

It covers not just the main social networks and media sharing platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube for example, but also includes online discussion forums and blogs too.

Young people can be easily influenced by social media, as they can create online echo-chambers which reinforce a viewpoint through a distorted narrative or one-sided-view. 

Educating young people on the risks of social media, and building online resilience, is important. Developing critical thinking skills, like being able to recognise misinformation, manipulation, false news or bias are essential lifelong skills.

How can I protect a young person on social media?

If you can, try talking to them about:

• Who they’re chatting to online.
• When and how they met each of their online friends.
• Whether or not they’re real ‘friends’.
• What information they’re sharing with them.
• If they know how to set their privacy level.
• The dangers of meeting up in real life.
• Whether they’re able to manage their own safety online.

Keep it private

Talk to a young person about strangers or random people being able to see their photos and videos. You never know what may happen to those images in the wrong hands. Take a look at their privacy settings together and set them to ‘Friends Only’ to keep things as secure as possible.

Only ‘friend’ your friends

Encourage young people to only friend people online that they know in real life. Random people and strangers that they friend online may not be who they say they are, but they’ll have access to all the information and photos that are shared. 

Delete. Block. Report

Teach them how to delete content they’ve posted should they need to, and encourage confidence in clicking the ‘report’ button on other people’s stuff too. Blocking someone gives them a level of control if they’re uncomfortable with how a friend is acting online. And they should deactivate their account if they stop using a social media site.

Gaming

From FIFA to Fortnite, there’s no doubt gaming is a fun way for young people to spend their time and hang out with mates. But it doesn’t come without risks and dangers. From bullying and grooming to viruses and scams, it’s important they stay safe while playing.

Are you aware of the types of games your children are using? 

Online games are sometimes used by groups looking to exploit children and vulnerable people, either sexually or into violence. For example, ISIS use a Call of Duty-clone which depicts real fighters and calls for players to join them.

Many games now have an online chat function either by text or audio. These are largely unregulated.

Remember, games sold officially in the UK will have age ratings and content warnings on them.

How do I help a young person stay safe gaming?

To help them stay safe while gaming, talk to a young person about:

• Being respectful of other people, whether they know them in real life or not.
• Keeping their personal information private.
• Playing fair and sticking to the game’s rules.

Choose a safe username and password

Make sure their nickname does not include their:

• Full name
• School’s or college’s name
• Date of birth
• Address or area you live
• Mobile number

When choosing a profile picture, encourage them to use something that doesn’t show their face, or give any clues as to who they are and where they are (like their school logo or street name).

When choosing a password, make sure it’s strong and not easy to guess.

Think about what is shared

Chatting to other gamers can be fun, but young people will often talk with people they’ve never met in real life, and these strangers may not be who they say they are. Tell them not to share details like your address, phone number or their school with anybody they don’t know in real life.

Sometimes people may ask for sexual pictures or nudes, and they’ll ask them to keep it a secret or give them gifts and compliments. This is called grooming. It’s not a young person’s fault and there are ways to get help with this.

Be strict with privacy settings

Every game and console is different, so have a good check and make sure their privacy settings are the highest they can be.

Encourage lots of breaks

If a young person is getting angry or frustrated at the game or people they’re playing against, feel tired or hungry, or are ignoring things they need to do – like homework – encourage them to take a break. 

Watch for loot boxes and in-app purchases

Lots of games are free to play at the start, but they make their money by getting players to buy things – like new skins, items and lives. Before a young person makes any in-app purchases, get them to check whether it’ll cost real-world money. Also ask them to keep track of what they’re spending so it doesn’t start adding up to a huge amount.

Be careful of downloads

Downloads aren’t always safe. If they’re from unofficial websites they can contain viruses that could cause damage to a computer or phone. They could also give hackers access to personal information. Always use a phone’s app store or the game’s official website to download anything.