Tips for Safeguarding Your Children Online This Summer
Now we’re in the midst of the summer holidays, many parents or guardians are concerned that their children are spending most of their time in front of a screen. This is an understandable concern but as our world becomes increasingly digital it's harder to enforce limits on technology usage.
With 1 in 5 internet users in the UK being children, it's important to know what you can do to help safeguard them in online spaces. Below we take a look at some of the things you can do to help protect your children online this summer.
Know where they are online
With the huge range of social media platforms, it's important to know which sites the young people in your life are using. Different social media sites have different types of content and children are likely to encounter different types of people. Knowing which sites they use can give you a reasonable idea of how they are interacting online.
Parents and guardians should be aware that most social media platforms have a minimum age requirement to sign up. This is not only to protect young children from inappropriate content but to stop organisations from storing a child’s information.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Snapchat all have a minimum sign-up age of 13. However, in practice, there is very little to prevent a younger child from creating an account using fake info. If you do discover that a younger child has created an account using fraudulent information, you can report this to the platform itself and they should quickly remove it.
Encourage Open Communication
Many people struggle to open a conversation about the dangers involved in having an online presence. Cyberbullying, phishing scams, inappropriate or explicit content, and the risk of online predators are all incredibly difficult to talk about. People are often concerned that they will scare their children, but they needn’t be worried. As one internet safety group point out:
“We teach our children fire safety, water safety, and car safety skills, yet our children are not fearful of fires, crossing the street, or swimming.”
It's far better to educate the young people in your life by having conversations about the dangers posed online. Spending time educating them on the potential dangers online is invaluable and rather than scaring them, it is likely to empower them. Experts recommend having these conversations as soon as they have a device. Cultivating an attitude towards safety online from an early age will help protect them as they grow up.
While the young people in our lives, particularly teenagers, can be resistant to serious conversations it’s important to make it clear that they can approach you if they need to. Whether they believe they may have encountered something dangerous or they are the victim of cyberbullying, knowing there’s a supporting adult they can talk to can make all the difference.
Keep up to date
With the rapidly changing online landscape, it can feel incredibly hard to keep up to date. But there are ways you can get the most up to date news regarding the online dangers the young people in your life might encounter.
One of the simplest ways is to set up Google Alerts. These are customisable alerts that can be used to keep up to date with news and media coverage of topics that you determine. Google then sends you emails at set intervals, this could be daily, weekly or monthly (we would recommend weekly) with relevant information. We would recommend setting up alerts relating to the following search terms:
Online safety
Online trends
new apps popular with children and teens
Games popular with children and teens
social media platforms popular with children and teens.
This list is by no means exhaustive, and you should consider what terms are relevant to you and your family. You can set up Google Alerts here https://www.google.com/alerts
You can also stay up to date by signing up for the newsletters of internet safety organisations like Internet Matters or the UK Safer Internet Centre. You can also follow these organisations on social media platforms to ensure you are getting the most up to date advice.
Understanding Gaming
When video games first emerged in the 1950’s people weren’t convinced they’d catch on. However, since then, the digital gaming industry has cemented itself as one of the most commercially successful in human history. Profits made by modern game franchises now dwarf that of all other types of media. Whether you like them or loathe them, video games are here to stay.
If you have children or young people in your life, the likelihood is that they spend at least some of their time gaming online. 50% of children report that they game every day, with this rising to 63% in the 14-16 age bracket.
If you're unfamiliar with how modern gaming works, there are certain things that you need to make yourself aware of. Familiarising yourself with the below is a good starting point if you have no prior knowledge of video games:
Game age ratings: Similarly to film and television, there are age ratings on games to help you make a decision on whether it’s suitable for your child.
Chat functions: Many games now feature chat functions so it’s important to understand how your child is interacting with people while playing.
Online issues: If the young person in your care is experiencing cyberbullying or ‘griefing’ during gameplay there are coping strategies and reporting mechanisms available.
In-game spending: Many games now feature ways for children to enhance their experience by using real money to buy items in the game like accessories for avatars. On some platforms, these can often be managed by using parental controls and settings.
Tools to manage screen time: Most consoles and some gaming platforms have ways that you and your child can stay on top of time spent playing games to make sure children take regular breaks from gameplay
One of the best ways to understand the world of gaming works is to get involved. Now, video games may be the last thing you want to spend your free time playing but gaming with the young people in your life could make all the difference. According to research by Internet Matters, 58% of parents found that gaming together was quality family time and 55% felt more connected.
Not only this, but the first-hand experience you gain means you can have more meaningful conversations about gaming. If they are having issues, you have a more realistic understanding of what they are experiencing and probably have a better chance of helping them.
If you’re looking for further guidance, Internet Matters have extensive resources aimed at parents who want to learn about the world of gaming. You can find their resource library here.
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