Online Safety and Cyber Bullying

Online Safety

Our children are growing up in a world of ever changing technology and whilst the use of this technology is mainly a positive aspect of today’s life, there are risk attached to using the internet and accessing the online world.

Potential online risks may include:

Access and exposure to inappropriate /disturbing images and content
Access and exposure to racist or hate material
Sexual grooming, luring, abuse, and exploitation by/with strangers
Sharing personal information with strangers that could identify and locate a child offline
Online bullying (cyberbullying) by peers and people they consider their ‘friends’
Being encouraged to take part in violent behaviour such as ‘happy slapping’
Sending or receiving sexually explicit films, images, or messages of themselves or others (this is known as sexting when sent by mobile phone)
Glorifying activities such as drug-taking or excessive drinking
Physical harm to young people in making video content, such as enacting and imitating stunts and risk-taking activities
Leaving and running away from home as a result of contacts made online.

Advice for pupils:

Always be careful when you are using the internet. It can help you to keep in touch with your friends and help your education, but it can also cause harm; to you and to others.
Remember help is always available at school if you are having any problems online.
Don’t be afraid to talk to your teacher or another adult at school.

Advice for parents and carers:

There are several ways to help keep children and young people safe online:

Educate yourself and children and young people know about the dangers online
Tell them what they should do if anything goes wrong online or upsets them i.e. tell someone about it
Explain that anything shared online or by mobile phone could end up being seen by anyone
Ensure computers and laptops are used where you can see and not out of sight in a bedroom
Use parental settings, filtering software, and privacy setting to block inappropriate sites and content