E-Safety
E-Safety at school
E-safety is a term which means not only the internet but other ways in which young people communicate using electronic media, e.g. laptops, tablets, mobile phones and games consoles. It means ensuring that children and young people are protected from harm and supported to achieve the maximum benefit from new and developing technologies without risk to themselves or others.
The aim of promoting e-safety is to protect young people from the adverse consequences of access or use of electronic media.
E-safety is taught at school through assemblies, class discussions and online resources, which have been carefully chosen to be appropriate for the year group. E-safety lessons are part of our computing curriculum and are considered to be important to keep our children safe.
We would like to strongly encourage parents to also discuss e-safety issues at home and hope that the following resources are helpful.
Updates and Alerts for Parents and Carers
Keeping children safe from algorithms
Online sites such as YouTube use algorithms (computer programming) to recommend videos to watch based on your viewing habits
Research has shown that these algorithms can push users towards increasingly extreme content
Far-right and ‘incel’ content is also easily accessible on sites such as Reddit, Instagram, TikTok, Discord and Twitch
Be mindful of what pupils are doing online
Encourage critical thinking when faced with targeted adverts and algorithms
ROBLOX
Roblox is a popular online game-creating system where children create and publish games, and play other users’ games
It is relatively easy for children to see content that isn’t age-appropriate
Strangers can contact children – there have been recent news articles about grooming via Roblox
Children can easily lose a large amount of real-world money
Be aware of conversations about Roblox, and remind pupils to be careful when talking to strangers online
These links are useful and provide additional information
https://www.childnet.com/blog/roblox-a-guide-for-parents
https://www.internetmatters.org/blog/parental-controls/gaming-consoles/roblox-parental-controls/
TIK TOK and 13+ Apps
In our fast changing world children are spending increasing amounts of time online. Carefully managed, there are many positives about the skills children can learn while using the internet, but we are increasingly concerned in school that some children report being online after 9pm and many have access to Apps that are designed to be used only by age 13+.
We have noticed an increasing number of children are coming into school overtired during the week, unable to concentrate. Through discussions it has become clear that a common reason for this is due to time spent on digital devices and gaming.
From age-specific online safety checklists to guides on how to set parental controls on a range of devices, you’ll find a host of practical tips to help children get the most out of their digital world on this website https://www.internetmatters.org/
We also have a page on the school website https://www.bowdoncs.org.uk/parental-guides/
Please can we particularly draw your attention to TikTok - see below
TikTok is a short-form mobile video platform now available in 150 countries around the world. Its popularity has quickly spread and of course children are keen to get involved. We know from conversations in school that many are already involved in this app so we wanted to draw your attention to advice on how to keep your children safe. TikTok is a make-your-own music video app that is now one of the top most downloaded apps in the world. It’s wildly popular among teens and young adults who enjoy creating short lip-sync videos to share on the popular social media platform. Parents should know there are lots of safety and privacy concerns with TikTok.
The TikTok app has a range of features that can enhance your experience on the app and make it safer and more creative. However, like other similar apps, the minimum age for users is 13. To read more information please follow these links so you are informed about the risks