Bowdon
Church School
Online Safety
Online 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 online safety is to protect young people from the adverse consequences of access to or use of electronic media.
Online safety is taught at school through assemblies, class discussions and online resources, which have been carefully chosen to be appropriate for the year group. Online 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 online safety issues at home and hope that the following resources are helpful.
Tips to build good digital habits early
For children there are new opportunities and new challenges when it comes to the digital world.
Help them get the most out of the technology around them by building good online safety habits now.
Follow this link for video clips with advice from psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos Using digital at primary school and real experiences from a parent, child and teacher.
Learn from others and their experience of digital at primary school.
Follow this link for the parents’ guide: A Parent’s Guide to Discovering Digital at Primary School. From internetmatters.org
Recommended website for 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.
This article explores the rise of AI algorithms and includes a video clip about the affect these might have https://www.vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/smart-living/digital-parenting/parents-join-our-campaign-against-ai-aggro-rithms/
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+.
In recent years 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/
TikTok is a short-form mobile video platform available in 150 countries around the world. 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 amongst 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
https://smartsocial.com/tiktok-app-guide-parents/