SAFETY NET

Keeping children safe online isn’t an easy task, and it never has been. Now, in a world where even our fridges are connected to the internet, it feels like a monumental task to ensure that children can have access to the internet that allows them to learn and explore while still ensuring they are not at risk of being harmed or exploited or stumbling across content that is not suitable for them.

We as adults know how easy it is to disappear down the rabbit hole online, and how easy it is for people outwith our social groups to simply breeze into conversations with wildly inappropriate conversation points like they were personally invited in. The difference is that as adults, we often have a better understanding of the risks involved in our movements online: we know to check websites on places like Trustpilot when we need to know if it’s safe to shop there, or how to lock down our social accounts to ensure that only our circle of friends have access to it.

Research commissioned by Ofcom shows that a third of children between eight and 17 have signed up for a social media profile using a false date of birth, making themselves appear older and sometimes attempting to bypass the minimum ages that platforms like Twitter, Facebook and TikTok insist their users are to join, which can be as low as 13. Ofcom notes that this puts them at increased risk of encountering content which is not suitable for their age group, or that can be harmful to them. It also may give them access to features which are disabled for young users, which can include direct messaging and the ability to view adult content.

Technology moves fast, and sometimes as busy adults, it can feel impossible for us to keep up with what’s new and popular with younger people in tech circles. How can we ensure that our children are able to stay safe online while still using it as a social and educational tool?

There are lots of aspects built into technology by their creators that can help parents safely guide their children through an online space. Games, apps, search engines, even your wifi - all of these things may have parental controls which can help you ensure that your children are safer online. Video game consoles usually offer you the option to turn off chat functions, restrict children from playing games they’re too young for, and turn off the limit to purchase things in game to prevent your child from racking up mountains of credit card debt on your behalf. On PlayStation consoles, you can even limit the amount of time they spend playing games to provide more peace of mind. To protect your child while they’re browsing the internet, some internet providers - including Virgin and BT - allow you to filter the content that you can access online, with different user settings being available depending on who’s browsing. This means that website access can be restricted for your children but not for other users. Google Family Link is also a handy app that allows a master user to restrict content for other users, including approving or disapproving apps.

It’s also important to be able to have an honest conversation about the things we see online, and what our children are doing online. All the parental controls in the world can’t stop them from seeing content that they may react negatively to. Even we as adults are susceptible to falling for an edited picture on Instagram showing someone with the “perfect” body type, or posts that make us feel awful about ourselves. It’s important that we’re able to tell children that the things they see, hear and consume online might not be as true as they’re presented. Children also need to know that they can tell us about the things they experience online that make them uneasy or uncomfortable without judgement or anger. Having a trusted parent or guardian that they know will support them if they need help is key to ensuring that their online interactions are safe, and knowing who to turn to if they feel unsafe.

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Contact: Joel: 07801 573278 / Angus: 07765 256537 sales@sunkentrampolines.co.uk / www.sunkentrampolines.co.uk

Sunken Trampolines are the experts in providing trampoline solutions for schools, care institutions and families across the UK.