6 essentials to keep your kids safe online
The internet is amazing, children can play, learn, create and connect online.
But before you wrap-up that special gift this christmas, remember that being online comes with risks too.
Follow this list to help keep your kids safe online:
- Use parental controls to block upsetting or harmful content, control in-app purchases or manage how long your child spends online.They're really easy to set up, more info about setting controls on mobiles, tablets, home broadband, games consoles, apps, wifi, films, music and TV is on the NSPCC web pages, and there's a useful helpline number too.
- Regularly remind your kids not to give out personal information, like their address, phone number, school name or email address. It can be easy to forget with live streaming videos (like youtube) that anyone could be watching, and it's important not to give away too much imformation about themselves.
- Get to know the games, apps and social media sites they use. Learn how to use them yourself and how their privacy, block and reporting settings work.
- Make sure they know that people aren't always who they say they are online and that they don’t accept friend requests from people they don’t know (even if the person has mutual friends, it doesn’t mean they can be trusted).
- Talk about the risks of sharing photos online or sending them to others.
- Let them know that you're listening and want to know if anything at all makes them feel uncomfortable online, no matter what.
Video produced by Staffordshire Police which talks you through setting parental controls on PS4.
Need to know more?
These are the places we've found the best advice and guidance: