Online Safety

Christmas is nearly upon us and the National Online Safety Organisation have released their 12 top tips for children with new devices. 

APP Warnings

 

TELLONYM - a nasty app where bullying messages are sent but are anonymous

 

and

 

DOKEY DOKEY LITERATURE CLUB - 

 

A VIDEO game featuring "psychological horror" and suicide has been linked to the death of a 15-year-old schoolboy.

Police and teachers have warned parents about Doki Doki Literature Club. 

Described as a "visual novel", it features a boy who joins a high school poetry society and grows close to four teenage girls.

While it appears to be a cute "dating sim" game, it opens with the warning: "This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed."

Players follow the story and interact with the characters by chatting and writing poems.

The interactions take a dark turn as the girls become obsessive, and the story contains disturbing references to violence, self-harm and mental health issues and a scene in which a character's neck snaps.

The 'Digital Generation' guide has been developed as a quick way to get up to speed on issues and advice relevant to our children and the technology they use.

Fortnite

How Technology Impacts Sleep Quality

 

Please click on the link below for more information about how technology impacts on their sleep quality.

HMC report May 2017:

 

The survey – conducted via a mixed state and independent academy chain – reveals:

 

• Children’s biggest concern about being on-line is lack of sleep (47%) but only 19% of parents chose that as their biggest concern about their children.

• Parents’ biggest concern about their children being online is the impact on their social skills (32%) but only 10% of young people chose this about themselves. Addiction was the next biggest worry (26%) amongst parents with lack of sleep third

• Over a third of children thought parents’ biggest concern about their children’s device use would be lack of sleep (34%)

• 72% of students said they spent anything between 3 and 10 hours online on an average day during weekends and holidays. 11% said they were online during weekends and holidays between 10 and 15 hours a day. However, nearly half of students said they “wouldn’t mind” if all their devices were taken away for a weekend. Another 20% said they would feel ‘isolated’ and 11% would feel ‘panicky’.

• Over a third (36%) of children people say they have asked their parents to stop checking their mobile devices. Almost half of them (46%) say it makes no difference when they do so. However, under 10% of parents thought their time spent on devices was concerning their children.
• 22% of students felt that the use of mobile devices stopped their families from enjoying each other’s company and 82% of children say meal times should be device-free

• 95% of parents reported that they do not use mobile devices at meal-times (but 14% of children said their parents were on-line at meal-times and 42.44% of them felt ignored or annoyed by it)

• 43% of parents thought they spent too much of their own time online. 21% of parents report being online for 6-10 hours during an average working day and 37% say they are online between 3 and 5 hours a day at weekends. 5% are online between ten and 15 hours at weekends

• 72% of students said they spent anything between 3 and 10 hours on-line on an average day during weekends and holidays. 11% are online between 10 and 15 hours a day and 3% say they are online 16-20 hours a day during those periods.
• However, the majority of children don’t think their parents are concerned about the amount of time their children spend on mobile devices. 56% answered no to that question.

 

Breaking news: 22 April 2017:

 

The Blue Whale Challenge is about targeting vulnerable young persons on line and befriending them. Once their trust is gained they are set 50 challenges.  These are a variety of challenges that build upon the previous in terms of risk and severity.  The 50th challenge culminates in a dare to the vulnerable person to kill themselves. There have been reports of this happening.

 

Safeguarding Your Children – New APP

Parents worried their children are swapping inappropriate pictures and selfies with friends or even strangers online are being offered a smartphone app to automatically spot suspect images.

 

The firm behind Gallery Guardian says it uses sophisticated image recognition software to scan pictures appearing on a child’s mobile to detect naked skin, genitalia or breast exposure.

 

If the app spots a suspect image on the child’s phone, the parent is immediately sent an alert reading “suspicious image detected”.

Blackburn with Darwen have set up a website to advise on Internet Safety. We recommend that all parents/carers have a look. This will help you to stay aware of the dangers of the Internet and how to keep your child safe.

 

http://ipreventblackburn.org.uk/

 

http://www.lancashiresafeguarding.org.uk/online-safeguarding.aspx