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Staying Safe Online

Top Tips for Staying Safe Online

Keep it to Yourself - Don’t post any personal information online – like your address, email address or mobile number.
Think Before You Post - Think carefully before posting pictures or videos of yourself. Once you’ve put a picture of yourself online most people can see it and may be able to download it, it’s not just yours anymore.
Stay Private - Keep your privacy settings as high as possible.
Protect Your Devices - Never give out your passwords.
Stay Alert to Strangers - Don’t befriend people you don’t know. Don’t meet up with people you’ve met online. Speak to your parent or carer about people suggesting you do. Remember that not everyone online is who they say they are.
Think Carefully - Think carefully about what you say before you post something online. Your content could last forever and be publicly shared by others so don’t make statements or comments you could end up regretting. Remember that potential colleges or employers could find you online and form an impression of you.
Be Respectful - Respect other people’s views, even if you don’t agree with someone else’s views doesn’t mean you need to be rude.
Maintain Control - Stay in control of what you share. Do not allow others to use your accounts.
Do Not Create or Share Explicit Content - It's a criminal offence to create or share explicit images of a child, even if the person doing it is a child. If sexting is reported to the police, they will make a record but may decide not take any formal action against a young person.The production and distribution of sexting images involving anyone under the age of 18 is illegal and needs very careful management for all those involved.
Report Any Concerns - If you see something online that makes you feel uncomfortable, unsafe or worried: leave the website, turn off your computer if you want to and tell a trusted adult immediately.

Mobile Phone Safety

Remember if you are being bullied it isn’t your fault and there is nothing so awful that you can’t speak to someone about it. Talk to a trusted adult at home or at school.

Don’t reply to any nasty messages you receive.
Don’t reply to a text from someone you don’t know.
Keep the messages you have been sent so you can show them to a trusted adult and make a note of the time and date of the messages or calls you receive.
Don’t answer calls from withheld numbers or numbers you don’t recognise, let it go to voicemail.
Block numbers from people who are sending you nasty messages.
If you are bullied repeatedly you can consider changing your number.
Don’t give your mobile number to someone you don’t know.
Don’t send pictures to someone you don’t know.
If the problem is serious you can report it to the police or child line.

Online Bullying

Tell an adult you trust if you are being cyber bullied
Don’t respond or retaliate to bullying messages – it could make things worse
Block users who send you nasty messages
Save abusive emails or messages (or texts) you receive
Make a note of dates and times you receive bullying messages, as well as details you have of the user’s ID and the url.
Don’t pass on any cyberbullying videos or messages – this is cyberbullying
If you are bullied repeatedly change your user ID, or profile, and use a name that doesn’t give any information away about you
Visit www.familylives.org.uk – this is a website where trained counsellors can support you if you are being bullied, either by chatting online or by calling their free helpline.
Visit www.childline.org.uk/get-support/ to talk to someone at ChildLine or get online safety advice
Visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk/11_18/ - another very useful website for children and young people staying safe online
If you are receiving abusive texts or phone calls, call BullyBusters on 0800 169 6928 - they can get your number changed and put call blocks on your phone.

Reporting and removing abusive TikTok Videos

Since the recent issues highlighted around abusive content posted on TikTok, the Department for Education (DfE) have been engaging with TikTok on the action being taken to quickly remove content. TikTok have confirmed that the best way for schools to get content removed is to report it through the Professionals Online Safety Helpline – UK Safer Internet Centre.

Please speak to a member of the Safeguarding Team or a trusted adult at school who will be able to report an abusive Tik Tok video to the Professionals Online Safety Helpline on your behalf.

Some incidents may constitute a criminal offence and schools have a duty to report those they think may come into that category to the police.

National Online Safety

The National Online Safety website offers families a range of downloadable guides and advice for accessing online content and device use.

We recommend that our families browse the guides below:

Staying Safe Online

Top Tips for Staying Safe Online

Mobile Phone Safety

Online Bullying

Reporting and removing abusive TikTok Videos

National Online Safety

nos: guides on specific platforms

nos: Parental Controls and Important Conversations

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