Birchgrove Primary School News Feed - Internet Safety Help Guides

10 Top Tips for Safely Using Smartwatches

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 14:09:57 GMT

Wearable tech is increasingly big business. More than 170 million smartwatches were sold globally in 2022, for example, with Apple biting off the largest chunk of the market (26% - some distance ahead of Samsung, in second with 9%). That's partly because they have more than 21,000 apps available for their devices, allowing users to customise their smartwatch experience.

Both Apple and Samsung’s products, of course, lean towards the higher spec end of the market – usually with price tags to match. Sourcing a less expensive alternative, however, often also means inferior safety features to protect young wearers. That’s just one of the potential hazards highlighted in our #WakeUpWednesday guide to smartwatches. In the guide you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as location tracking, causing distractions at school and the danger of theft.

Supporting Children to Deal with Upsetting Content

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 12:15:25 GMT

NOS #WakeUpWednesday guide contains some valuable pointers for supporting children to deal with upsetting content they’ve encountered online. Our tips will assist trusted adults in helping young people to process any negative emotions that they may be feeling.

More information here

What Parents and Carers Need to Know About Among Us

Wed, 4 Oct 2023 12:50:57 GMT

Among Us: fairly safe, or pretty sus? 👩‍🚀🚀 This scenario of spaceship crew members cooperating to complete tasks and uncover murderous alien imposters has garnered a sizeable and committed following with younger gamers 🎮

Though Among Us is presented in a (mainly) sanitised visual style, any children’s game which essentially foregrounds the concepts of deceit, betrayal and killing is always likely to cause some concerns. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide gets among it with Among Us.

What Parents & Carers Need to Know about WhatsApp

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:41:21 GMT

It’s a description of encryption proscription! 🔏👀 The world’s most popular instant messaging service, WhatsApp has been appearing in the headlines even more often than usual recently over its opposition to aspects of the UK government’s Online Safety Bill ⚖

Encrypting messages to protect users’ privacy has undeniable merit, but it also poses obvious risks – especially to young people. Updated to reflect the newest version of WhatsApp, today’s #WakeUpWednesday guide brings trusted adults the latest essential info.

Top Tips for Setting Boundaries around Gaming

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 14:34:09 GMT

Almost half (46%) of 8- to 11-year-olds in the UK play online video games with people that they don’t necessarily know 👤🎮 While 55% of parents of young gamers worry that their child might be pressured into making expensive in-game purchases 💸

What Parents And Carers Need to Know about Group Chats

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 11:37:00 GMT

A free online safety guide on group chats. Occurring through messaging apps, on social media and in online games, group chats are among the most popular ways that young people engage with their peers online. Involving, by definition, three or more individuals, these groups allow users to send messages, images and videos to everyone in one place. While they are useful for helping friends, people with shared interests or members of a club to communicate and coordinate activities, they can also leave young people feeling excluded and bullied – as well as providing opportunities for inappropriate content to be shared and viewed. In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as bullying, inappropriate content and unknown members.

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about OFCOM’s Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report 2023

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 15:06:06 GMT

This online safety guide highlights some of the key points from Ofcom’s 2023 Media Use and Attitudes report. It outlines statistics and trends such as the current most popular platforms for young people and the proportion of children in each age group who play online games.