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Most games consoles have internet access, which means your child can go online and chat with other players or make in-game purchases. On many consoles there are parental controls which allow you to manage which features are available to your child. On some devices you can:

turn off chat functions to stop your child from talking to people they don't know

restrict games based on age

turn off in-game purchases, or set a limit.

Check the website for the console your child has for a parents section and details of features. Some games also allow you to change settings for that individual game.
PlayStation Family Management
On PlayStation consoles you can set up a Family Manager account which allows you to manage different accounts for different children/users. Within this you can manage a range of features, such as restricting communication with other players, restricting content, setting play time controls and set spending limits. See all the features available for PS4 and for PS5.

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If you're worried about what your child's searching for or seeing online, we can help you to set up parental controls and keep them safe.

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Online Safety Videos - Knowsley City Learning Centres

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Knowsley City Learning Centres provide a range of creative media, educational support, teacher CPD and computing curriculum lesson ideas for schools.

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UK Safer Internet Centre Technology in the home

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UK Safer Internet Centre Technology in the home

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Parents and Carers - UK Safer Internet Centre

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Tips, advice, guides and resources to help keep your child safe online

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Help your teen stay safe on WhatsApp | WhatsApp Help Center

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Introducing parent-managed accounts on WhatsApp

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WhatsApp is the trusted way families communicate because it’s simple, private, and reliable.

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The minimum age to create a child account varies by country. Please refer to this list.

Some features are only available on PS4 or PS5.

PlayStation Terms of Service are viewable at https://www.playstation.com/legal/psn-terms-of-service/.

"PlayStation", "PlayStation Family Mark", "PlayStation Family", "PS5", and "PS4" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

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customise privacy settings for playstation

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download playstation family app for ios and android

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control spending limits on playstation store

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Stay informed about and involved in your child's gameplay by managing playtime, spending, messaging and more with the free PlayStation Family app. Keep track of your child's gaming at-a-glance with intuitive activity reports, simple parental controls and real-time info direct to your phone.

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Measures to improve your child’s Minecraft experience

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Tips to help children stay safe on social media

Review the location settings - Remind them, and explain why, they shouldn't share location on posts, or public forums and chats, videos or with people they don't know. Review the location settings on their favourite app or game and talk to them about what they're sharing online.

Sometimes it might be appropriate for your child to share their location with a trusted adult or friend. For example, if they're travelling home alone or arranging to meet a group of friends outside school, then it can be a good way to help keep them safe.
Remember: If children share their location publicly, it could be seen by someone they don't know. This can increase the risk of cyberbullying, stalking or unwanted contact (from friends or others) or becoming a target.

Get to know the safety and privacy settings - Explore the safety and privacy settings on any app, to decide which are right to use for your child. Each app has slightly different ways to set up an account, but most have the option to set an account to private, to not allow friend requests, and to hide the user's location. Explain these settings to your child and the reasons for having them in place.

Age ratings and features - Get to know the age ratings of the apps that your child uses. Many have a minimum age of 13 years old to be able to sign up, but you should check the age rating of individual apps to make sure.

Don't forget that you know your child best, and you might decide that they need to be a little bit older before it's suitable for them.

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Review the location settings - Remind them, and explain why, they shouldn't share location on posts, or public forums and chats, videos or with people they don't know. Review the location settings on their favourite app or game and talk to them about what they're sharing online.

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Learn how to set up parental controls. Manage your child’s spending, content filters, screen time, Connections, and more.

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BASICS OF MINECRAFT

Minecraft is a game made up of blocks in an ever-expanding 3D world. These blocks can be broken and used to construct whatever you can imagine. A statue of your pet? Check! A grand castle? Definitely doable! A small hut made of dirt blocks? Perfection!

Adventure awaits around every chunk, with all sorts of different biomes (Minecraft landscapes) and creatures spread throughout the world. You can survive the night or build a work of art - there are no goals, so how you want to spend your time is up to you.

There are two different versions of Minecraft: Java Edition and Bedrock Edition. These two editions differ somewhat from each other in the sense that they are available on different platforms and offer different services. For example, in Bedrock Edition, you can access Minecraft Marketplace - a hub of purchasable maps, skins, and mini-games bought with the currency Minecoins, all of which are curated to ensure quality and safety.

To learn more about these two versions and which one is best suited for you, check out the guide "The difference between Java and Bedrock Edition".

Game modes

Minecraft can be played in both single-player (offline and alone) and multiplayer (online, with the ability to play with other players). Both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition have multiplayer turned off by default on child accounts. To enable multiplayer, read more in our Java guide and Bedrock guide. Both modes are equally fun and it all comes down to personal preference: single-player allows you to experience the world at your own pace, and multiplayer is a great way to connect with both family and friends through couch co-op and distant play.

There are also two different play modes: Creative mode, which focuses on the building aspects of Minecraft, and Survival mode, which puts emphasis on survival with mechanics such as hunger and health.

Age rating

The game has a recommended PEGI rating of 7 and an ESRB rating of Everyone 10+. However, Minecraft has players of all ages, and if you play with your child, you might find yourself enthralled by Minecraft's blocky charm.

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Bring the fun of Minecraft into your family with this Minecraft Parents' Guide. Learn about the Minecraft age rating, parental controls, what keeps Minecraft safe for kids, how to buy the game, and more.

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Supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

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Supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

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Managing their time on social media

It can be easy to lose track of time spent while scrolling through the latest updates on social media. There are a number of social apps and tools that allow review or set limits of the time spent on these platforms. Below are just a few you can encourage children and young people to use.

Instagram - Your Activity allows you to pause notifications, set limits, and see how much time you've spent on an app

Your Time on Facebook - allows you to manage notifications, set time limits, and review time spent on the app

In addition to these tools, there are in-built screen time tools on Apple and Android devices and all game consoles that can help both you to keep an eye on how they are spending their screen time.

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Get advice and guidance to empower children and young people with SEND stay safe while connecting and sharing on social media and other platform.

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Online Safety Hub: Supporting Children with SEND

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Online Safety Hub: Supporting Children with SEND

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Advice for parents & carers - Connecting safely online

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Supporting neurodiverse children with online safety

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Supporting neurodiverse children with online safety

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These resources provide topics and suggestions for starting and having discussions with neurodiverse young people about their online experiences. The films explore the challenges that neurodiverse young people may face online with regards to rigid thinking, discerning who or what is truthful online and situations that can lead to strong emotions.

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These resources provide topics and suggestions for starting and having discussions with neurodiverse young people about their online experiences. The films explore the challenges that neurodiverse young people may face online with regards to rigid thinking, discerning who or what is truthful online and situations that can lead to strong emotions.

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Skip to content

Resources

A collection of five stories created to help parents and teachers educate children aged 3-7 about online safety, with accompanying teaching activities.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.

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The Digiduck® collection has been created to help parents and teachers educate children aged 3 - 7 about online safety. The collection includes a ebooks, PDFs, a poster and an interactive app.

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Created as part of Childnet's work in the UK Safer Internet Centre, the newly published hot topic looks at Digital Wellbeing, giving guidance to parents about the impact that the online world can have on the lives of children and young people.

What is digital wellbeing?

Our overall wellbeing is determined by the physical and emotional experiences we have on a daily basis. As technology continues to be such a huge part of our lives, from the way we represent who we are to the interactions we have with others, it too has an impact on our wellbeing. This is often referred to as your 'digital wellbeing' or 'online wellness.'

It is essentially about having an awareness of how being online can make us feel and looking after ourselves and others when online. This can include recognising the impact being online can have on our emotions, mental wellbeing and even on our physical health and knowing what to do if something goes wrong.

Supporting children at different ages

As technology plays an ever increasing role in the lives of young people, it is important that we help them to understand how to use it safely, sensibly and with an awareness of how it can impact on them.

We have created guidance for parents and carers to help them support children and young people across different age groups. There is age specific guidance for parents of:

Advice for each age bracket includes include information about how the age group are interacting with the internet, top tips to help you support the young people at this age, and ideas to help you start a conversation about digital wellbeing.

Further Hot Topics

Our Hot Topics for parents cover a range of the issues that are affecting young people online, these include:

Visit www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/hot-topics to see the list of topics we have covered.

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Digital wellbeing - Guidance for parents | Childnet

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Created as part of Childnet's work in the UK Safer Internet Centre, the newly published hot topic looks at Digital Wellbeing, giving guidance to parents about the impact that the online world can have on the lives of children and young people.

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How can going online affect our wellbeing?

There are lots of positives for children being online, however there can be negatives too. For some it can become overwhelming trying to keep up with friends, and the pressure can mount.

Many things can impact our online wellbeing, and you can take control of the choices made to reduce any negativity. Being aware of the impact of being online, just like you would be aware of the impact of offline activities, is the first step to managing your children's online wellbeing.

We can:

manage the content that our children see,

ensure interactions are suitable

and manage how long they're online, in balance with other activities.

There are several things you can do to help support a child with their wellbeing online, including specific apps, and looking at settings.

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Get advice on helping children to manage their mental wellbeing when they're online.

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Family Sharing lets up to six family members share Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud storage and more. All without sharing accounts.

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My Family’s Digital Toolkit - tailored online safety advice | Internet Matters

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Every child is different with their own online interests and activities. We created a simple tool to provide tailored advice to meet family’s digital needs.

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Google Family Group - Stay Connected with a Family Account

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Share the products that you love with the people that you love. Set digital ground rules, keep your family entertained, and get more from your products and subscriptions across Google.

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supporting preschoolers online nought to

fives

more and more preschoolers now have

their own devices

and if they don't they're probably using

shared devices

here's what you can do to make sure they

have a great time online

and don't stumble across things you

wouldn't want them to see or hear

whilst it's always best to supervise

young children online

there are lots of free tools that you

can use to help you set

up devices safely parental controls on

your home broadband are free and easy to

set up

they allow you to control the websites

your child can access

most popular devices and apps also have

inbuilt controls to help you decide

what your child can access and set rules

around when they should be using them

and for how long make sure to use secure

passwords when setting up any parental

controls

and even if your child is not using them

turn on safe search on google and

restricted mode on youtube to filter out

inappropriate content

our setup safe guides walk you through

the steps

so you can get set up in just a few

minutes

not all screen time is created equal so

it's important to ensure your child has

a balanced diet of activities

both online and offline that can help

them develop key skills and have fun

it's very important that screens are not

displacing or disrupting sleep

face-to-face friendships or physical

exercise

where possible their screen time is best

spent together with you

choose a variety of safe and educational

online games and apps to play with your

child

so that you'll feel more comfortable

with them exploring

make use of websites and platforms

designed specifically for preschoolers

like cbb's youtube kids nick jr

and use age ratings and reviews in the

app store to check app suitability

it's never too early to start setting

boundaries as a family

set some rules around how and when

devices should be used at home

and while you're out and about this will

encourage your child to develop

good digital habits and give you the

opportunity to make sure they are using

devices positively and with purpose

it's important to talk with your

children about what they enjoy doing

online

take the time to have regular chats

about their safety helping them

understand what they should watch out

for online

reassure them if they see or hear

anything online that upsets them

they will not be in trouble and they

should come and talk to you about it

because safety on the internet matters

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Pre-school (0-5) online safety tips and advice | Internet Matters. Help pre-schoolers get the best out of the internet and understand staying safe online.

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Find out how to create your child's account and add them as a family member, how to add an adult account, and what the family manager can do.

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LEARN MORE PLAY VIDEO

Set good screen time habits

Enjoy time played, while ensuring a healthy balance. With screen time you can manage how long your kids play games and watch shows on your Xbox consoles and Windows devices.

Shop with smart limits

Games and add-ons can be easily purchased from the Microsoft Store on Xbox consoles and Windows devices. Use purchase management tools to help avoid unexpected surprises.

Help keep your family safe online with privacy tools

Xbox includes multiplayer games and the ability to interact and chat with other players. Choose what personal information others can see and who is permitted to engage with you and your children. Access these settings from your Xbox consoles or account.xbox.com/settings.

LEARN MORE

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Xbox family settings: peace of mind for parents | Xbox

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Help make gaming safe and enjoyable for your family. Define what's okay for your family with privacy, safety and more Xbox family settings.

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What Is a Nintendo Account Family Group?

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Information: A Nintendo Account family group allows up to 8 Nintendo Account users to connect together in one group.

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Nintendo Switch Parental Controls | Nintendo Switch Support | Nintendo

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This page explains the features of the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls smartphone app.

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A simple and effective way to get involved with your children and their lives online is through discussion. By maintaining an open dialogue with your child and encouraging them to talk to you about their internet use parents can help children access the amazing resources the internet has to offer whilst keeping them safe online.

Conversation starter ideas

1. Ask your children to tell you about the sites they like to visit and what they enjoy doing online.

2. Ask them about how they stay safe online. What tips do they have for you, and where did they learn them? What is OK and not OK to share?

3. Ask them if they know where to go for help, where to find the safety advice, privacy settings and how to report or block on the services they use.

4. Encourage them to help. Perhaps they can show you how to do something better online or they might have a friend who would benefit from their help and support.

5. Think about how you use the internet as a family. What could you do to get more out of the internet together and further enjoy your lives online?

Resources to help start the conversation

Our family agreement provides a framework that will help families set clear expectations for positive and safe internet use.

Let's Talk About Life Online is a short leaflet for parents and carers designed to support productive and postive conversations.

Talking about difficult topics

Often children and young people can see the internet as a source of information and knowledge when they have important questions about their lives, bodies and the world around them and their internet use can raise the need to have a conversation about some very difficult topics.

We understand that talking about these issues can be a daunting prospect for many parents but it is important to remember that you are the best people for your children to talk to. Below you can find links to some great organisations with more advice on how to tackle these difficult topics.

Helpful links for having difficult conversations

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A simple and effective way to get involved with your children and their lives online is through discussion. By maintaining an open dialogue with your child and encouraging them to talk to you about their internet use parents can help children access the amazing resources the internet has to offer whilst keeping them safe online.

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A problem hiding in plain sight

A new report into how children are spending, making and losing money online
Read more

Technology moves fast. We have tools and advice to help keep up.
Read more

Every family needs support sometimes. Here's how we do it.
Read more

Explore our range of products and resources.

Read more

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Parent Zone is a parenting organisation working to make the online world a safer, more positive place for families and children. Explore the ways Parent Zone can help your family, school or organisation understand online safety.

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NSPCC: Talking to your children about online safety

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NSPCC: Talking to your children about online safety

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Online life and offline life is just life

For many of us, we see our online lives and offline lives as different, but children are growing up with technology and the internet and for them there isn't a difference; online life and offline life is just life.

Technology can move at an extraordinarily fast pace and it can be difficult to know how to start talking to your child about what they're doing online, who they might be speaking to or discussing the potential risks and issues.

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Talking to your child about online safety

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Sometimes you might be worried about what your child's doing online or who they're speaking to, but not know how to talk to them about it. We've got advice to help.

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Your family’s go-to source for digital play | Official LEGO® Shop US

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Playing online should feel safe for everyone. Discover activities to help you and your kids explore the online world safely

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UK Safer Internet Centre: Having a healthy balance

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UK Safer Internet Centre: Having a healthy balance

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Think about quality over quantity

Research has found that there is no perfect amount of screen time. The right amount of screen time will be different for everyone, and will depend on your family's lifestyle. Instead, it is useful to think about screen time in terms of quality over quantity. Children might be enjoying a wide range of activities on their devices, like homework, online games, or socialising with friends. These positive uses of technology can really support young people's wellbeing. However, screen time should not replace sleeping, eating, exercise, or get in the way of hobbies that children already enjoy, and it's important for parents and carers to put practices in place to prevent this from happening, whether that's utilising screen time apps or updating screen time settings, found within platforms.

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Research has found that there is no perfect amount of screen time. The right amount of screen time will be different for everyone, and will depend on your family's lifestyle. Instead, it is useful to think about screen time in terms of quality over quantity.

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Screen time for babies and toddlers: how much? | NCT

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Many parents and caregivers use smartphones or tablets for babies or young children as an opportunity to get on with other things. Or they might find watching TV together is something fun or relaxing to do when they’re tired.

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Advice for young people on livestreaming

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UK Safer Internet Centre: Staying safe when broadcasting

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UK Safer Internet Centre: Staying safe when broadcasting

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Discuss protection of privacy

Livestreaming is a way to share video content as it is happening and unlike pre-recorded material, cannot be edited. It is important for young people to understand how personal information can be easily given out through a livestream, whether it's through something in the background or through something that's accidentally said during the stream. Be aware that viewers may be able to record or copy parts of the stream even after it has finished. Raise awareness around protecting information and ensuring their privacy is always a focus before going live.

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Livestreaming - UK Safer Internet Centre

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Livestreaming is a way to share video content as it is happening and unlike pre-recorded material, cannot be edited. It is important for young people to understand how personal information can be easily given out through a livestream, whether it's through something in the background or through something that's accidentally said during the stream.

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NSPCC Livestreaming and online video apps

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NSPCC Livestreaming and online video apps

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Being behind a screen and a feeling of anonymity may result in children feeling less inhibited or shy. They might end up sharing personal and private information, or acting in a way that they wouldn't act in the real world in front of people.

Talk to your child about this and give them examples of things they shouldn't be sharing, such as age, location, date of birth, telephone number etc. You can help by:

reminding your child not to share any personal information online, like where they live or go to school. Remember to explain that where they're livestreaming could give this information away

making sure their location settings are switched off, so that they're not able to share their location with anyone

talking to your child about the things that they can safely share, like their interests and hobbies.

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Learn what livestreaming and online video apps are and why young people use them. We've got advice to help you understand the challenges and keep your child safe.

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Social Media has clear set age ratings. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, Wink, Discord all have an age rating of 13+. Whatsapp has an age rating of 16+ but 13+ with parental consent.

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What age can my child start social networking?

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What age can my child start social networking?

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Many sites include an instant message function that allows private conversations between site members.

Most social networking sites have an app version available, meaning your child will have access to the social network from their smartphone or tablet. Some app versions of social networks use the location of the phone.

Information shared between friends can be easily copied and may spread.

It isn't easy to take back information that has been posted - and can be impossible if it's already been shared.

Not everyone your child meets online will be who they say they are. Chatrooms and forums can connect people who are complete strangers and can be unmoderated.

Chatrooms and forums are some of the places online groomers go to connect with children. They can also be places where people use a lot of sexual language and engage in online flirting. This is sometimes done through video chat programs.

Here are some age-appropriate social media apps for younger kids that you may find useful.

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What age can my child start social networking? | Internet Matters

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Many sites include an instant message function that allows private conversations between site members. Most social networking sites have an app version available, meaning your child will have access to the social network from their smartphone or tablet. Some app versions of social networks use the location of the phone.

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Social media guides - UK Safer Internet Centre

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Find out more about the safety features available on popular social networks.

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Brief summary of why children use social media

Social networking is hugely popular. Many young people are sophisticated in the way they use social media apps and websites, tailoring their communication for different audiences, and accessing them from a range of devices including smartphones, tablets, and games consoles.

But social media, like all forms of public communication, comes with some risks. Not all of these risks turn into actual problems; and if children never face any risks, they never learn how to deal with them. By helping your child understand what the risks are, you can play a big part in preventing them from turning into problems.

Understand the risks children may need to deal with

What they could see or do:

Seeing or sharing of violent, sexual and pornographic content

Inaccurate or false information and extreme views

Promotion of harmful behaviours including self-harm, anorexia and suicide

Over-sharing of personal information

Actively or unintentionally getting involved in bullying or hurtful behaviour

How this could affect them:

Fear of missing out leading to excessive use or exaggeration

Getting upset by things they have seen and being uncertain about what to do

Engaging, or being pressured into engaging in more risky behaviour either by accident or by design

Developing unrealistic, and perhaps depressing ideals of body image and gender

Becoming subject to peer pressure or interactions that are intense or too difficult to handle

Creating an online reputation that may create problems for them in the future

Who they might meet:

- Mischief-making

- Sexual grooming and stalking

- Blackmail and extortion

- Identity theft and hacking

Practical tips to help minimise the risks your child might face

It's good practice for apps and websites to have safety advice and well-designed safety features which can make a real difference to how safe your child will be when using them.

Work through safety and privacy features on the apps that your child is using, or might use. Make sure they understand the point of these and how to use them. Don't be put off by believing your child knows more than you: the tools are actually quite easy to manage.

Ask them to show you which social media apps they use and what they like about them. Talk about how they use them and what makes them so engaging.

Explain how you can use privacy settings to make sure only approved friends can see posts & images.

Check if any of their apps have 'geo-location' enabled, sharing their location unintentionally.

Show them how to report offensive comments or block people who upset them.

Check 'tagging' settings so that when others are posting or sharing photos online, your child's identity is not revealed. Also, get people's consent before sharing photos.

Encourage your child to come and talk to you if they see anything that upsets them.

Keep talking and stay involved

In a mobile age, children can't be completely protected, even by the best privacy controls; another child may use different settings. So it's important to keep talking to your child about the implications of social media. Getting a sense of what they think is a useful place to start; you may be surprised by how much thought they may have given to the issues.

Encourage your child to think carefully about the way they, and others behave online, and how they might deal with difficult situations.

People may not always be who they say they are online: how can this create problems?

Why is it unwise to meet anyone in the real world that you've only ever met online?

Even if you think your messages are private, remember that words and images can always be captured and broadcast.

People present themselves differently online - do they really look like that? Are they always having that good a time?

Be aware that screens, and especially being anonymous, can lead people to say things they wouldn't say to someone's face.

What does being a good friend and a likable person online look like?

There can be pressure to be part of a particular group online or to be seen to be following a certain set of ideas. How can you take a step back and make your own decisions?

Concerned about online grooming or sexual behaviour online? Contact CEOP: www.ceop.police.uk

If you stumble across criminal sexual or obscene content on the internet you should report it to the Internet Watch Foundation: www.iwf.org.uk

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UKCIS Social media guide for parents and carers - Internet Matters

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Brief summary of why children use social media Social networking is hugely popular. Many young people are sophisticated in the way they use social media apps and websites, tailoring their communication for different audiences, and accessing them from a range of devices including smartphones, tablets, and games consoles.

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NSPCC: Helping Children Stay Safe on Social Media

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NSPCC: Helping Children Stay Safe on Social Media

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Tips to help children stay safe on social media

Review the location settings - Remind them, and explain why, they shouldn't share location on posts, or public forums and chats, videos or with people they don't know. Review the location settings on their favourite app or game and talk to them about what they're sharing online.

Sometimes it might be appropriate for your child to share their location with a trusted adult or friend. For example, if they're travelling home alone or arranging to meet a group of friends outside school, then it can be a good way to help keep them safe.
Remember: If children share their location publicly, it could be seen by someone they don't know. This can increase the risk of cyberbullying, stalking or unwanted contact (from friends or others) or becoming a target.

Get to know the safety and privacy settings - Explore the safety and privacy settings on any app, to decide which are right to use for your child. Each app has slightly different ways to set up an account, but most have the option to set an account to private, to not allow friend requests, and to hide the user's location. Explain these settings to your child and the reasons for having them in place.

Age ratings and features - Get to know the age ratings of the apps that your child uses. Many have a minimum age of 13 years old to be able to sign up, but you should check the age rating of individual apps to make sure.

Don't forget that you know your child best, and you might decide that they need to be a little bit older before it's suitable for them.

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Review the location settings - Remind them, and explain why, they shouldn't share location on posts, or public forums and chats, videos or with people they don't know. Review the location settings on their favourite app or game and talk to them about what they're sharing online.

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Help children stay safe on chat apps

Messaging and chat apps are a great way for a child to stay in touch with their friends and family but it's important both of you are comfortable with who they're talking to.

Talk to your child about who they're chatting to and how they know them. Remind them to be conscious of who they're sharing personal information with and not to share information with people they haven't met before. This includes information like their name, location, email, phone number and school name.

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Find out about different chat apps like WhatsApp and Kik, and how to help young people use them safely.

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Snapchat is a popular messaging app that allows you to send and receive pictures and videos (called a Snap) to users. Snap Inc is the developer of the app and also creates other products such as Snapchat Spectacles.

It is available for both Android and iOS users and is free to download.

How does Snapchat work?

It was initially a private photo-sharing app, but since then has grown to include short videos, games, video chat, messaging, a place to store photos, and more.

Each Snap shared with your followers is temporary and is available for 24 hours - or unless you delete it and you can set the Snaps between a 1-10 limit or not limit at all. You can also add different filters, lenses, emojis, and text to your Snap.

As well as the above, Snapchat has a 'Discovery' and 'Spotlight area.

The Discovery feature - works as a newsfeed featuring content from news publishers and also well-known people.

The Spotlight feature - working like TikTok, Spotlight is a dedicated tab in Snapchat for promoting short viral videos. The Spotlight feature will use an algorithm to recommend the 'most engaging' posts to watch based on what a user is interested in.

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Snapchat safety: A how to guide for parents | Internet Matters

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Snapchat is a popular messaging app that allows you to send and receive pictures and videos (called a Snap) to users. Snap Inc is the developer of the app and also creates other products such as Snapchat Spectacles. It is available for both Android and iOS users and is free to download.

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Snapchat was intentionally designed to be different from traditional social media, with an emphasis on enhancing communications with close friends and family in an environment that prioritises their safety and privacy. Learn how Snapchat works, the key protections we offer for teens, and how to use our safety tools.

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Deciding if a game is appropriate

There are four main things that you can consider to help you decide if a game's appropriate for your child to play:

Check the content of the game and any chat function:
Content within games is regulated and rated into age groups based on elements within the game such as sex, violence, gambling, drugs, in-app purchases etc. There are lots of different age ratings around the world, such as PEGI used in the UK. Always check the age rating to help you decide to allow your child to download or play a game - this is normally visible next to the game title within gaming and app stores.

Consider who your child could have contact with whilst using the game:
Consider any communication channels and if there are settings to turn off or limit chat functions. There can be different types of communications, e.g. group chat or private chat.

Communication in a game can increase the risk of bullying (sometimes referred to as being 'griefed' within gaming), being contacted by people they don't know and potentially groomed or exploited. Many games have a means of communication which includes private messaging and private chat. Look out for:

words like 'whisper' or 'private' next to messages if your child is playing in multiplayer games (especially if they are playing with people they don't know offline)

and any suggestion of taking the conversation to other messaging platforms.

Does the game affect your child's behaviour?
The behaviour of your child could be affected by some games, it can include bullying or 'griefing' others, trolling or other inappropriate behaviour. Very intensive games can result in short-term bad behaviour such as poor temper or 'ragequitting', which is getting so upset they stop playing immediately. Ensuring a game's suitability can help, as can limiting playing time.

Does the game have in-app purchasing?
In-app purchases normally enhance the game or gameplay, for example skins (design of the character or weapon) or loot boxes (treasure chests, but you don't always know what is in them). There can often be considerable pressure on children to be unique within their games (new skins) or to be better than others (purchasing power-ups). You should consider settings to turn off in-app purchases, or set a spending limit on the device or app.

Children need to be aware of scams involving free in-game currency (e.g. V-Bucks in Fortnite, or Robux in Roblox). Scam text messages, forum posts and videos may have content advertising free in-game currency. But they're often scams, designed to coax the player into revealing their gamer tag (username) and password in return for currency. This is known as a 'phishing' scam.

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Advice for parents to understand the risks of online games, why children play them and how to help your child play safely.

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Internet Matters: What are the risks of online gaming?

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Internet Matters: What are the risks of online gaming?

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A parents guide to Fortnite: Battle Royale - UK Safer Internet Centre

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In this blog we are giving guidance to parents about Fortnite, looking at what the game is and some of the things to be aware of.

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UK Safer Internet Centre: Fortnite, a parents guide

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UK Safer Internet Centre: Fortnite, a parents guide

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A parents guide to Fortnite: Battle Royale - UK Safer Internet Centre

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In this blog we are giving guidance to parents about Fortnite, looking at what the game is and some of the things to be aware of.

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NSPCC: Are online games safe for my child?

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NSPCC: Are online games safe for my child?

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Deciding if a game is appropriate

There are four main things that you can consider to help you decide if a game's appropriate for your child to play:

Check the content of the game and any chat function:
Content within games is regulated and rated into age groups based on elements within the game such as sex, violence, gambling, drugs, in-app purchases etc. There are lots of different age ratings around the world, such as PEGI used in the UK. Always check the age rating to help you decide to allow your child to download or play a game - this is normally visible next to the game title within gaming and app stores.

Consider who your child could have contact with whilst using the game:
Consider any communication channels and if there are settings to turn off or limit chat functions. There can be different types of communications, e.g. group chat or private chat.

Communication in a game can increase the risk of bullying (sometimes referred to as being 'griefed' within gaming), being contacted by people they don't know and potentially groomed or exploited. Many games have a means of communication which includes private messaging and private chat. Look out for:

words like 'whisper' or 'private' next to messages if your child is playing in multiplayer games (especially if they are playing with people they don't know offline)

and any suggestion of taking the conversation to other messaging platforms.

Does the game affect your child's behaviour?
The behaviour of your child could be affected by some games, it can include bullying or 'griefing' others, trolling or other inappropriate behaviour. Very intensive games can result in short-term bad behaviour such as poor temper or 'ragequitting', which is getting so upset they stop playing immediately. Ensuring a game's suitability can help, as can limiting playing time.

Does the game have in-app purchasing?
In-app purchases normally enhance the game or gameplay, for example skins (design of the character or weapon) or loot boxes (treasure chests, but you don't always know what is in them). There can often be considerable pressure on children to be unique within their games (new skins) or to be better than others (purchasing power-ups). You should consider settings to turn off in-app purchases, or set a spending limit on the device or app.

Children need to be aware of scams involving free in-game currency (e.g. V-Bucks in Fortnite, or Robux in Roblox). Scam text messages, forum posts and videos may have content advertising free in-game currency. But they're often scams, designed to coax the player into revealing their gamer tag (username) and password in return for currency. This is known as a 'phishing' scam.

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Advice for parents to understand the risks of online games, why children play them and how to help your child play safely.

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In the UK there is no specific legislation around cyberbullying. Certain types of cyberbullying could, however, fall under harassment or hate speech. Harassment and hate speech are considered criminal and are against the law. You should report harassment or hate speech to the police on 101.

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Report Harmful Content: Bullying or Harassment

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Report Harmful Content: Bullying or Harassment

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This can include hurtful language which targets an individual or group of people, trolling, spreading rumours and excluding people from online communities. In the case of harassment, the behaviour is repeated and intended to cause distress. Repeated harassment should be reported to the police.

Find out how to report bullying or harassment to commonly used social networking sites below:

Close popup boxes

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Designed and Developed by South West Grid for Learning (https://swgfl.org.uk/)

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This can include hurtful language which targets an individual or group of people, trolling, spreading rumours and excluding people from online communities. In the case of harassment, the behaviour is repeated and intended to cause distress. Repeated harassment should be reported to the police.

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Advice for parents and carers to help keep children safe from bullying, wherever it happens.

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UK Safer Internet Centre: Cyberbullying advice for parents 

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UK Safer Internet Centre: Cyberbullying advice for parents 

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We also need to support children in developing empathy and understanding the impact of their online actions. While it might be difficult to think about your child behaving negatively towards someone else, it's worth bearing in mind that sometimes young people find it hard to identify what bullying is and may just think the behaviour is 'banter' and to be expected. It's important they recognise what behaviour is acceptable and recognise how online actions can affect others. This can begin as soon as children start using technology; our storybook Digiduck's Big Decision helps even the youngest internet users develop this understanding.

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Cyberbullying - advice for parents and carers - UK Safer Internet Centre

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We also need to support children in developing empathy and understanding the impact of their online actions. While it might be difficult to think about your child behaving negatively towards someone else, it's worth bearing in mind that sometimes young people find it hard to identify what bullying is and may just think the behaviour is 'banter' and to be expected.

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NSPCC: Inappropriate or explicit content

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NSPCC: Inappropriate or explicit content

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CEOP is a law enforcement agency and is here to keep children and young people safe from sexual exploitation and abuse. Please complete the below to start your report to one of CEOP's Child Protection Advisors

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Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command

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Reporting terrorist or extremist activity

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Reporting terrorist or extremist activity

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Report possible terrorist or extremist activity | Action Counters Terrorism

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Have you seen or heard something that doesn’t feel right and may be terrorism related? Report it online instantly and anonymously at gov.uk/ACT

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Reporting harmful content. Helpline to remove the following types of online harm: bullying and harassment; impersonation; online abuse; pornography; self harm or suicide; threats; unwanted sexual advances; violent content

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Where is the content posted?

Before you submit a report to us it is essential that you have reported the material to the social media service directly using their online tools (at least 48 hours ago). You can find information on how to do this by clicking on the tabs below.

It is also important to remember that we can only submit reports on the following 8 harms:

Threats

Impersonation

Bullying & Harassment

Self-harm or Suicide

Online Abuse

Violent Content

Unwanted Sexual Advances

Pornographic Content

1. Hi there

2. I'm a chatbot here to support you in finding information and reporting content at a time that works for you

3. If you want me to help you with your issue, just click below

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Designed and Developed by South West Grid for Learning (https://swgfl.org.uk/)

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Before you submit a report to us it is essential that you have reported the material to the social media service directly using their online tools (at least 48 hours ago). You can find information on how to do this by clicking on the tabs below.

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Reporting fraud, cyber attacks or online crimes

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Reporting fraud, cyber attacks or online crimes

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Protect your community by reporting fraud, scams, and bad business practices

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Information for parents and carers about Childline and IWF’s Report Remove, a tool to help young people report unwanted images online.

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This service is one step you can take to help remove online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos taken before you were 18.

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Designed and Developed by South West Grid for Learning (https://swgfl.org.uk/)

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Stop Non-Consensual Intimate Image Abuse | StopNCII.org

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StopNCII.org is operated by the Revenge Porn Helpline which is part of SWGfL, a charity that believes that all should benefit from technology, free from harm.

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Eight practical ways parents and carers can support children

By learning more about AI, discussing it with your child and setting boundaries together, you can support children in practical ways as they navigate AI.

1. Explore the apps and websites your child uses

This can help you understand where AI is being used. Look for signs such as:

labels like 'AI-generated' or 'powered by AI'

fast responses that rely on short, focused prompts or commands

content that includes links or references to sources.

AI features may appear in games, homework tools, and creative platforms.

2. Talk about what AI can and can't do

Try explaining that AI can be helpful but doesn't always get things right. You could use questions like:

"Do you think this answer makes sense?"

"Why do you think this video was recommended?"

3. Watch out for AI-generated content

Help children spot signs of fake images or robotic language and encourage them to ask questions if something feels 'strange'. You could both look out for clues such as:

body parts that appear distorted, blurred, or out of proportion

movements that seem unnatural or don't match the context

backgrounds that look inconsistent or poorly blended.

While these are current signs something might be AI generated, as the technology advances it will become more challenging to spot the difference.

It's important to remind your child that not everything online is trustworthy, and encourage them to check where the information came from. Look for named sources, links to reputable websites, or signs that the content has been verified.

4. Explore AI tools together

You could try image generators, story builders, or educational games together, then talk about how these tools work and where they get their information.

5. Set boundaries and expectations

It can help to agree as a family on when it's okay to use AI for schoolwork and remind children that AI is a tool, not a replacement for learning or effort.

Setting clear boundaries around how AI should be used can help ensure children use it respectfully and safely.

Explain that using AI to bully, embarrass, or harm others (such as creating fake messages or images) is never acceptable. And reinforce that misuse of AI can have serious consequences, both socially and legally.

6. Help your child understand what's appropriate to share

Explain that AI tools are not the same as trusted adults. Encourage your child to:

avoid sharing personal details like their full name, address, school, or photos

use AI for creative ideas or learning, but not for advice on worries, feelings, or safety concerns

talk to you or another trusted adult instead of an AI tool If they feel upset, scared, or unsure about something online

get support from Childline. We have lots of online advice and our counsellors are available over the phone or by email or chat.

7. Model positive behaviour and critical thinking

Children learn a lot from how adults use technology. You can support responsible AI use by showing how you use these tools safely, respectfully, and with curiosity.

You could try thinking aloud. When using AI, ask questions like:

"Does this seem accurate?"

"Where did this information come from?"

"Is this a fair or respectful way to use this tool?"

Talking about digital ethics, such as fairness, honesty, and respect, can encourage reflection.

It's also helpful to promote help-seeking by reminding children they can speak to a trusted adult if something online feels wrong or confusing.

8. Know what to do if harmful or fake content is created about your child

If you discover abusive or fake AI-generated content involving your child, act quickly.

Take screenshots or save links as evidence.

Report the content to the platform where it appears using their reporting tools.

Together with your child, you can request for it to be removed from the internet through our Report Remove tool

If the content is threatening or illegal, contact the police and seek advice from your child's school or safeguarding lead.

Talk to your child calmly, reassure them it's not their fault, and explain the steps you're taking to protect them.

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Learn how to talk to children about artificial intelligence (AI) while empowering and protecting them.

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UK Safer Internet Centre: Top Tips for parents and carers

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UK Safer Internet Centre: Top Tips for parents and carers

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Top Tips for parents and carers - UK Safer Internet Centre

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Online Safety Tips, Advice and Resources

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Internet Matters: A parent's guide to AI

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Internet Matters: A parent's guide to AI

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This guide to artificial intelligence will take you through how you can use AI to support children in different ways. But what is AI?

Artificial intelligence is a field of study in computer science. It deals with creating machines that are 'intelligent' and can perform tasks like a human.

AI uses information from various sources to provide its information. So, while a tool like ChatGPT might seem intelligent, it is really simply following instructions and information given to it to respond.

Informally, someone might use the term AI or artificial intelligence to refer to the tools themselves.

Guide to AI tools

The following are some popular tools from our interactive guide to artificial intelligence. Learn more by exploring the full guide below.

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A parent's guide to artificial intelligence (AI) | Internet Matters

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Learn about popular AI tools and how you can use them to help your child and family build skills, develop creativity and have fun at home.