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Home Learning Hub - Featured Resources - Safer Schools NI

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Featured Resources Looking for the latest in safeguarding news? Whether it be an upcoming Awareness week or newly released content, this frequently updated page is your one-stop-shop for contemporary, credible,

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Post Christmas Jan 2026 Parent Flyers - editable

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Post Christmas Jan 2026 Parent Flyers - editable (1)

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Cybersmile - advice for a range of issues such as cyberbullying, mental health, reputation management, social media

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Cybersmile - advice for a range of issues such as cyberbullying, mental health, reputation management, social media

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Get advice for a range of issues such as cyberbullying, mental health, reputation management, social media, and more.

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Cyberbullying resources for parents and teachers - UK Safer Internet Centre

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We have numerous resources, for both parents and for teachers and professionals, to help you if you think a young person is being bullied online.

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Bullying is a serious, long-standing social problem that now occurs in digital spaces as well as physical ones. But, contrary to what you might have heard or read, it isn't just a youth problem, it isn't getting worse, and it isn't more of a problem online than offline. Because of the rise of social media in the middle of the last decade, bullying and peer harassment have been getting a lot of news coverage, so - rather than increased bullying - what we're really seeing is increased attention to it and a lot more concern about it.

Thanks to increased research, we know more about the problem and what will help, and we're more motivated as a society to address it. We also know that the problem isn't the technology people use. Technology can help amplify it and create another "place" where it happens, but - just like bullying - cyberbullying is rooted in relationships, in how people interact in everyday life. As for young people, since they spend a lot of time in social media, their interaction - good, bad or neutral - happens in apps, texts, games and sites too.

What is cyberbullying?

Even though it has been around for ages, experts still haven't completely agreed on a definition of "bullying," much less cyberbullying, the digital version. There are elements that keep popping up in definitions, though, so that we're pretty clear on what it is not. It's not social drama, an argument, mean gossip, an impulsive expression of anger or a prank that's gone wrong but wasn't meant to. Any of these can be hurtful and sometimes they can turn into bullying, but cyberbullying is not just any form of mean behavior any more than bullying is in offline life.

Most experts agree that bullying and cyberbullying are forms of serious aggression, usually targeted and repeated. With cyberbullying, the repetition can be less personal but just as hurtful when shared widely, or even virally, by anonymous posters. By most definitions, both involve a real or perceived power imbalance that's physical, psychological and/or social. Although cyberbullying occurs in digital spaces and can be anonymous, there's usually a connection to offline life - for kids, school life.

Anonymity is more of a factor in cyberbullying than in traditional bullying. Targets may believe that more people are witness to the abuse than actually are, which can compound the pain. And since online socializing can occur 24/7, home, weekends and vacation can't be havens from the hurt.

Young people may not call it cyberbullying

If you want to talk with kids about "cyberbullying," it might be best not to use that term - at least not at first. Kids often use other terms, like "drama" to describe a range of behaviors that don't necessarily fit into adult perceptions or a scholarly definition. Sometimes it involves mean gossip, pranks and arguments. Sometimes it can turn into cyberbullying, but too many kinds of behavior are called "cyberbullying," which can cause overreaction and responses from adults that only increase the problem for the young people involved. To avoid that and get a clear picture of what's going on, encourage your kids to use their own terms and be specific, so you can figure out together how to respond, if at all - and whether or not you need to be involved.

Putting cyberbullying numbers into perspective & some good news

Probably because there is no single definition of cyberbullying, the numbers are all over the map, but lower than we often hear. And, contrary to some reports, the numbers are not going up - if anything, they've gone down a little. The National Center for Educational Statistics reported that 15.6% of students in grades 6-12 were "electronically bullied" in 2015, down from 16.2% in 2011. When it comes to high school students (grades 9 to 12), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 14.5% of high school students were electronically bullied in 2017, compared to 19% who had been bullied in school, during the 12 months prior to the survey. That's actually lower than it was in 2011 and 2015. It does appear that bullying tapers off with age. CDC reported that, in 2015, 24% of middle school students were cyberbullied and 45% were bullied on school property.

After a review of multiple studies, the Cyberbullying Research Center, in 2016, estimated that, on average, about 24% of middle and high school students have been cyberbullied. In a 2012 paper, pioneering bullying researcher Dan Olweus reported that, among 440,000 US students surveyed (grades 3-12), 4.5% had been cyberbullied. Like other experts, Olweus reported that in-person bullying is a far bigger problem than cyberbullying, which "has not increased over time," and "claims about cyberbullying made in the media" are "often greatly exaggerated." Though numbers certainly don't ease the problem for anyone who has experienced cyberbullying, they provide the sense of perspective that helps adults handle incidents calmly and appropriately. Dr. Olweus wrote that "a distorted portrayal of reality will probably generate a lot of unnecessary anxiety and tension among parents and maybe teachers and students."

You may see other numbers thrown around - some as high at 85%, but examine the survey's methodology. Some of those are opt-in surveys aimed at specific groups of teens and not representative of teens as a whole.

In-person bullying is also on the decline. A 2017 study published in Journal of the American Academic of Pediatrics reviewed the prevalence of bullying and related behaviors between 2005 and 2014 and found that "Prevalence of bullying and related behaviors generally decreased over this 10-year period with the most recent years showing the greatest improvements in school climate and reductions in bullying."

Of course, both online and in-person bullying remains a serious problem affecting a significant number of young people and the news that the prevalence is declining is of no solace to any child who is experiencing bullying or any parent or educator supporting that child. Every child deserves to be safe and comfortable online, in school or wherever they happen to be.

Groups vulnerable to cyberbullying

Every case is as individual as the people involved, so it's hard to generalize, but we do have some cyberbullying data on who tends to be more vulnerable: ethnic, racial and religious minorities, young people with special needs or learning disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) youth (see ConnectSafely's booklet, The Parent, Educator & Youth Guide to LGBTQ Cyberbullying). There is even a term for this, "bias-based bullying" which Laura Walton, in a 2018 paper, refers to as "physical, verbal, social, or cyber-based threats directed toward a minority population based upon race, ethnicity, religious belief, gender, or sexual orientation," or age, familial status, or mental, physical or sensory handicap. And, even though bullying, in general, is on the decline, Elizabeth Englander of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center observed in 2017 that "bias-based incidents seem to be increasing in the U.S."

But even young people with no noticeable vulnerabilities have been bullied and cyberbullied - whether very shy or beauty contest winners (some teen pageant contestants and celebrities have made bullying prevention their cause because of victimization in their pasts). Just being perceived as "different" can be challenging for young people, so no one's completely immune. Because we want to support, not stifle, individuality, it's important to help our children appreciate and respect what's unique in themselves and others.

Not just a 'kid thing'

A 2014 US national survey published by WorkplaceBullying.org indicates that 27% of American workers have "suffered abusive conduct at work." It's at least as big a problem among adults as among youth, which in no way discounts the impact on kids, as they explore identity and learn to navigate complex social landscapes. Sadly, there are also plenty of reported cases of adults who bully kids, and anyone who watches TV - including some reality shows, talk shows and political debates - has probably seen so-called "responsible adults" get pretty nasty to each other - something you might want to point out to your kids next time you see it on TV.

WHAT CAN HELP

For kids and teens

Each case is individual, but there's some general, tried-and-true advice that you could consider sharing with your child:

Know that it's not your fault. What people call "bullying" is sometimes an argument between two people. But if someone is repeatedly cruel to you, that's bullying and you mustn't blame yourself. No one deserves to be treated cruelly.

Don't respond or retaliate. Sometimes a reaction is exactly what aggressors are looking for because they think it gives them power over you, and you don't want to empower a bully. As for retaliating, getting back at a bully turns you into one - and can turn one mean act into a chain reaction. If you can, remove yourself from the situation. If you can't, sometimes humor disarms or distracts a person from bullying.

Save the evidence. The only good news about bullying online or on phones is that it can usually be captured, saved, and shown to someone who can help. You can save that evidence in case things escalate. [Visit ConnectSafely.org/cyberbullying for instructions on how to capture screens on phones and computers.]

Tell the person to stop. This is completely up to you - don't do it if you don't feel totally comfortable doing it, because you need to make your position completely clear that you will not stand for this treatment anymore. You may need to practice beforehand with someone you trust, like a parent or good friend.

Reach out for help - especially if the behavior's really getting to you. You deserve backup. See if there's someone who can listen, help you process what's going on and work through it - a friend, relative or maybe an adult you trust.

Use available tech tools. Most social media apps and services allow you to block the person. Whether the harassment's in an app, texting, comments or tagged photos, do yourself a favor and take advantage of that. You can also report the problem to the service. That probably won't end it, but you don't need the harassment in your face, and you'll be less tempted to respond. If you're getting threats of physical harm, you should call your local police (with a parent or guardian's help) and consider reporting it to school authorities.

Protect your accounts. Don't share your passwords with anyone - even your closest friends, who may not be close forever - and password-protect your phone so no one can use it to impersonate you. You'll find advice at passwords.connectsafely.org.

If someone you know is being bullied, take action. Just standing by can empower an aggressor and does nothing to help. The best thing you can do is try to stop the bullying by taking a stand against it. If you can't stop it, support the person being bullied. If the person's a friend, you can listen and see how to help. Consider together whether you should report the bullying. If you're not already friends, even a kind word can help reduce the pain. At the very least, help by not passing along a mean message and not giving positive attention to the person doing the bullying.

If your child is cyberbullying others

No parent wants to think that their child is hurting others, but - let's face it - if someone is being bullied, that means that someone else is bullying and that person, too, almost certainly has a loving parent. The first thing to do is get them to stop the bullying but try not to overreact. Talk with your child, get all the facts and consider probing further in their devices and accounts. Look for underlying issues and problems that might be affecting your child. Even though your child may be engaged in bullying, he or she is not "a bully." Education, communication and caring - not labels - are the best ways to help children improve.

If your child is being disciplined by school or law enforcement, make sure he or she is being treated fairly and appropriately. There are some in positions of authority who tend to be punitive rather than corrective. Some schools, communities and states have a "zero-tolerance policy" when it comes to both physical and cyberbullying but, according to research reported by Shared Justice, "This type of disciplinary procedure has been proven in research to have an overall negative effect on students, and a disproportionately negative effect on minorities."

Additional advice for parents

Know that you're lucky if your child asks for help. Most young people don't tell their parents about bullying online or offline. So if your child's losing sleep or doesn't want to go to school or seems agitated when on his or her computer or phone, ask why as calmly and open-heartedly as possible. Feel free to ask if it has anything to do with mean behavior or social issues. But even if it does, don't assume it's bullying. You won't know until you get the full story, starting with your child's perspective.

Work with your child. There are two reasons why you'll want to keep your child involved. Bullying and cyberbullying usually involve a loss of dignity or control over a social situation, and involving your child in finding solutions helps him or her regain that. The second reason is about context. Because the bullying is almost always related to school life and our kids understand the situation and context better than parents ever can, their perspective is key to getting to the bottom of the situation and working out a solution. You may need to have private conversations with others, but let your child know if you do, and report back. This is about your child's life, so your child needs to be part of the solution.

Respond thoughtfully, not fast. What parents don't always know is that they can make things worse for their kids if they act rashly. A lot of cyberbullying involves somebody getting marginalized (put down and excluded), which the bully thinks increases his or her power or status. If you respond publicly or if your child's peers find out about even a discreet meeting with school authorities, the marginalization can get worse, which is why any response needs to be well thought out.

More than one perspective needed. Your child's account of what happened is likely completely sincere, but remember that one person's truth isn't necessarily everybody's. You'll need to get other perspectives and be open-minded about what they are. Sometimes kids let themselves get pulled into chain reactions, and often what we see online is only one side of or part of the story.

What victims say helps most is to be heard - really listened to - either by a friend or an adult who cares. That's why, if your kids come to you for help, it's so important to respond thoughtfully and involve them. Just by being heard respectfully, a child is often well on the way to healing.

Solutions are more important than punishment. Of course, there should be consequences for anyone who bullies, whether online or off, but severe punishment and "zero tolerance" is not usually the answer. Remember, that children who bully are still children. They too may be hurting which could be why they're acting out. If you're the parent of a child who is being bullied your first responsibility, of course, is to take care of your child. And while you may not be the one to tend to the needs of the child who is acting out, it's important to not make matters worse by demanding severe consequences when a more measured response might get better results.

The ultimate goal is restored self-respect and greater resilience in your child. This, not getting someone punished, is the best focus for resolving the problem and helping your child heal. What your child needs most is to regain a sense of dignity. Sometimes that means standing up to the bully, sometimes not. Together, you and your child can figure out how to get there.

One positive outcome we don't think about (or hear in the news) enough is resilience. We know the human race will never completely eradicate meanness or cruelty, and we also know that bullying is not, as heard in past generations, "normal" or a rite of passage. We need to keep working to eradicate it. But when it does happen and we overcome it - our resilience grows. Resilience isn't something that can be "downloaded" or taught. We grow it through exposure to challenges and figuring out how to deal with them. So sometimes it's important to give them space to do that and let them know we have their back.

A few closing thoughts for parents

When our children are suffering, we naturally want to stop the hurt as fast as possible. The problem is, there are no quick fixes or formulas for relational issues, and speed can sometimes lead to increased hurt. It's almost always best to slow down and listen, which may actually contribute to the victim's healing. At least, it's what children are asking for, and it demonstrates our respect for them and helps them process what happened, learn from it, gain more resilience, and regain the sense of dignity they felt they lost.

It might be tempting to think the solution is just to take away phones, ban the latest problematic social network site, or delete social media altogether. But that's not the solution for a number of reasons....

First, young people are constantly growing their social literacy as they interact with others, and both the socializing and the learning are happening in social media too now. They basically happen everywhere, because the interaction moves fluidly from online to offline, between home and school and through media and devices. Deleting one service or device doesn't really delete the interaction, especially since the context isn't a device or service. For most young people, the context is the peer group or social scene at school.

Second, social media is just another place where their friends gather. Banning a popular social media service can contribute to kids getting marginalized or just left out, whether peers intentionally stop including them or just because they're not "around." Marginalization is one form or aim of bullying and cyberbullying.

Third, when one social outlet gets banned, bad behavior can just move elsewhere - offline or to sites or apps adults have never heard of. Think of it this way: If you got into an argument on the phone and someone made you hang up, did that resolve the argument?

Finally, remember that what we see in a particular site or game chat is rarely the whole picture - it's more likely to be the tip of the iceberg. The "bully" online might've been the one who was victimized offline right beforehand in what could've been a chain reaction. Very often "bullies" are hurting too. We need to try to stop everybody's hurt to work out lasting solutions. But greater visibility because of social media does not mean cyberbullying is a bigger social problem.

And we can collectively shrink the problem further by being good role models and encouraging other adults, including public figures, to engage in civil discourse. Also, we can work to get social-emotional learning into as many schools as possible, giving all children the social and emotional skills that reduce bullying and increase academic and social success.

Top 5 Questions Parents Have About Cyberbullying
1. What is cyberbullying anyway?
For the most part, cyberbullying is bullying, only it happens online or on phones or other connected devices. As for what bullying is, that depends on who you ask, but most experts agree that it involves repeated harassment and some type of power imbalance - and, when young people are involved, it usually has something to do with what's happening with peers at school. It's important to remember that not every mean comment or unpleasant interaction rises to the level of bullying. Sometimes it's just what kids call "drama." We mention this because too many kinds of behavior are called "cyberbullying," which can cause overreaction and inappropriate responses.
2. How likely is it that my child will be cyberbullied?
Some studies say only 4.5% of teens have ever been cyberbullied and others say the figure's as high as 24% (more on this below). Either way, too many students have experienced cyberbullying, but it's important to note that most have not, and most don't bully others. We point this out not to minimize a serious problem, but to emphasize that bullying is not a norm. Kindness, not cruelty, is the norm and, just as with other social problems, communicating the facts reinforces positive behaviors and actually reduces the problem.

As for any one child, it depends so much on the person, his or her peer group and their context. A positive school culture can make a difference, especially for higher-risk populations, such as special-needs students or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth. For just about all kids, "online" is social - a shared experience - so no single individual has complete control over what happens in digital spaces. Research has found that a child's emotional makeup and home and school environments predict online risk better than any technology he or she uses. Treating others (and oneself!) with respect and kindness can really help keep social media use positive.
3. How do I know if my child is being cyberbullied?
Even if you have a good feel for your kids' emotional state, social skills, and peer relations - key factors in how well their online (as well as offline) experiences go - it's a good idea to ask whether cyberbullying's going on with them or any of their friends. You may not get a clear answer right away, but engage your kids in occasional conversations about how things are going online as well as offline. See what they know about cyberbullying, ask if they know others who have experienced it, if it's a problem at their school and what they would do if they were cyberbullied or knew about others who were. If they seem obsessed about checking text messages and social apps, it could be because they're worried about what's being said about them. It may not be bullying, but it may be a sign your child needs a little extra support. The federal government's StopBullying.gov website suggests that parents be on the lookout for signs such as difficulty sleeping, frequent nightmares, declining grades, not wanting to go to school, feelings of helplessness or decreased self-esteem.
4. What do I do if my child is cyberbullied?
Cyberbullying cases are as individual as the people involved. So our general advice is not to react or retaliate, block the "bully," and print out and keep evidence in case it'll be needed - can help in some cases. But the most important thing to do is talk with your kids about what's going on, help them think through what happened, how they feel about it, and what they're going to do about it. No one knows how to resolve a situation without understanding it fully. It's important to involve your child in the process, not just take over yourself, because the main goal is to help him or her strengthen the self-confidence that might've been shaken and restore a sense of physical and/or emotional safety.
5. What if my child witnesses cyberbullying or bullies others?
If your child does experience cyberbullying as a witness or bystander, it's important to talk through some strategies as to how they can help their peers. Being kind goes a long way. Suggest your child sit with a child who's being bullied or invite them to hang out. Your child can reach out to the other child via social media by being positive and supportive. It's not helpful to retaliate online as that rarely influences the person doing the bullying and can put your child at risk.

If your child is bullying or cyberbullying others, get them to stop the bullying but try not to overreact.Talk with your child, get all the facts and consider probing further in their devices and accounts. Look for underlying issues and problems that might be affecting your child. While there should be consequences, solutions are more important than punishment.

Additional Resources
Articles Research Reports Great Books

My Secret Bully, a children's book by Trudy Ludwig and illustrated by Abigail Marble

Masterminds and Wingmen and Queen Bees and Wannabes, by Rosalind Wiseman

Kids Are Worth It!, by Barbara Coloroso

School Climate 2.0: Preventing Cyberbullying and Sexting One Classroom at a Time and Cyberbullying Prevention and Response: Expert Perspectives, by Drs. Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin

Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats: Responding to the Challenge of Online Social Aggression, Threats, and Distress, by Nancy Willard

Cyberbullying prevention curricula for grades 3-5 and 6-12, by Drs. Susan P. Limber, Robin M. Kowalski, and Patricia W. Agatston

Organizations, Research Centers and Other Resources

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Parent's Guide to Cyberbullying - ConnectSafely

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Thanks to increased research around cyberbullying, we know more about the problem and what will help, and we're more motivated as a society to address it.

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Designed and Developed by Will Earp, South West Grid for Learning Trust Ltd

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Downloadable booklets to guide you through your profile settings in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. It helps you control how your profile appears, what your friends and other people can see, and how to report problems.

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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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Roblox Guide for parents

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Tik Tok Guide for parents

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Smart devices: using them safely in your home

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Many everyday items are now connected to the internet: we explain how to use them safely.

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Online Safety Hub - Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland

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Keeping Young People Safe Online Report a Concern Digital for Life and Work | CCEAMore InformtionThe Online Safety ShowWatch NowOnline Safety and Mental Health Cyber ToolkitMore InformationSafer Schools NIMore InformationSafeguarding Soundbites PodcastListen NowFree NSPCC workshops: Keeping Children Safe OnlineMore InformationGrowing Up Online - an Evidence ReportNew Spotlight Reports PublishedMore InformationProtecting Young People from SextortionMore InformationTechnology [...]

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Roblox: A Parents Guide to Protecting Children from Harmful Content

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A notable risk factor is that Roblox has almost within the platform. As many of the games and 'dress up' items are user-generated , it can be difficult to establish the intent behind every game or guarantee that games follow Roblox age restrictions.

Our Online Safety Experts reviewed popular footage from the game where avatars were seen simulating sex acts, using the power of suggestion and in-game chat functions.

For example, characters can use different moves, such as giving CPR. While this is innocent, when this action is paired with outfits and words from chat, it can be used to simulate sex acts.

Our experts are aware that in some games a culture of 'online dating' exists between avatars where users may in some cases form 'relationships'.

The games that we reviewed were not designed to facilitate sex, but it is possible to simulate sexual activity by other means. For example, dressing a character in swimwear, followed by bringing them upstairs to 'cuddle' or performing CPR in underwear. In some cases, it was possible to simulate ejaculation and bondage activities using collars and dog leashes.

Exposure to Sexualised Content - ounger children may not fully understand sexual suggestion . They may see this as a game, which can then be exploited by those with harmful intentions that would seek to groom or exploit a child.

Younger children playing the game are more vulnerable to the effects of seeing inappropriate content that is considered beyond their developmental stage. Normalising sexual activity with children is often part of the grooming process.

The concern is that this form of activity on the platform may normalise inappropriate interactions between other children or with adults on the platform.

Unsupervised Access - if parental controls aren't configured, and young people play unsupervised, they may be at risk of exposure to harmful content and contact from strangers.

Friend Requests - some children have reported unsolicited friend requests from strangers. Roblox may see children encounter people who use anon ymity to conceal their intentions or their true age. This can be an opportunity to build rapport and move to a more private server.

Third Party Streaming - in some case s platforms like D iscord are used to live stream games and chat 1-2-1 away from the game.

In-Game Currency - the temptation or requirement to buy in - game currency to improve gameplay can also be used to exploit children. Our O nline S afety E xperts have seen other cases where an in - game currency has been used to exploit children and young people by using the promise of rewards to encourage inappropriate sexualised behaviours.

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Roblox: A Parents Guide to Protecting Children from Harmful Content

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Header Image ©& TM 2022 Roblox Corporation. All Rights Reserved We have recently received multiple reports from parents and school staff about harmful content on gaming platform Roblox. To help you understand how to keep children and young people safe, we've created this important Roblox Parents

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A couple of years ago, the free game came to the Xbox. How the parental controls work on the Xbox is slightly different from a PC, Mac, tablet or through mobile gaming.

Although the Xbox has controls for friend requests, this doesn't restrict those in Roblox as they are considered a different type of "in-game" friend. However, the Microsoft terms of service for game makers means that players can't make new friends while playing on Xbox. They will only see friends already made on the PC, Mac, or tablet.

Additionally, you can further limit the interactions with other players on the Xbox as follows:

Select the Account Settings page

Identify the Linked Account

Apply restrictions via roblox.com for this account.

Toggle on/off Cross-Platform Gameplay to limit who your children can play with (Note: Currently Roblox doesn't support cross-platform messaging, so Xbox players can't message players on other platforms)

Roblox police warnings

Hopefully, that should clear up exactly what Roblox is and how to keep your kids safe while playing it. The final thing to mention is that the slew of tweets, Facebook posts, emails, and school gate chatter about police warnings on nudity and stranger danger in the game didn't originate from Kent Police as has been widely reported.

The real danger here is scaring parents into banning the game and closing down the opportunity for healthy and helpful conversations about appropriate behaviour online. As ever the best way to mitigate any of these risks in your family is to start playing Roblox together and keep devices and consoles in shared family spaces.

Loot boxes and gambling

Loot boxes are common in many online video games. They let users unlock items and rewards usually for purchase at random. However, the rarity of the items can differ from game to game. While the term comes from box-shaped items, these interactions come in many forms. For example, a user could toss a coin into a fountain and receive a random virtual item that way.

In Roblox, the Terms of Use state that Creators who offer random virtual items (i.e. loot boxes) for payment must state the odds of each type of item a user might receive. But because users don't know which item they will actually receive, some have compared loot boxes to gambling.

As such, many have questioned whether children should have the ability to buy loot boxes. In fact, some called for a ban on children purchasing them (either with Robux or other currency). As of July 2022, the UK is not banning loot boxes.

Some Creators make gambling-themed games as well. However, users cannot win real money from these games. Instead, they earn Robux. If they can earn items, the same rules above apply - users must clearly identify the odds of winning each item.

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What is Roblox? A guide for parents to keep kids safe | Internet Matters

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What is Roblox? A guide for parents to keep kids safe | Internet Matters. Find out what it is Roblox, Roblox Studio and whether roblox is safe for kids.

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There are lots of social media websites and apps people use to chat, comment, share pictures and game with their friends.

Many parents and carers wonder when is the best age to let their child have a social media account. Some don't want their children to have underage accounts. Others may have decided their child is not quite ready for social networking, even if their child is begging them. Once children reach secondary school, they're likely to come under growing peer pressure to stay in touch with friends online.
If you are thinking about social media for your child, what should you consider and how can you help and support them?
What are the risks?

Inappropriate content. Anybody can post and share videos, pictures, or ideas on social media. This means children may see things they don't want to, including sexual or violent content.

Inappropriate behaviour. Children, like adults, can feel more confident when they are online as they feel protected by the screen. This can result in them, or their friends, saying or doing something they'd be less likely to do offline, including oversharing.

Over-sharing. Social media lets people share information about who they are and what they like doing - with lots of different people. It's easy to share things online that we wouldn't face-to-face. Once something has been shared, you can never be sure who has seen it, saved it, or shared it.

Making friends with people they don't know. Chatting and meeting new people is the main reason that most social media services exist. This opens up the opportunities for adults to contact children online. It's also easy to set up fake profiles, and some adults may even pretend to be children when they're much older. This makes it hard to tell the difference between someone who's genuine and fake. Some people online can also put pressure on children or manipulate them into doing something they don't want to do.

Is your child ready?

The age of your child as well as their developmental stage and maturity can affect their ability to have a safe and positive experience of social media.

Minimum age requirements

Most of the popular social media services require users to be at least 13 years of age before they can register, although some sites are created especially for children under 13 (see Internet Matters' Social networks made for children).

The age requirements are there because of data protection laws. Online services are not allowed to collect or store children's personal information if they are under the age of 13. Data protection laws also say that only children aged 13 and over can sign up to online services without parental permission.

Following the age restrictions sets a good example for your child. Although the age requirement doesn't always mean the site is inappropriate for children to use, it's a good indication, especially for younger children.

Development and maturity

It's important to think about your child's current social and emotional skills and their maturity. This will help you to decide if they can deal with the pressures, risks, emotions and unpredictable nature of using social media and use it responsibly.

Here are some things to think about, with your child, when making the decision.

What are their social skills like? Social media is a great way to stay in touch with friends, but children who struggle with social interaction offline, may find online friendships difficult. There are fewer visual cues online, so it can be difficult to tell if something is inappropriate. Added to this, the boundaries of what is acceptable behaviour might be very different online to offline. Children who struggle with self-regulation or peer pressure, may not be ready yet.

How do they deal with negative experiences? As outlined in the risks above, children may see or experience things they don't want to on social media, including embarrassing pictures, mean comments, and inappropriate content and people. If your child gets very upset or anxious because of a negative experience, they may not be ready yet.

Will they come to you if they need help? When they set up their social media account, you will probably want to come to an agreement about how they use it and supervise their online activity. But you also want them to feel they can come to you, if they are ever worried about something they have experienced on social media. If you are worried that your child won't come to you, if they need help, they may not be ready yet.

Are you ready?

Check out the social media site or app. Before you or your child sign up to a social media account, make sure you check it out, including the age requirements, and are aware of any potential risks.

Take time to be proactive. Be prepared to spend time with your child online, and support them as they take their first steps. The safest way to introduce them to social media, is to find a site or app you can use together. This way you can be online with them, as they learn, which builds trust and means you share the experience with them. It's a good idea to get to know your child's friends, both on and offline. Be available to answer questions or address any concerns they may have. Also be ready to reinforce any rules or boundaries when needed.

Be a great role model. Children learn from those around them, so what you do on social media will influence their online behaviour. Make sure your social media accounts are a good example to your child, by taking some time to check your friendships, privacy settings and the things you have posted. For example, you could ask your child's permission to post pictures of them on your account, to encourage them to do the same with others.

If you don't have a social media account, involve other family members or friends, so your child has someone else they can be guided by.

Getting started with social media

Talk honestly with your child. The best way to prepare your child for using social media is to talk about it before they create an account. Let them know you want to support them as they begin to explore, and that they can come to you if they have any worries or problems. Talk about any worries you might have, and why, especially if you think they may not be ready yet. Be honest with them about the age requirements and why they are there, and why it's important to follow them.

Explore together. Once you have agreed which social media site or app they can use, explore it together. Look at the privacy settings and talk with them about how they can use it safely. Look through online profiles together and talk about how people behave online, fake profiles, what's appropriate and what good friendship looks like online.

Make an agreement. Come to an agreement you are both comfortable with about how they can use social media. This should include how they choose their friends, the things they can post, and how often they can use it. You should also agree how to supervise their online activity. Some parents and carers become friends or decide to follow their child's social media account. Others agree to regular checks where they go through the social media account with their child.

Remember - there's no rush to start using social media and there are plenty of other ways to stay in touch with friends, chat and game until they are ready to use them safely.

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There are lots of social media websites and apps people use to chat, comment, share pictures and game with their friends. Many parents and carers wonder when is the best age to let their child have a social media account. Some don't want their children to have underage accounts.

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What if my child wants their own YouTube channel?

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What if my child wants their own YouTube channel?

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YouTube is massively popular with children and young people – to the extent that it’s replaced live broadcast TV entirely for many of them.But unlike regular TV, YouTube also offers young people the c

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For lots of platforms online

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Safety Cards Your one-page guide on how to stay safe on the most popular platforms. Safety Card: TikTok Download PDF Safety Card: Houseparty Download PDF Safety Card: Instagram Download PDF Safety

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What parents need to know about Avakin life

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What parents need to know about Avakin life

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Downpatrick PS E Safety Newsletter Christmas issue 

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Downpatrick PS E Safety Newsletter Christmas issue 

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Downpatrick Primary School E Safety Newsletter December 2020

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Downpatrick Primary School E Safety Newsletter November 2020

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How to manage your child’s online world 

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How to manage your child’s online world 

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Research suggests that most children are actually more cautious than adults online, and that most are good at navigating the internet safely. Often when they do come across upsetting content, it's not because they've gone looking for it, but because they've found it by accident, or because someone's sent it to them.

It's a good idea to reassure your child that they can always talk to you. But don't forget that you know them best, and may well recognise if something seems 'not quite right'. If that's the case there are a number of things you can do to help:

Ask them if they've seen anything online that they are not comfortable with (they may have seen things like nasty comments, sexual content or violent images.)

Tell them that you won't be cross or overreact if they tell you about something they've seen, and that you'd much rather that they talked to you, instead of keeping it to themselves.

If they are upset or worried about something they've seen, talk about how they feel, and how they can avoid coming across that content again in future.

If necessary, help them to report or block content they find disturbing.

It's also natural that you might feel upset or cross about what they've been exposed to and how it might have affected them, but whatever happens, stay calm.

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How to manage your child's online world without clashing

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Research suggests that most children are actually more cautious than adults online, and that most are good at navigating the internet safely. Often when they do come across upsetting content, it's not because they've gone looking for it, but because they've found it by accident, or because someone's sent it to them.

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What parents need to know about Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War 

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What parents need to know about Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War 

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If a young person's Instagram profile is set to public, then anyone will be able to view and comment on your Reels. It also allows other users to tag people in Reels.

Public accounts mean that Reel videos appear in the 'Explore' tab (shown here), which may expose young people to bullying and hurtful comments.

Whilst Reels will encourage young people to be creative and express themselves, they might inadvertently reveal more information than they realise in a Reel, like where they live, the name of their school or their current location.

As with all social media platforms and their features, Reels may facilitate exposure to violent, sexualised or harmful content.

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What is it? Instagram, which is very popular with young people, has officially launched their latest function 'Reels' in the UK. It's the latest feature to be added to the platform and lets users create short 15 second videos with popular music, different filters and effects.

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Parent guide

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The ‘Safer Schools’ app focuses on safeguarding particularly in the online world and also provides information and messaging on a full range of safeguarding and child protection issues.

Click link/picture below to download this free app. Use QR code beside this post to logon

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Safer Schools NI Educating, empowering and protecting the NI school community Welcome to Safer Schools NI: the home of online safeguarding for school communities in Northern Ireland. Safer Schools NI is a partnership between the Department of Education and Ineqe Safeguarding Group.

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https://ineqe.com/safer-schools-ni/

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Home Learning Hub - Fantastic resources 

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Home Learning Hub - Fantastic resources 

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The Home Learning Hub is our free library of resources to support parents and carers who are taking the time to help their children be safer online. We have adapted our classroom-based resources to make them easily accessible for everyone.

A brief description explains each resource, so once you are ready simply click the 'download' buttons.

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Welcome to the Home Learning Hub The Home Learning Hub is our free library of resources to support parents and carers who are taking the time to help their children be safer online. We have adapted our classroom-based resources to make them easily accessible for everyone.

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NSPCC Parents guide to being Share Aware 

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NSPCC Parents guide to being Share Aware 

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Showing results for "call of duty" | Common Sense Media

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Common Sense Media improves the lives of kids and families by providing independent reviews, age ratings, & other information about all types of media.

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Stay safe stay home advice to support families at home 

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Stay safe stay home advice to support families at home 

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As your child will be spending more time online, learning, creating and socialising, it's now more important than ever to have conversations about their online safety and learn about what steps you can take to keep them safe. See our age specific advice to help you get started.

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#StaySafeStayHome online resources for families | Internet Matters

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As your child will be spending more time online, learning, creating and socialising, it's now more important than ever to have conversations about their online safety and learn about what steps you can take to keep them safe. See our age specific advice to help you get started.

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What is TikTok? How safe is TikTok? How does TikTok work? Is TikTok appropriate for kids? What age is TikTok recommended for? Can kids under 13 use TikTok? How can you make your TikTok account private? How can I use TikTok with my kids? How do you do a duet on TikTok?

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Jump to navigation Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. See how we rate Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase.

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Understanding online safety is tricky for all ages - we have advice and guides to help you learn about staying safe online as a family.

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As a young person, you are the main target of Safer Internet Day, but that does not mean you are a passive recipient of the collective effort towards the promotion of a better internet that takes place every February. In fact, there are a wealth of opportunities for young people to make their voices heard on matters relating to their safety and wellbeing in the online world, from contacting your national Safer Internet Centre or Safer Internet Day Committee and getting involved in their youth participation schemes, to becoming an advocate of Safer Internet Day on social media by sharing your experience of the digital environment and your aspirations for a better internet - take a look at our social media plans for inspiration. You can also be the change you want to see in the (online) world by being kind and respectful to others online, by protecting your online reputation and that of others, and by seeking out positive opportunities to create, engage and share online.

Parents and carers, you play a crucial role in empowering and supporting children and young people to use digital technologies responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively. Indeed, parental influence, guidance and education have a significant and long-lasting impact on children's safety and wellbeing in the online world. Therefore, there are plenty of ways for you to participate in Safer Internet Day, whether it is by ensuring an open dialogue with your children, educating them to use digital technologies safely and positively, or acting as digital role models. To help you achieve that, you may want to have a look at the SID resource gallery, where you'll find a range of resources to use with your children, from information sheets on various online opportunities and risks to conversation starters and even games, which are available in a variety of languages and for a variety of age groups. If you would like to find out more about specific actions and resources in your country, you can get in touch with your local Safer Internet Centre or Safer Internet Day Committee.

As a teacher or educator, there are various ways in which you can get involved in Safer Internet Day. Firstly, the most important way is to raise awareness - talk to your colleagues to plan whole-school actions, and provide a real focus with a day, week or even a month of safer and better internet activities. If you're looking for resources to support you in this, check out the SID resource gallery. Here, you'll find a range of resources from assembly and lesson plans, to printable games to use in the classroom, in a variety of languages and for a variety of age groups. You may also wish to make contact with your local Safer Internet Centre or Safer Internet Day Committee to find out about specific actions in your country. They may also be able to assist with more targeted resources. If your school has a social media account, you can support SID by tweeting and posting about your actions, and sharing our posts too. You can find suggested posts, visuals and covers in our social media plans.

As a representative of an organisation and industry, you are in a direct position to design, shape and adapt the platforms, services and content children and young people interact with on a daily basis. In doing so, you have the power to make a safer and better internet a concrete reality. You may get involved in Safer Internet Day by creating and promoting positive content and safe services online - to support you in doing so, we have designed a best practice guide on positive online content for children which you may find useful. You may also participate in Safer Internet Day by empowering your youngest users to respond to any issues by providing clear safety advice, a range of easy-to-use safety tools, and quick access to support if things do go wrong. Finally, we also encourage you to express your support for Safer Internet Day by posting about your actions on social media and by sharing our posts. You can find suggested posts, visuals and covers in our social media plans which will be published in the autumn of each year as we countdown to the day.

Policy makers and politicians can promote a safer and better internet by putting in place the conditions for the emergence of a culture in which all stakeholders are encouraged and empowered to make the choices that will guarantee that children and young people have the best possible online experiences. As a representative from policy, you may support Safer Internet Day by (re)affirming the need to provide opportunities in the national or local curriculum for children and young people to learn about online safety, digital and media literacy, by ensuring that parents and carers have access to appropriate information and sources of support, and that industry is encouraged to self-regulate its content and services. To make a long-lasting change to the digital environment, you also need to take the lead in governance and legislation in order to ultimately ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people through effective child protection strategies for the digital world.

Every February, Safer Internet Day is an opportunity for millions of people around the world to raise awareness of children and young people's online safety and wellbeing. For this reason, media outlets can truly help multiply the global reach of Safer Internet Day by using this occasion as an opportunity to explore the importance of online safety and digital literacy for children and young people in your media production. To support you in doing so, for each campaign we develop a range of promotional materials - to begin with, take a look at the Safer Internet Day key messages. As the day approaches, we'll provide an infographic and other media assets, and publish a number of news articles about Safer Internet Day celebrations and activities around the world. If you would like to become an advocate of Safer Internet Day, have a look at our social media plans, which are full of inspiration for posts and visuals to lend your support to the day.

Tuesday, 7 February, marked the 20th edition of the global Safer Internet Day under the motto "Together for a better internet". More and more schools, parents and young people contact Child Focus' helpline for questions about online safety or call specialised centres to guide them in their media use. Professionals and parents need tips and tools to assist children and young people in their digital exploration.

Safer Internet Day (SID) has become a global landmark event in the online safety calendar with 2023 being its 20th year. Safer Internet Day is an EU wide initiative to promote a safer internet for all users, especially young people.

iSIGURT.al, the national platform for a safe internet in Albania, which also functions as the national line for children's internet safety, is a national service established by CRCA/ECPAT Albania in 2015. It has as its main mission the reporting and removal of harmful materials on the internet, social networks and online media that contain sexual violence against children and adolescents, bullying and extreme violence against children and young people, as well as the language of hate crimes.

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Home - Safer Internet Day - BIK Community

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Safer Internet Day (SID) is organised by Insafe in February of each year to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially among children and young people in Europe and across the world.

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Top Tips for parents

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Common questions from parents of children aged 10-12

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Common questions from parents of children aged 10-12

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Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century.

We're a nonprofit. Support our work

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Parent guide to Facebook, Instagram and more

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Parent guide to Facebook, Instagram and more

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Use our social media guide for parents: tips, advice, and the latest research to navigate the social media landscape and help keep your kids' online interactions safe.

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We've teamed up with O2 to help you keep children safe when they're using the internet, social networks, apps, games and beyond.

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48% of the children and young people who reviewed Facebook and Facebook Messenger thought that it can be risky. The key risks they told us about were:

Talking to strangers, or having strangers view their profile

Lack of privacy and a feeling that anyone can find and add them

Adverts and pop-ups which aren't appropriate for young people

Coming across disturbing or upsetting videos

Why young people like it:
The main things that young people told us they liked about this site were:

Talking to their friends and sharing photos and videos

You can keep up to date with what's happening in the world

The funny videos and memes

We asked parents whether they were asked to verify their phone number or email address to sign up to this site. We also asked them how easy or difficult it would be for a child to pretend to be older to sign up.
Parents say:
"It's too easy for underage people to register." - Father of children aged 16 and 18

We asked parents how easy it was to find out how to report unsuitable content, to find out if the site is moderated, to block other users and to hide or report an unwanted message or picture.
Parents say:

"I reported one in the past where a very offensive image of me was used and the report was not upheld. I was very surprised!" - Father of children aged 8 and 9

"I like how easy it is to report something and how quickly it is dealt with." -Mother of boys aged 5, 10 and 15

Young people say:

76% of young people who reviewed Facebook said they know how to report on this site.

85% said they know how to block someone.

More information:
Read Facebook's information on blocking here and on reporting here.

We asked parents how easy it was to find information about privacy and to change the settings to ensure the account is private.
Young people say:

"It's risky because if you're not on private anyone can add and message you." - Girl, 13

"If you aren't private on it strangers can see your posts." - Girl, 12

85% of young people who reviewed Facebook said they know how to change their privacy settings on this site.

60% said they know how to turn off their location settings.

More information:
We asked parents how easy it was to find out whether this site has rules or community standards, to find safety information for children and parents, and to find links to support services.
Parents say:
"It should be made much easier." - Father of children aged 16 and 18

More information:
Visit Facebook's safety centre here.

This site allows live streaming. Find out more about live streaming here.

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Facebook and Facebook Messenger: a guide for parents | Net Aware

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48% of the children and young people who reviewed Facebook and Facebook Messenger thought that it can be risky.

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What you need to know

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What should parents know about Snapchat?

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What should parents know about Snapchat? Get expert advice and tips from Common Sense Media editors.

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Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Thank you for your support.

Our ratings are based on child development best practices. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. The star rating reflects overall quality and learning potential.
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Everything You Need to Know About Grand Theft Auto

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Get the low-down on this action-packed, violent role-playing game. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.