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Talking to your child about online safety

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Talking to your child 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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Setting up parental controls on platforms and devices

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Setting up parental controls on platforms and devices

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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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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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Support children and young people to use digital technology safely and responsibly

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Support children and young people to use digital technology safely and responsibly

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knowledgeably, responsibly and safely in a

digital world.

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Setting up your tablet with safety in mind

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Setting up your tablet with safety in mind

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Quick advice Get your child’s Android smartphone set up safe quickly with these top controls. Video guide More resources

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There are some things that you need to keep you happy, healthy, and safe. These things are called your 'rights'. All rights are connected and nobody can take them away from you. Your rights are gathered together in something called the UNCRC. This stands for the "United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child", [...]

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Artificial intelligence safety tips for parents

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Learn more about artificial intelligence (AI) content and tools, and discover ways to help your children stay safe. Written by Kate Edwards, Associate Head of Child Safety Online.

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ChildNet resource for parents and carers about generative AI

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ChildNet resource for parents and carers about generative AI

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A leaflet for parents and carers about generative AI, including insights and experiences direct from young people.

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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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New Google Education resource for teachers - teaching responsible use of AI

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New Google Education resource for teachers - teaching responsible use of AI

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Bullying that takes place online is still bullying. It is unhelpful to think of ‘bullying’ in one respect, and ‘online bullying’ in another – bullying is about relationships that are not healthy.

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Each of these collections have been mapped to the Education for a Connected World framework set out by the UK Council for Internet Safety. Pages contain downloadable teacher resource documents with lesson ideas, discussion points and potential homework activities.

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Watch this intro video on online bullying

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Watch this intro video on online bullying

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SAMH is a company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland, no SC082340

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Hello colleagues and parents! As a Year 6 teacher, I can't stress enough how important parental controls are. Here's my quick guide to setting up robust controls across different devices and platforms. Remember to regularly review these settings as your children grow and technology evolves.

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How to setup parental controls on an Android phone with Google Family Link

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As a teacher, I've noticed these common signs of cyberbullying:
- Sudden reluctance to use devices
- Changes in mood after using social media
- Withdrawal from friends and activities
- Avoiding school or social situations
If you notice these signs, it's crucial to open a dialogue with your child.

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In our school, we focus on building digital resilience rather than just setting restrictions. This includes teaching children how to respond to negative online experiences, understanding their digital footprint, and knowing when to seek help.

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With AI tools becoming more prevalent, we're teaching our students about responsible AI use. This includes understanding what AI can and cannot do, how to verify AI-generated information, and the importance of maintaining academic integrity.

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Background

AI-enabled tools and products are now more widely available in schools and other providers. This means that these technologies are affecting children and learners and the people who care for, educate and support them.

The Department of Education's recent call for evidence about AI in education demonstrates that many education providers are using AI to augment how they work.

For many education and social care providers this new technology presents both new opportunities and risks. The use of these tools will in many cases affect children and learners.

Ofsted is also using AI, most notably in our risk assessment of good schools to help decide whether a school that was judged good at its last inspection will receive a graded or ungraded inspection. We are also exploring how AI can help us to make better decisions based on the information we hold, and to work more efficiently.

This document outlines how Ofsted will use AI responsibly and fairly. It also sets out our position on the use of AI by education and social care providers.

Notes

Throughout this document we use 'artificial intelligence' as an umbrella term for a range of algorithm-based technologies that solve complex tasks by carrying out functions that previously required human thinking alone.

Ofsted's position on the use of AI is consistent with the National AI Strategy. This aims to make sure that AI benefits all sectors and regions and that the UK gets the national and international governance of AI technologies right.

How we will use AI

Ofsted uses AI to make the best use of the information we hold. We are also exploring the potential for AI to further improve the way we inspect and regulate.

AI will help us work according to the values set out in our strategy: to put children and learners first while remaining independent, accountable, transparent and evidence-led.

The areas where AI could have the biggest benefits for our work include:

assessing risk

working more efficiently through automation

making best use of our data (particularly text) to generate new insights.

We also recognise the emerging risks of AI. We will follow the 5 principles set out by the AI regulation white paper. Table 1 describes some of the ways that we will comply with these principles.

Table 1: What we will do in relation to our use of AI

Safety, security and robustness

Make sure AI solutions are secure and safe for users and that they protect users' data

Continually test our AI solutions to identify and rectify bias and error

Appropriate transparency and explainability

Be transparent about our use of AI, and make sure we test solutions sufficiently to understand the decisions it makes

Fairness

Only use AI solutions that are ethically appropriate - in particular, we will fully consider any bias relating to small groups and protected characteristics at the development stage and then monitor it closely and correct it where appropriate

Accountability and governance

Provide clear guidance and rules for developers and users of AI within Ofsted about their responsibilities

Contestability and redress

Make sure that staff are empowered to correct and overrule AI suggestions - decisions will be made by the user, not the technology

Continue to manage concerns and complaints through our existing complaints procedure

We will also follow the Central Digital and Data Office and Office for Artificial Intelligence (OAI) guidance on using AI in the public sector. This guidance sets out how to use AI ethically, fairly and safely.

Critically, we will never allow AI to impede our ability to inspect fairly and impartially.

It is vital that AI does not undermine either our inspectors' judgements or our ability to respond flexibly and empathetically to the concerns of the public or providers.

Providers' use of AI

Ofsted aims to improve lives and raise standards in education and children's social care. We do this through inspection, regulation and our insights.

Our inspection frameworks set out how we inspect providers. They explain our inspection principles, the main judgements that inspectors make, and, along with regulations, explain the areas that we take into account when inspecting providers. Our registration guidance and enforcement policies set out how we regulate.

In this context, we will consider a provider's use of AI by the effect it has on the criteria set out in our existing frameworks.

Our inspection frameworks and regulations enable us to assess AI 's impact on children and learners as part of our wider inspection and regulatory processes.

Importantly, Ofsted will not directly inspect the quality of AI tools. It is through their application that they affect areas of provision and outcomes such as safeguarding and the quality of education. Leaders, therefore, are responsible for ensuring that the use of AI does not have a detrimental effect on those outcomes, the quality of their provision or decisions they take.

Ofsted supports the use of AI by providers where it improves the care and education of children and learners. We recognise that these tools can help providers make better-informed decisions, reduce workload and lead to innovative ways of working.

Table 2 describes some of the ways we expect providers to comply with the principles in the AI regulation white paper.

Table 2: What we expect from providers in relation to their use of AI

Regulatory principle

Providers are expected to...

Safety, security and robustness

Assure themselves that AI solutions are secure and safe for users and protect users' data

Ensure they can identify and rectify bias or error

Appropriate transparency and explainability

Be transparent about their use of AI, and make sure they understand the suggestions it makes

Fairness

Only use AI solutions that are ethically appropriate - in particular, we expect providers to consider bias relating to small groups and protected characteristics before using AI, monitor bias closely and correct problems where appropriate

Accountability and governance

Ensure that providers and their staff have clear roles and responsibilities in relation to the monitoring, evaluation, maintenance and use of AI

Contestability and redress

Make sure that staff are empowered to correct and overrule AI suggestions - decisions should be made by the user of AI, not the technology.

Allow and respond appropriately to concerns and complaints where AI may have caused error resulting in adverse consequences or unfair treatment.

Building our understanding

Given the pace of change, the effect these new technologies are having on the lives of children and learners is still poorly understood. Accordingly, we will seek to better understand the use of AI by providers and emerging research on its impact on the outcomes and experiences of children and learners. We will do this by keeping up to date with relevant published research and communicating with providers so that we can learn from their experience of AI in their settings.

By better understanding the effect of AI in these settings, we can consider providers' decisions more effectively as part of our inspection and regulatory activity.

Correspondingly, we will develop inspectors' knowledge about AI so that they have the knowledge and skills to consider AI and its different uses.

Working with other regulators

We recognise that we are part of a wider system of regulation. Ofsted will continue to work with other regulators and central government departments, including the Department for Education and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, to ensure that our approach remains consistent with the latest guidance.

Through the Institute of Regulation and regular communication with other regulators, we will also ensure that the approaches we take to regulating sectors that use AI complement each other.

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Ofsted's approach to artificial intelligence (AI)

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AI-enabled tools and products are now more widely available in schools and other providers. This means that these technologies are affecting children and learners and the people who care for, educate and support them. The Department of Education's recent call for evidence about AI in education demonstrates that many education providers are using AI to augment how they work.

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Make password creation fun! We teach our students to create strong passwords using the 'three random words' method recommended by the National Cyber Security Centre. Add numbers and symbols for extra security!

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Combine three random words to create a password that's 'long enough and strong enough'.

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As both a teacher and a parent, I know how popular online gaming is. Here are our top tips:
- Use game family settings
- Keep personal info private
- Be careful with in-game purchases
- Report inappropriate behaviour
- Set time limits

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The Number 1 Way to Protect Your Kids on Online Games

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Quiz: Is what you're posting online mean?

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Cyber bullying - Is what you're posting online mean?

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Setting up parental controls on Apple, Android and other devices

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Setting up parental controls on Apple, Android and other devices

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Whether your child uses Apple, Android or other devices, it's important to consider the available parental controls and setting available.

Choose your child's device below to find step-by-step instructions on setting up parental controls. Manage everything from location tracking to screen time balance.

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We've pulled together some guides to show you how to put parental controls on a range of phones, tablets and other devices.

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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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How to gain control over your profile online

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A video where Aisha Toussaint talks about how she doesn’t chance likes and how ways in which she controls her social media accounts

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Having a mobile phone and going online is great for lots of reasons. But it's important to be aware of the dangers too. Learn how to stay safe online.

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We're seeing more students encounter online scams, particularly in gaming environments. Here's what we teach about identifying suspicious content:
- Too-good-to-be-true offers
- Urgent or pressuring messages
- Requests for personal information
- Poor spelling and grammar

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A systematic review of digital risk and mitigations in children aged 8 to 12

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A systematic review of digital risk and mitigations in children aged 8 to 12

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A systematic review of digital risk and mitigations in children aged 8 to 12 – Challenges and Opportunities by Hana Butorova, Yvonne Skipper, and Christopher Hand, School of Education, University of Glasgow

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The University of Glasgow have undertaken this systematic review of literature on the subject of cyber resilience on behalf of Education Scotland. A systematic review of digital risk and mitigation…

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Cyber Resilience Comic 2 – created by young people

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Exciting new resource created by young people for young people. Education Scotland supported North Ayrshire youth work to work with young people to create cyber resilience comics. You can read them…

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Teens 14+ online safety advice and expert tips | Internet Matters

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Teens 14+ online safety advice and expert tips | Internet Matters. Help children aged 14+ (teens) get the best out of the internet and stay safe online.

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Free Digital Media Literacy Tutorial at GCFGlobal

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Learn how to interpret and evaluate information online, whether you're reading an article, watching a video, or using social media.

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What is Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety?

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Looking to download new apps? Stay safe with these tips:

1. Only use official app stores
2. Check age ratings
3. Read app permissions
4. Ask parents before downloading
5. Watch out for in-app purchases
6. Keep apps updated

Stay safe and happy downloading! 🔒

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The internet can be a wonderful resource for our kids. But it’s completely normal to feel a little unsure about what you should do to keep them safe online. Don’t worry – we’re here with lots of tips and advice to help you protect them, starting with setting parental controls on the devices they use, like mobile phones, tablets and games consoles.

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AI Has Downsides. How Teachers Can Manage Them

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Using AI in the Classroom: Tips and Tricks From Two Teachers

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UNESCO: Growing up in a connected world, a family guide for the digital age: practical guide

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UNESCO: Growing up in a connected world, a family guide for the digital age: practical guide

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UNESCO launches a new family guide for the digital age

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For most of today’s children and young people, life unfolds seamlessly across online and offline spaces. Their learning, friendships, and access to information are increasingly shaped by digital