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According to Ofcom’s 2022 Media Use and Attitudes report, children are now more likely to be bullied via technology than they are to experience it in person. An alarming 84% of 8 to 17-year-olds who reported being targeted said it had taken place via messaging, social media, online gaming and so on, as opposed to 61% who had been intimidated face-to-face.

Just like its offline counterpart, cyber-bullying creates feelings of isolation and anxiety in its victims, along with a loss of self-esteem and potentially thoughts of self-harm or suicide. In support of Anti-Bullying Week, today’s #WakeUpWednesday guide has expert tips on how trusted adults can help to prevent online bullying or reduce its damaging effects

Read on to access your free guide and catch up on the latest online safety news…<span class="su-quote-cite">National Online Safety</span>

Dear parents and Carers,

I think this week’s guide is apt for the times we live in but would also be good to share with your children. There are major events going on at the moment and the temptation for adults and children alike is to post things online that might not be very kind. Hopefully this guide will help us all be more positive in the way we post and share comments online.

Best wishes,<span class="su-quote-cite">Mark Richards, Lord Deramore's Primary School</span>

What Parents Need to Know about Amigo

Amigo is a communication platform with (according to its marketing blurb) “the most intelligent algorithm”: capable of matching users with potential chat partners who could live anywhere from the other side of the world to within the same postcode. Once paired, users are rewarded for interacting with each other frequently by additional features being made available to them.

These unlockable extras include private video calling. This is an app for mature audiences. There is the flimsiest of barriers to children using it. If (as we imagine) the potential correlation between these three facts has set alarm bells ringing for you … we’d like to direct you towards this week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide for the whole enchilada about Amigo.

Read on to access your free guide and catch up on the latest online safety news…<span class="su-quote-cite">National Online Safety</span>

What Parents Need to Know about Sendit

On general principle, any app which allows children to communicate with others anonymously online should be treated with a substantial measure of caution – and Sendit is no exception. For some individuals, the extra layer of security that anonymity provides is an open invitation to post negative and hurtful comments without fear of the consequences.

Indeed, some Scandinavian schools have already gone as far as warning parents about the dangers of children downloading and using Sendit, following a spate of bullying and harassment incidents. As this week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide highlights, the cost of subscriptions and the tendency for young people to be drawn into using the app habitually are among Sendit’s other potential risks.

What Parents Need to Know about FIFA 23

You don’t have to be football crazy or an avid gamer to have heard of the all-conquering FIFA franchise. What you might not know is that this latest edition will be the last release to bear that name, thanks to a parting of the ways between football’s governing body FIFA (that’s Federation Internationale de Football Association, acronym fans) and developers EA Sports.

There’s no disputing that the game’s been an immense success – but what’s less impressive is its tendency to look defensively shaky against some online threats. Young players aiming to recreate their football heroes’ exploits can be at risk from abusive opponents, expensive in-game purchases and the “just one more game” mentality. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide tackles FIFA 23.

Read on to access your free guide and catch up on the latest online safety news…<span class="su-quote-cite">National Online Safety</span>

10 Tips for Parents and Carers: How to be Green with your Tech

Remember the heatwave back in July? Temperatures topping 40° in the UK, wildfires in mainland Europe and severe droughts across the continent. It’s clear evidence of how much global warming has started influencing the weather in this part of the world. Climate change has been described as “the fight of our lifetime”, and it’s a battle we have to win.

What parents need to know about Reddit

Over the last ten years, Reddit’s monthly user count has grown from 70 million to an estimated 430 million. Around two-thirds of that total are in the 18–29 age bracket, which adds up to a lot of fairly young people discussing … well, pretty much whatever they want. It’s easy to see how that environment might not be suitable for younger users!

Unsurprisingly, age-inappropriate content is therefore a common risk on Reddit, and – as this week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide explains – it’s not in isolation. Constant distracting notifications, online harassment and uninvited contact from strangers are also among the threats that young people might encounter through using Reddit.

Read on to access your free guide and catch up on the latest online safety news…<span class="su-quote-cite">National Online Safety</span>

What parents need to know about Roblox

Over the past decade, Roblox has become one of the world’s most popular platforms for young gamers. It’s certainly among the most commercially successful: during one three-month period in 2020, for example, players spent a staggering £200 million on in-game purchases. The possible financial costs, however, aren’t the only area to have caused concern.

How are some sections of Roblox unsuitable for younger players? Why aren’t private or VP servers a water-tight defence against strangers? Who are ODers and why should children be wary of them? Why is it a good idea to disable the private messaging function? Updated for 2022, our #WakeUpWednesday guide to Roblox has the answers.

Read on to access your free guide and catch up on the latest online safety news…<span class="su-quote-cite">National Online Safety</span>