Liz McLaughlin on putting safety first online
With many children having been gifted new devices for Christmas, I am mindful that the online world needs careful navigating when a child begins to start accessing this on a regular basis. It is never too early to begin teaching children about being safe online. When I was growing up, my parents taught me not to trust strangers who wanted to talk to me in a park, to know my address so that I could tell a police officer if I was lost, and to memorise our phone number. This generation of children need to learn about an entirely new virtual world with dangers that are harder to explain and comprehend.
As soon as your child starts using technology, begin with very clear and simple rules. You can then build on those rules as the technology changes. For example, on Netflix, my twins know that they can only select a green U icon for any show. If it is not green, they cannot watch it. Whenever I introduce a rule, I always make sure they know why. Children are more willing to follow rules if they understand that there is a rationale behind it and it is not just a power struggle with an adult. My twins know that if the programme is not green, it probably has something that will scare them or some words that are only for adults. They also know that they will get to watch the other shows some day and are looking forward to the time when they are old enough.
If your child is using online games, my biggest tip is to teach them early about always creating a secret screen name. Their real name should never appear on any game. Create a funny screen name with them that they can have for years to come. Create one for everyone in your family and use these for all of your devices. Remember to also tell them why they need to keep it a secret. Do they tell strangers in the park their name? Do they tell people in the grocery store their name? Children will understand that it is to help keep them safe.
As children get older, we use a programme at Falcons Pre-Prep called to teach online safety. It simulates real life gaming and online experiences with a learning concept in each lesson. We aim to equip our students with experiences to keep them safe in years to come as they navigate a very challenging virtual world.
My favourite resource to recommend to parents is . It is known to be the best resource for understanding what is appropriate for each age and has current tips and advice on everything from movies to iPad or Kindle games. As your children get holder, I recommend bookmarking this page so that you can refer to it in years to come.
The most commonly used UK based site is and it also has wonderful tips and guidance. It does not go into the same amount of detail on specific products but it has more general advice for parents.
Finally, I highly urge you all make a note of in an easy to find place. This is the way to instantly report anything of concern that is directly linked with the police and National Crime Agency. They have a level of power to help online crime that is used by all agencies in this country. Parents can directly report anything suspicious and get instant help. A few years ago, I heard a talk from the founder of the about how CEOPS were the only ones who took her concerns seriously. Sadly, her 14-year old son was still killed by his online groomer, and his mother now works very hard to educate parents, schools, and children about online safety. Breck’s story is a very sad read, but I encourage you to take the time as he is a child who has a profile similar to many families. We often think it cannot happen to us, and his story shows that it can.
The online world is here to stay – let us make sure the next generation coming through are fully equipped to enjoy it safely.