29 Raring2go! ONLINE SAFETY Boosting Children’s Online Safety - how to better protect children in the digital age! Understanding the dangers that are posed to children online has become more important now than ever before as we enter a digital age, where young children have access to the internet and social media. In this brief feature, I aim to highlight the risks that children face and offer guidance on how parents can best support their children through a safe navigation of online spaces. Understanding the risks Bullying: When hiding behind a screen, it is much easier for children to say nasty things to one another they perhaps wouldn’t have the courage to say in person. Arguments that have occurred at school can escalate further through messages on social media. This also means children are denied refuge from issues that they are facing at school as this seeps into the home environment via social media. Inappropriate content: Whilst scrolling on various social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok children may be exposed to explicit content and extremist or hateful views directed towards different groups of people. Contact with strangers: Fake online profi les can be extremely convincing. Thus, it is easy for potential predators to connect with children online under the pretence of being somebody else. How can we help to keep children safe online? Noticing the signs: If children are experiencing trouble online, they may appear quieter than usual and more withdrawn. It is important to talk openly with children about what they see online and make sure that they understand what the risks are so that they can be avoided. Privacy settings: Ensure that the privacy settings are switched on for the apps that children use so they can control who can reach their online accounts. It is also important to make sure children are confi dent in their knowledge of how to block and report people on social media, should they be in a position where they need to. Attitude to online usage: Due to the addictive nature of scrolling on social media platforms, children can fi nd themselves sucked into the online world for hours on end. However, having a negative outlook to social media and banning phones can incite them to do this even more. Rather than prohibiting the use of phones as a punishment, scheduling time for kids to play online games and use social platforms can be more helpful in ensuring their usage isn’t excessive. Additionally, planning days out as a family can also reduce screen time.
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