Week 1: E-safety

ICT can offer many positive and social benefits to young people, but unfortunately there are some dangers. This blog offers a snapshot of the current situation amongst young and vulnerable children, but the awareness of e-safety issues should be an ongoing process. Unfortunately these issues take place outside the school premises and has to be controlled by a responsible adult as children are somehow ignorant and unknowingly give confidential information to strangers. Therefore, these values have to be constantly reinforced to them not only at home and school but also amongst the wider community and media as a whole.

According to Barber, et al. (2012), many websites are now issuing an age-verification requirement before giving access to their content. This kind of facility provides another preventive layer for children and adults warning them that they might encounter unsuitable content. However, these features are extremely debatable in the sense that it is very easy to lie about their age when registering and usually access is given to a site by the mere clicking of a box. The following videos can help raise awareness in children and can educate them about keeping safe online. By teaching them how to remain confidential as well as think twice before talking or sharing personal information, these threats can be potentially avoided.

Bryon (2010) has established a digital code and a set of behaviours called 'Zip It, Block It, Flag It' - this is used by practitioners with children.

• Zip It  -' Keep your personal stuff private and think out what you say and do online'.

• Block it - 'Block people who send nasty messages and don't open unknown links and attachments'.

• Flag It - 'Flag up with someone you trust if anything upsets you of if someone asks to meet you offline'.

It has come to my attention that many children are relatively using social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram despite the fact that there is a certain age requirement in order to log on. Very often they just do so in order to be able to play games by using fake names and ages. By doing so, they are unknowingly indulging themselves to interact with a wide range of people who are not only able to send them either sweet or offensive messages but can can also access their status updates as well as their pictures and personal details. As part of the safety awareness measures, children should be taught not to share any such information on a social networking website and should only add people whom they are familiar with to their friends' list. However, there can be events when a person's account has been hacked. Should you suspect anything like that, please unfriend that person straight away.

The internet can be fun and fascinating tool whilst always bringing up new applications and various facilities. But if you feel that someone has been verbally abusive to you and has said something that has upset you in any sense, please click on CEOP immediately!
Always tell an adult that you trust and they will report it back to CEOP as this is a very serious issue.

Akilah......