The tips below come from the thinkuknow website.
Thinkuknow is the education programme delivered by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (www.ceop.police.uk) which is a national law enforcement agency dedicated to tackling child sexual abuse.
If you would like further information on internet safety then have a look at the think u know website which is packed full of useful tips and advice on a wide range of internet activities. Their website address is: thinkuknow Know what your children are doing online and who they are talking to. Ask them to teach you to use any applications you have never used.
- Help your children to understand that they should never give out personal details to online friends.
- Personal information includes their messenger id, email address, mobile number and any pictures of themselves, their family or friends.
- If your child publishes a picture or video online – anyone can change it or share it.
- If your child receives spam / junk email & texts, remind them never to believe them, reply to them or use them.
- It’s not a good idea for your child to open files that are from people they don’t know. They won’t know what they contain – it could be a virus, or worse – an inappropriate image or film.
- Help your child to understand that some people lie online and that therefore it’s better to keep online mates online. They should never meet up with any strangers without an adult they trust.
- Always keep communication open for a child to know that it’s never too late to tell someone if something makes them feel uncomfortable.
- Teach young people how to block someone online and report them if they feel uncomfortable.
- There are people who can help. To report online child abuse go to www.ceop.police.uk or for more advice and support go to thinkuknow