29th January - FOOTBALL CLUB IS CANCELLED DUE TO THE WEATHER - COLLECT AT 3.15PM PLEASE
Wearable tech is increasingly big business. More than 170 million smartwatches were sold globally in 2022, for example, with Apple biting off the largest chunk of the market (26% - some distance ahead of Samsung, in second with 9%). That's partly because they have more than 21,000 apps available for their devices, allowing users to customise their smartwatch experience.
Both Apple and Samsung’s products, of course, lean towards the higher spec end of the market – usually with price tags to match. Sourcing a less expensive alternative, however, often also means inferior safety features to protect young wearers. That’s just one of the potential hazards highlighted in the guide to smartwatches. In the guide you'll also find tips on several potential risks such as location tracking, causing distractions at school and the danger of theft.
The social media network formerly known as Twitter has undergone numerous alterations since its change of ownership and rebranding as X – and many of these recent developments have proved controversial. With any user now simply able to pay a fee for account verification, for example, the once-reliable ‘blue tick’ system has become largely meaningless.
It’s just one of several changes that have set the social media giant on what many consider a concerning path in online safety terms. This guide provides a run-down of the most significant tweaks made to X; their potential safeguarding implications; and how to help ensure young people minimise the risks while they continue to use the service.
‘Likes’ are a simple way for users to show that they approve of a post on social media. This could be anything from photos and videos to status updates and comments. The feature is widely used on several social media platforms and is particularly popular on Instagram and Facebook. It is often used by children to measure the success of their social media posts and gauge opinion about them. However, it can also bring a number of social pressures, particularly if users start to question their own levels of popularity.
In this guide, you'll find tips for avoiding potential risks such as damage to self-esteem, addiction and competitiveness.
For many companies who operate in the online space, attention and engagement are the holy grail. Social media sites in particular make deliberate creative choices to keep people scrolling, reading, watching and clicking. This phenomenon is known as ‘persuasive design’ and it’s being employed in the vast majority of the digital world’s most popular destinations.
A study by the charity 5Rights Foundation concluded that “…the brain's response to rewards and punishments can be leveraged through persuasive design to keep children online.” To tie in with Safer Internet Day 2024, our guide this week can help to educate youngsters on the effects of persuasive design – and suggests ways to insulate themselves from its influence.
Created in 2018 by a small indie studio that (at the time) had only four employees, Among Us has become one of the gaming world’s biggest breakout hits of recent years. In 2020, for example, it was the world’s most downloaded mobile game. Its simplicity helped Among Us to resonate with younger players in particular: the game’s second largest audience slice is the 13–18 age bracket.
While the 7+ age rating, emphasis on teamwork, and cartoonish, colourful graphics all suit a young fan-base, however, the game does carry more serious risks than betrayal by a team-mate or an untimely on-screen demise – with in-game purchases and possible contact from strangers on our #WakeUpWednesday guide’s list of hazards that trusted adults should bear in mind.
The online information poster this week is focused on Smartphone Safety.
According to Ofcom, 69% of under-18s use a smartphone as their main method of going online. Additionally, 49% of children use them for online gaming – putting smartphones only behind consoles (59%) as the device of choice for playing games on. Most people won’t require such statistical evidence, however, to acknowledge the huge importance of phones to young people.
Given that Santa’s recent visit is likely to have bestowed smartphones on an even greater number of young people, it’s a particularly opportune moment to ensure that children are able to use their handsets responsibly – and, above all, safely. From passcodes to parental controls, and from screen time to scams, the guide has the essential advice.
Smart TVs have become more affordable in recent years, making them readily available to most consumers. These more advanced systems offer numerous features beyond those of a normal television set – chiefly, the ability to access the internet and interface with popular streaming services without the need for a set-top box or other intermediary device.
This increased functionality, however, also brings additional threats to privacy, security and more – as you’d perhaps expect from any device capable of going online. As TV is such a cornerstone of our home lives, these dangers can be uniquely difficult to manage. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide breaks down the major risks, with tips on helping children to enjoy TV … stress free.
Cyber Safe Families - Managing Screen Time
From using them for communication, work, shopping and entertainment, devices such as smartphones, laptops and the rest are now deeply ingrained into modern society. Small wonder, then, that young people – who’ve grown up surrounded by such gadgets – can sometimes struggle to put them down, switch them off or keep themselves occupied without them.
While limiting our screen time may require a great deal of restraint, the effort can be rewarded with significant benefits to our physical and mental health.
The guide this week has simple tips for helping to manage the amount of screen time in your household – encouraging the whole family to spend more quality time together and live in the moment.
Cyber Safe Families - Parental Controls
At this time of year, it’s highly possible that you have a new phone, games console or other digital device stashed somewhere at home, ready to be unwrapped. Many parents also prefer to place some protective measures on those gifts – to keep their child shielded from potential #OnlineSafety risks – while others would like to, but aren’t sure where to begin.
The guide this week shepherds you through the process of establishing parental controls on new internet-enabled devices, from smartphones to laptops to consoles. Simply find the device in question and read on to find out what options you have and how to enable them – letting children enjoy their shiny new gadget, without so much of the worry over where it might lead them.
Online Safety is an ever-evolving concern. Last Monday evening, the West Mercia Police held a (very graphic) conference, highlighting some of the worst-case scenarios involving young people and the internet (scenarios that happen here in Worcestershire). It was also highlighted that these 'serious' scenarios all started with low-level inappropriate exploration and misuse at a very early age. Keeping your child/ren safe online has to be a priority for you, and to support you with this we are now going to be sending out a weekly guide on a Wednesday. Please take some time to read the information and keep on top of your child's online activities.
Cyber Safe Families - Setting Boundaries for Gaming
The online information poster this week is about Setting Boundaries for Gaming.
Behind video-sharing platforms (like YouTube) and streaming TV shows and movies, gaming is the third most popular online activity for children in the UK. In fact, according to recent data from Ofcom, an overwhelming 89% of children aged 3 to 17 play video games. Of those, more than one in five (22%) talk to other players online whom they don’t know outside the game.
The risk of contact with strangers is just one of the reasons that many parents are concerned about their child’s gaming: increased screen time, inappropriate content and in-game spending also figure among the most frequent fears. Agreeing on some rules around your child’s gaming activities can certainly help, and our guide has some useful tips for establishing these boundaries.
If you would like any further information on this topic or any other online issues, please come and speak to us.