Internet access and online safety are one of the most frequent topics that parents bring up when visiting the School. 

At King’s we have to balance the academic and social needs of the pupils with the fact that the internet is, more and more, becoming an essential part of young people’s lives. The benefits of the internet are obvious to see, as are the potential problems. Social media is a vital means of communicating but it can become overwhelming and, if not regulated, it can have a detrimental effect on peoples mental and physical health, as well as their academic performance.

There are things that we can all do, as parents and guardians, to try to keep on top of a rapidly developing technological environment. Two new initiatives are detailed below, to try to help us all to encourage our children (as well as ourselves) to make full use of the tools available to us, whilst remaining safe at the same time.

TikTok is one of the most popular sites with young people. However, it is also one of the more vulnerable platforms that is accessed by those intent on exploiting young people. There is a new Family Safety Mode that can be accessed by parents.

TikTok Family Safety Mode

Tiktok is proving to be a huge success, with many of its users being children and young people. We are hearing from many schools and parents that their children are Tiktok users.

As with all social networks, users need to be aware of the risks as well as the opportunities and it's vital that parents monitor their children's use. To support parents in this, a new Family Safety mode has been launched. It allows parents to link their own account to their children's and set restrictions on content, contact and manage screen time.

Common sense have a useful guide to Tiktok for parents at:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/parents-ultimate-guide-to-tiktok

Also, with the prevalence of “Smart Technology” in the home, we are all more vulnerable to those trying to access our information and there is some useful guidance on dealing with this below.

Keeping Your Connected Home Safe for your Children

More and more families now regularly use a range of devices that connect to the internet, such as smart speakers, smart meters, fitness trackers, and even toys.

Alongside the excitement and convenience of these devices, we also need to be aware of the risks associated with any device that connects to the internet. ThinkUKnow say that these risks include:

• Some devices are collecting too much personal information from children.
• Some children (either accidentally or on purpose) are able to search for and access age-inappropriate material via a connected device such as a smart speaker.
• Children may make ‘in-app purchases’ and spend money, which is often taken from their parents’ bank account without their knowledge or consent.
• Some of these devices may be more vulnerable to hacking and monitoring, as there are currently no security standards in place for connected devices.

Luckily, some guidance is available to support us in keeping our “connected” homes safe for our children: These tips, as well as further details can be found at: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/articles/what-is-the-internet-of-things-iot 

Rest assured the ICT Team at King’s is constantly trying to maintain essential access to the internet, whilst safeguarding our pupils at the same time. I hope these initiatives might be of use to you.

Malcolm Jeffrey - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (eSafety and Prevent)