LIKE (Likee) App
This #WakeUpWednesday we’re talking about LIKE (soon to be rebranded as Likee). Similarly to TikTok, Like is a free video creation and editing app that has a global community of over 200 million users who can create any type of video, add their own special effects and then upload and share them with the world.
The app is largely used to create short music videos which users can star in and edit anyway they want using the “Magic Video Maker.” Users share their videos on the platform as well as having the option to share across other social media outlets such as Facebook and Instagram. Due to the suggestive content that is available on the app, it has a recommended age of 16+, although the app store rate it as 17+.
To access the guide for this app: https://nationalonlinesafety.com/resources/wake-up-wednesday/like/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WakeUpWednesday%20Like&utm_content=WakeUpWednesday%20Like+CID_896cc4c570ebfca067ed60de20329422&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=LIKE%20for%20Trusted%20Adults
Online Grooming
There has been a UK rise in cases of online grooming via social media, you may have seen this on the news today. Please see the BBC news article below.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47410520 Instagram and Grooming
Youtube comments
This is a great article related to comments on youtube videos and guidelines/ support for parents:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-47408969 YouTube Comments
Daily Mail article on risks of social media
Please follow the below links to see daily mail article and video.
Victim speaks to parents about risks of teenagers sending nudes: https://mol.im/a/6671841#v5163714979228201918 via https://dailym.ai/androd
YouTube
This #WakeUpWednesday we’re broadcasting a re-vamped version of our popular YouTube guide. Heavily used by children and young people, Ofcom’s Media and Attitudes report (2018) reveals that even children as young as three are using the site as a form of entertainment.
What is YouTube?
YouTube is an online platform – owned by Google – where users can upload and watch video content. Although you are required to create an account to upload material, you do not need an account to watch videos on the platform, meaning anyone with an internet connection can watch videos that your child uploads. All different types of information, advice and entertainment are uploaded and billions of people tune in to watch, rate and comment on it. As a parent or carer, it’s important you understand exactly what content your children might be seeing.
Please visit: https://nationalonlinesafety.com/resources/wake-up-wednesday/youtube-online-safety-guide/
Smart Devices
This #WakeUpWednesday we’re giving trusted adults 14 tips to get smart about smart home devices. This guide will help you identify some of the ways you can stay alert and protect yourself and your children from the associated risks.
What are ‘Smart Devices’?
As new smart devices arrive on the market, they promise to make life easier and to help our lives run more efficiently. Whilst they are typically aimed at busy professionals, they are now present in a wide variety of homes. Whether you are using a digital assistant to record your shopping list or automatic lights controlled through a smart system, all of these functions are vulnerable and could be controlled by an unauthorised person from outside your home.
9 Top Tips to Get Smart About Children’s Smart Devices
This #WakeUpWednesday we’re giving trusted adults 9 tips to get smart about smart children’s devices.
Children are using smart devices from a much younger age than ever before. Therefore it’s essential we talk to our children about how to use them safely. There are many positive benefits to the new technology at our disposal these days – but there are plenty of downsides too. As a parent, it’s important you understand these risks and how you can take steps to protect your family against them.
Monkey App
There have been concerns raised about an app called Monkey and some schools are reporting that it’s having issues with pupils who use it. As a result here is some detailed information about the app and concerns and potential risks.
Monkey
What is it? –
The Monkey app is a video chat app targeted towards teenagers and is available to download within the Apple and Google Play app stores. The app allows users to video chat to random people (strangers) for 15 secs and if both parties are enjoying the chat they can extend the time they chat together. Before connecting, users will see the age and gender of the potential friend, and they can accept the video chat or not. Sign up is easy and all you need is a date of birth, but there’s no verification of age to prove if this is accurate (Please note Social Media in General doesn’t use age verification tools). When signing up the Monkey app fully links with users Snapchat profiles and you can choose to send out invites to your Snapchat friends to join Monkey.
Worries and Concerns-
App is designed for you to talk to strangers from around the world and as we all know this has the potential for users to chat to others who pose a risk to children and young people. While the app is targeted towards teenagers the reported average age of users is 23 years of age. There are a lot of reports of users being in a state of undress or fully naked while chatting. There are also reports of sexual explicit chat and users receiving requests for nude pics and video. Chat can often be abusive and nasty with reports of bullying going on.
Monkey is another example of Video Chat apps that encourage users to talk to strangers. Similar apps like Omegle and ooVoo are becoming increasingly popular with children and young people and we have seen a rise in these type of apps being developed and many existing apps are adding this random chat feature to their platforms.
BBC Article: You Tube
If you weren’t aware of the recent changes to YouTube this is an interesting article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-46887666
Internet Safety
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beinternetlegends.withgoogle.com
Interland is an online adventure that teaches the key lessons of internet safety through four fun, challenging games. Play your way to being an Internet Legend.
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https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/online-gaming-advice/
Support for parents and carers to keep children safe online
Options for reporting or talking through online problems:
CEOP
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is dedicated to eradicating the sexual abuse of children. It is part of UK policing and very much about tracking and bringing offenders to account either directly or in partnership with local and international forces. Anybody with concerns that a pupil is being groomed or sexually exploited, including involvement in Sexting, should contact them directly using the link below. I would strongly recommend that if possible, you also contact Mr Lindsay or any member of the Safeguarding team here at Hurworth as we may need to make additional referrals to Children’s Services.
www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre
Childline Instant Help
The link provided below will take you to the Childline website where you can click the explore button to find out more about topics such as Cyber Bullying and Online and Mobile Safety. More importantly if you click on the 1 to 1 Chat Online link you can contact a Childline counsellor in a 1 to 1 online chat (like instant messenger) about any online problems. Childline state that no problem is too big or too small.
ThinkUKnow
Here you can find the latest information on websites, mobiles and new technology. Find out what’s good, what’s not and what you can do about it. If you look after young people, there’s an area for you too with resources you can use at home or just to get yourself up to speed with the latest developments. Most importantly, there’s also a place which anyone can use to report if they feel uncomfortable or worried about someone they are chatting to online.
Here you can find a parents/carers guide to safely stream online and share images.
Delivering Online Safety at Home
Internet Watch Foundation
If you have inadvertently stumbled across potentially illegal online content, specifically images of child sexual abuse, criminally obscene material or anything that incites racial hatred then please submit a report to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). The IWF works in partnership with the police, government, the online industry and the public to combat this type of material and you are helping to make the internet safer for all by taking this action.
Options for finding information about online safety guidance:
All the websites listed above have both reporting tools and sections of information and advice relating to e-safety. In addition to these you may find the following useful:
The Twitter feed from the CEOP website has many tweets with up to date information about online safety. It covers the type of current activity taking place not only across the UK but also specifically what is happening regionally.
Get Safe Online
Get Safe Online is the UK’s leading source of unbiased, factual and easy-to-understand information on online safety.