The internet is a ubiquitous part of all our lives and is now integral to many jobs and in education.

As we all use the internet more, we all increase the possibilities of becoming unsafe online. Internet safety is therefore integral to children and adults alike.

The UK Safer Internet Centre advocates using the SMART acronym in order to help children remember how they can remain safe online.

Safe

Keep yourself safe by not sharing personal information with others online.

Meet

People you have only met online are still strangers so be very cautious when meeting them in the real world. Only meet in a safe place with your parents present.

Accepting

Be careful of what you ‘accept’ when online; think before you click on links, open emails, visit certain sites and download email attachments.

Reliable

The things you think you know about people you have met online are not as reliable as the facts you know about people you have met in real life. Be wary of what people tell you online. It is easy to hide behind a screen.

Tell

Tell any adult when you come across anything you are unsure of, or that makes you feel uncomfortable online. Be sure to tell if you are being bullied or you know that somebody else is being bullied, even if you are involved.

The Uk Safer Internet Centre is a hub for online safety information and is the UK authority ahead of Safer Internet Day (5th February 2019). Find out more here.

Together for a better internet!

Using the SMART guide above is a handy starting point, but here are some more detailed ways you can stay safe when using the internet, and social media in particular.

Think Before You Post

When you use the internet, you are building a ‘digital self’. Everything you post is stored forever so think before you post anything, whether that is an image, a video, a comment or a link to something else on the web. Once it’s posted, you can’t remove it completely.

Keep it to Yourself

Don’t share any information that is unique to you online. You may be asked to enter your full name, email address and date of birth when setting up on online account. Only enter what is required (usually highlighted on the page) and never share this information on your profile or in messages.

Keep Things Private

Most social media profiles allow you to make your profile ‘private’. You will find how to do this in your account settings, or you can search Google. Private accounts mean that you can choose who can see your profile and what you post as they need permission from you to do so.

Avoid Bad Neighbourhoods

When you are walking around in the real world you will avoid going to places that you know may be dangerous; you should do the same online. If you know a website may contain something you shouldn’t see, don’t visit it.

Block when Shocked

You have the power to block other users who post anything that shocks, upsets or offends you; you never have to see what they post again. You can also report anything that you don’t like to the platform you are using; if you see bullying report the posts to the website.

Keep it Real

Speak to people online as you would speak to them in the real world. It is easy to feel distant from the people we are speaking to online and it is important that we never use our screens and keyboards as cloaks of invisibility. If you wouldn’t say to their face, don’t post it on their screen.

Cautious Cats

Be a cautious cat when it feels like people are trying to make you do something you don’t want to. They may ask you to post something on one of your channels, send an email to somebody, click on a link they send you or download something they send to you. Think about who is asking you before you ask. Think about whether an email you receive looks like it was sent to you by the right person.

Whilst the tips for children and pupils above are relevant to adults, here are a few more in-depth tips to help keep you and any children in your care safe.

• Keep an eye out for secure connections, especially when entering personal details. Most browsers will display a padlock symbol somewhere around the address bar, failing that a secured web address begins with ‘https’.
• Set up parental controls on networks shared with children and make use of the available features to do so on devices and in apps.
• Set up child accounts on devices and in apps where it is available.
• Keep a keen eye on what children are doing online where appropriate. A recent article revealed that the auto-play feature on the YouTube Kids app was showing content that had been mis-categorised and was not suitable for youngsters.
• Block in-app purchases where you can. This information is usually available in app stores.
• Be open when talking to children about the dangers that can be found online. We have all fallen victim to online threats so we should share these stories with youngsters so they can avoid the same mistakes.
• Encourage conversations about what children are doing whilst they are online. The earlier we encourage children to discuss what they see and do online the more likely they are to share negative incidents with us.

Fake news is a global internet phenomenon with far-reaching implications. The proliferation of falsehoods in the online media has made navigating through the new an onerous task. It is therefore essential that adults and children learn how to spot and ignore fake news to ensure that we all get a true picture of our world.

The Guardian launched their NewsWise project in 2018 which aims to create a generation of news literate young people. Funded by Google, this cross-curricular literacy project aims to empower 9- to 11-year-olds with the skills and knowledge to navigate this confusing world. Find out more here.

In addition to the Guardian’s project, the National Online Safety community offers training resources for schools staff, parents and pupils. They have published an essential guide on How to Spot Fake News. They offer training, resources and certification for schools. Find out more here.