Internet Safety
The internet can be a great tool for children and young people, however it is important to remember that there may also be hidden dangers.
- Check out what child protection services your internet service provider offers - do they filter for SPAM, for example?
- Keep the computer in a communal area of the house, where it is easy to monitor what your children are viewing.
- Computer kit is expensive, so bear in mind that a child with a laptop may be vulnerable when carrying it to and from school.
- It's not a good idea for your child to open files from people they don't know as it may contain a virus or inappropriate material. If your child receives SPAM or junk emails, remind them to never believe them, reply to them or use them.
- Encourage your children to tell you if they feel uncomfortable, upset threatened by anything they see online.
- Personal details such as your child's name, age and location should never be on view to the general public.
- There are plenty of chatrooms and online communities which are designed for parents so you can get advice from other mums, dad and carers easily.
For more information about keeping your children safe online visit the Think You Know website, or for more general information about online safety visit Get Safe Online.
The Puppetcatcher
The Puppetcatcher is a 15-minute "e-movie" written and produced by the Sheffield based Puppetechnics Studio in collaboration with South Yorkshire Police. The movie has been created to inform children (target ages 8 - 11) about the risks associated with putting too much personal information on the internet, and will be shown in primary schools across South Yorkshire. A leaflet that children can take home accompanies the video.
Internet Watch Foundation
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) operates the UK internet Hotline for reporting criminal online content, specifically:
- Child sexual abuse images hosted worldwide
- Criminally obscene adult content hosted in the UK
- Incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK
- Non-photographic child sexual abuse images hosted in the UK
In partnership with police, Government, the internet industry, and international partners, the IWF works to remove criminal content online and helps to make the internet a safer place for everyone.
Don’t ignore it, report it!
If you stumble across such images accidentally you should report them to the IWF.
Why should I report these images?
Reports from the public help the IWF to remove the images from the internet and to support the investigative processes which could bring those responsible to justice.
Child sexual abuse images record the real abuse of a child and your reports to the IWF might help the authorities to trace and rescue a young victim from further exploitation.
How do I report?
Go to the IWF website www.iwf.org.uk and complete the step-by-step form. The form is easy to navigate and reports can be submitted anonymously.