FACT: Online Identity Fraud is the fastest growing crime in the United Kingdom and that almost 90% of emails are spam
Social networking
Websites allow people to talk to existing friends and make new friends online as well as sharing photos and other information.
Popular sites include Facebook, Bebo, Twitter and Myspace.
Instant Messaging (IM)
Is a form of real-time text-based communication conveyed over a network, such as the Internet, between two or more people on a user's contact list.
A popular example is Windows Live Messenger
Chat rooms
Are online forums where people can talk online.
Although chatting and interacting online can be great fun, risks can arise as the cyber world can often seem very different to the real world and young people can be tempted to say and do things that they wouldn’t dream of it they met someone face-to-face.
Tell them not to post personal details such as phone numbers or addresses on their homepage
Make sure that they do not upload any inappropriate photographs
Ensure they have adjusted their account and privacy settings so that only approved friends can contact them, or view their photos
Ask them to show you how to use a social networking site so you have a better understanding of how it works
Warn them never to meet up with someone they have met online
Gaming
sites can be great fun for young people but as with any online technology, it is important to take precautions to keep them safe
To help protect your kids:
Keep the computer in a family room so you can monitor what games they are playing and check they are age appropriate
Encourage them to report anyone who asks them to do anything which makes them feel uncomfortable
Explain the risks of talking to people they do not know in the real world
Cyberbullying
is bullying via digital technologies like computers and mobile phones and can be more difficult to spot than ‘traditional’ bullying.
You can help protect your child by following this advice:
Encourage them to confide in your or another adult about anything that is upsetting them
Suggest they only use moderated chatrooms
Turn on in-built internet safety features and install software to enhance safety
Advise them to report any abuse, block the offender and keep a record of any offensive messages
Tell them not respond or retaliate to any abuse
Ensure they only share login and password details with parents or trusted adults
