Safer Internet Day 2023
by Esther Ameyinoge
“How one teen went missing after agreeing to meet her online friend”
Independent, 2009
“Gangs targeting autistic gamers in bid to recruit new cyber-criminals, police warn”
Guardian, 2019
“Kids as young as 8 forced into county lines gangs in cost of living crisis”
Mirror, 2022
“Mum's sickening discovery after daughter, 11, groomed by secret Spotify abuse network”
Evening News, 2023
“Bullying: Schoolmates 'told me to die' in online posts”
BBC, 2020
Online Safety Considerations
The number of cases that manage to reach headlines are only but a mirror of a greater plight at large. It is no new phenomenon the amount of exposure and risk that remains prevalent on the World Wide Web, and with our increasing use of it, the need for safer controls and surveillance has become even more crucial. This has become of particular concern in light of greater access young people have to social media that enable interaction between strangers online, presenting the opportunity for people to fake their identities and present falsely to others. There have been prominent and fatal cases that have led the following discourse and have served as reminders of the desperate need to expose the use of, and teach the realities to, online consumption and safety protocols.
Data from Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, show that the vast majority of children in the UK own a smartphone by the age of 11, with ownership rising from 44% at age nine to 91% at age 11. It is no wonder, then, that the majority of users subject to cyberbullying attacks, victims to catfishing, coercion under false pretence and indecent exposure are under the age of 21. In The Social Dilemma, a renowned 2020 documentary on Netflix, it is stated that “the technology that connects us, also manipulates us” and that the nature of social media itself is designed to nurture an addiction with the aim of maximising profits and manipulating people's views, emotions, and behaviour. The greater this consumption, the more prone to its risks and danger we fall victim to.
As a Social Enterprise with young people as our primary beneficiaries, we work to honour our duty in Safeguarding & Protection by championing the importance of online safety. We want to work closely with our stakeholders to equip and to encourage the young people in our spheres of life so as to limit and mitigate the risks online activity presents.
iPad Device Management
We arrange and facilitate devices for young people who receive tuition online and do not have the resource or access to this. In doing so, each device is installed with specialist protection software. Equal Education also limits access to distracting and dangerous websites or apps, maintains safeguarding features, and can lock down lost or stolen devices. Additionally, devices are locked into our management, thus preventing unauthorised sale of the device and guarantees only selected students benefit from these devices.
Zoom Lessons
We have created a guide for both parents, guardians and tutors to help instruct their use of Zoom in preparation for and during their lessons. We’ve permitted the waiting room as a security feature that is applied to all sessions taking place with our licensed accounts. This means that no one can appear in meetings without the tutor granting the student access, requiring them admission on arrival. All lessons are also automatically recorded, and these video files of the recorded sessions are stored securely. The recordings are then only accessible by dedicated members of the Equal Education team, with footage securely saved for 30 days, at which point it is securely deleted (unless a concern or complaint has been raised).
Tutor Training
We have a dedicated team who work to plan and deliver a series of Tutor Training events that keep our tutors aware and equipped with the knowledge and skills required to keep students safe online. We are committed to ensuring that all new guidance surrounding online safety is sufficiently relayed across our network, and we work to provide monthly updates of how the work we are doing comply with the standards expected across education providers in the sector.
I believe we all have a social responsibility to ensure our use of social media and our online presence is considerate of others and reflects safe engagement between people. No matter what your capacity is, from parents to siblings, friends to teachers, we all have influence and can help shape the narrative people are exposed to.
Open Dialogue
Catching the signs early in our young people’s lives will help to prevent any future issues that may arise. Do they present as withdrawing? Are they acting out of character? Are they saying things or mimicking dialogue that sounds unusual? This year’s Safer Internet Day theme - ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’, wants to make us aware of the importance of putting the voices of young people at the centre of our conversations, and how making space for conversations about life online can help shape this trajectory.
Be encouraged to start up a conversation: make it informal and lighthearted for the young person to participate in. Be sure to create an environment where they feel comfortable enough to trust you into their thoughts.
Parental Controls
No matter the device in use, there is great safety in ensuring the use of these are limited in what they have access to. There is so much content that contains harmful, coercive and unhinged theories that are used as scapegoats to manipulate people. Monitor their use through a series of locks and preventive controls that can help block out these sorts of content.
Limiting Screen Time
It may be hard to take a phone out of a 15 year old’s hand, but setting screen time prompts and removing devices from their reach before/after certain time periods can help to track the time being spent and on what sort of websites and apps.
For more information and guidance on how to support young people and continue to champion online safety, please see to the following useful resources:
Support for Parents & Caregivers