SafeToNet Foundation

Young People Online

At the SafeToNet Foundation we have an incredible Youth Advisory Board helping us to understand children and young people’s digital lives. They felt that parents don’t understand what they do...

Staying safe on Social Media

The main purpose of using social media is to stay connected with friends and have fun. However, there are many that have other, more malicious intentions. Don’t let these users ruin your experience...

How to adapt to your child growing up

Your once chatty teen has suddenly clammed up. No parents enjoy getting the “door shut and silent” treatment from their child, especially when you feel like you’ve previously enjoyed a close...

What to do if you suspect your child might be suicidal

If you even suspect this might be the case, you need to address the issue immediately. But calmly. It’s important that you talk about your concerns in a calm, non-accusatory manner....

What is Self Harm?

There are few things more disturbing for parents and carers than finding out that their child is intentionally hurting themselves. Unfortunately, it’s very common, especially among girls and as...

Digital Self Harm

[Source: Internet Matters]Since children virtually live online, we are beginning to see a worrying trend known as “digital self-harm”.  It has all the hallmarks of self-harm in that the...

How can I understand my child's digital world?

Really understanding a child’s digital world is often a concept that is overlooked in the digital parenting world. Whether we refer to them as “digital natives” or “Generation Z” or “Gen...

When is it right to confiscate a child's device?

Your child’s safety is always the priority. As a parent if you feel it is necessary to take their device away from them it is down to you and should be in response to a high-risk situation....

Digital Addiction

[source www.parentingandyou.co.uk]There are currently no medical or government guidelines on screen time in the UK, although the government has recently retreated from 2008 guidance that children...

Should there be screen limits?

How much screen time is too much screen time? There is no settled view on this. More research is needed but, in part, it seems pretty clear the answer will depend on what is on the screen. The main...

How early should I get my child a smartphone?

The average age that children get their first mobile phone is 10.3 years old (according to Techcrunch). Parents often give their children smartphones so they can contact them in case of...

Looking at issues through the eyes of the child

Our research at the SafeToNet Foundation has shown us that what works best for parents is to try to see on-line issues through the eyes of their child. Like it or not our children rely on...

Peer-to-Peer Advice

Our research shows that when young people have an issue, they turn first to those they can trust  and most often this is their friends or peers. Children and young people are often the witnesses...

Should parents use Parental Controls?

“Parental Controls” is a terrible term. Children and young people do not want to be “controlled” nor do parents want to control them…they simply want to ensure that their children are...

What are the Risks of Dating Apps?

The Telegraph reported recently that thousands of teenagers including many aged 15 or under are using “adult” dating app Tinder every day.Some 1% of parents even helped set their children up with...

What are Ghost Accounts?

Ghost accounts are also referred to as ghost followers or lurkers. They are users on social media platforms who remain inactive or do not engage in activity. They register on platforms such as...

Glossary of Terms for Parents

Pfting – something of value Peng – a positive word to describe something very nice Sket – a slut Bait– deliberately annoy or taunt someone Peeps – to see...

Predatory Risks and Grooming

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if someone is a predator online. In the USA the FBI and the United Nations found that there are at least 750,000 predators lurking online at any given moment. Read...

Gaming

Gaming risks tend to arise from a large number of people playing, the minimal restrictions involved, and the fact that users are not face-to-face. Due to the lack of transparency, your child cannot...

Trolling

Definition: An Internet TrollAn Internet troll is a person who sows discord on the internet by starting quarrels or upsetting people. They do this by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off topic...

Sexting

DEFINITIONSexting is where people exchange messages, images or videos of a sexual nature through digital platforms. It is a form of communication that can occur between friends, partners, and people...

Cyberbullying

DefinitionCyberbullying is any bullying behaviour that takes place virtually. It can be harassment or humiliation over text, social media or any type of technology from one person to another.It can...