The great thing about this blog it is common sense, and only needs a little adjustment to make sure your kids understand. Don't forget with fewer days in schools in 2021, kids got less online safety instruction than in previous years. Kids are always saying that Mum and Dad don't do a lot about parental control, online safety at home. So here's something we can do to fix that, start by reminding your kids of the five most important things NOT to share online with anyone, the list is below. So let's start.
We all know the advice that kids get when starting on devices, gaming and the internet for the first time, how careful they need to be and always use your common sense. Youngsters must socialise online with friends from school, friends, family.
Firstly this conversation ought to have never taken place and secondly, it shows how clever people can be when it comes to entrapping children online. The first rule, never ever speak to anyone online you do not know in person. The second rule, use your common sense. Email us for School Booking
It is not just names, schools, home addresses, nicknames, friends names, city or town, phone numbers that we need to be careful of accidentally giving out. It is everything, we have a true story from a 9-year-old in West Hampstead, London earlier in 2021.
This is a clever entrapment of a young girl who was tricked into giving an interloper her dog's name 'Snowy', which at the time she thought was harmless. Until a year or later, this same guy re-approached her online (we think through Instagram) and asked her how her dog was, referring to 'Snowy' by name. She dropped her guard and agreed to meet him a few days later mistaking him for some long lost relative or old family friend.
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Fortunately, as the 9-year-old was leaving the house to walk her dog around the park in front of her house, in sight of her mum, she mentioned she was also meeting someone called Sam too. Mum didn't know a 'Sam' and she wouldn't normally talk to boys being nine. Some quick thinking by Mum led to Uncle Sam being picked up by the police half an hour later. They convicted him for the abuse of a minor following a full investigation.
Comment: This shows the need for vigilance on all levels, that children must simply refuse and not speak with anyone online, that they don't know. A seemingly harmless piece of information almost led to a catastrophe. This man was able to get close to a kid by simply asking her the name of her dog, a very clever tactic.
During COVID19, we have noticed that kids have been given more leeway by parents, with less parental control and more time online. It is more important.
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