e-Safety in Schools

The Kent e-Safety Strategy Group are pleased to announce that the Staff ICT Acceptable Use Policy Template 2012 is being published to celebrate Safer Internet Day 2012 as part of "Connecting Generations" and exploring the digital world together safely.

e-Safety relates to the safe use of the Internet, mobile phones and other electronic communications technologies and is an essential part of the wider safeguarding agenda. Schools and other settings must decide on the right balance between controlling access to the internet and technology, setting rules and boundaries and education around safe and responsible use for both pupils and staff. Schools and settings must ensure that appropriate action has been taken to help protect staff, pupils and the wider community.

The updated Staff ICT Acceptable Use Policy Template 2012 builds upon the foundations laid by the "Staff Code of Conduct" (2008) and is provided as a framework to support schools and other settings when writing and updating their Acceptable Use Policies which are an important part of every schools role in safeguarding both pupils and staff.

The Staff ICT Acceptable Use Policy Template 2012 contains a "guidance for use" section for Head Teachers, Governing Bodies and Senior Leadership Teams to help them consider the wider implications (including legislation and recommended best practise) as well as possible actions required to support and develop a consistent and appropriate AUP to reflect the schools e-Safety approach. The AUP template provides schools and settings with a range of statements and could be used and adapted by Senior Leadership Teams to develop an AUP appropriate to the schools systems, needs and requirements.

The ICT Acceptable Use Policy Template 2012 has been produced by the Kent e-Safety Strategy Group with input from schools, child protection officers, Teaching Unions, School Personnel, Kent County Council Legal Services, multi-agency children's workforce professionals and Kent Police to help schools and other settings write their own staff AUP.

Kent schools and settings can consult with the e-Safety Officer to discuss policies and procedures in relation to schools e-Safety responsibilities.

The Staff ICT Acceptable Use Policy Template 2012 is available electronically as both a PDF and word document, along with other e-Safety Material, at www.kenttrustweb.org.uk?esafety
 

Beatbullying today publishes Virtual Violence II: Progress and Challenges in the Fight against Cyberbullying - an in-depth study of the state of cyberbullying amongst children, young people and teachers in the UK.

The report is commissioned by Nominet Trust and in association with the NAHT. It will be unveiled in a hard-hitting Panorama documentary airing on the BBC tonight (6th February) and reveals that cyberbullying, as a weapon of choice amongst the nation's youth, is showing no signs of dissipating, with 350,222 children – or 1 in 13 – experiencing persistent and intentional cyberbullying, with just under a quarter (23%) reporting that the bullying lasted for a year or more, and two in five (40%) said that it lasted for months or weeks. These findings closely mirror Beatbullying's first Virtual Violence study published in 2009.

Looking at the long-term effects of cyberbullying, Virtual Violence II reveals the detrimental impact this kind of abuse can have on a young person's wellbeing, with:

• 20% of children and young people indicating that fear of cyberbullies made them reluctant to go to school
• One in five (19%) reporting they experienced reduced confidence and self-esteem
• 14% living in fear for their safety
• 5% resorting to self-harm and 3% reporting an attempt of suicide as a direct result of cyberbullying.

"Through this bullying which was not just on the internet, I tried to commit suicide, ended up going to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and stopped going to school. The only reason it has improved is because I left school".
(Girl, 16)

The rise of hand-held internet and mobile technologies in classrooms and the widespread use of social networking and rating platforms such as RateMyTeachers.com have meant that teachers are becoming as common a victim of cyberbullying as children and young people.

Virtual Violence II, commissioned by Nominet Trust and compiled in association with the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), uncovers the increasing vulnerability of teachers, with:

• 1 in 10 teachers stating they've experienced harassment through a technological medium and 48% witnessing or hearing about it happening to their colleagues
• 15% feeling afraid for their safety or that of their family
• 3% contemplating leaving the profession and 3% resigning altogether.

The report also highlights the financial strain cyberbullying places upon the education system with:

• Teachers spending an average of six hours a week dealing with cases of cyberbullying
• And an estimated £18 million of the education budget being spent dealing with cases of cyberbullying per annum.

The perpetrators do this in and out of school time but it is invariably brought into school and school staff have to spend time dealing with it. The technology moves on and changes so quickly, it is difficult for non technical people to keep up with".
(Secondary School Teacher in Derbyshire)

The report also names and shames the worst offending social networking sites where cyberbullying has been found to be most prevalent. Over half (52%) of young people identified Facebook as the place where they'd personally experienced cyberbullying. Facebook and MSN were also cited as the most common platforms on which children witness bullying happening to others (47% and 20% respectively), with 45% stating they felt that websites such as Facebook and MSN did not do enough to protect them from virtual violence.

"People think that they can say whatever they want to behind a computer screen... It needs to be reported much more than it is as it really affects young people; it has definitely shaped who I am today"
(Girl, 17)

Emma-Jane Cross, chief executive of Beatbullying, said:

"Cyberbullying continues to be a dangerous problem for a significant number of young people and we must not ignore its complex and often devastating effects. We as a society need to take responsibility for both preventing such harmful and anti-social behaviour, and dealing effectively with incidents of virtual violence when they occur. An integrated approach where we see Government, schools, parents, Internet Service Providers and charities like Beatbullying all working together to keep our most vulnerable safe. Today Beatbullying is calling for Internet Service Providers, social networking sites and mobile phone networks to support and invest in services such as Beatbullying's Cybermentors programme, that has the capacity to successfully intervene and offer legitimate advice, support and guidance to children and young people.

Emphasis also needs to be placed on the safety and well being of our teachers, their job is to educate and not spend endless hours a week dealing with cyber bullying.

"It is costing society £18 million to deal with this endemic, this is wrong; this money needs to be reinvested in early intervention and prevention work, to help protect our most vulnerable. CyberMentors is dealing with cyberbullying on the front line, but working together in partnership with service providers; we can create a culture in which any form of bullying, on or off-line, is seen as unacceptable. This is how we will make a real difference to young people's lives."

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, added:

"The benefits of new communications technologies in education are hard to overstate but we know that when they are abused, life can be made a misery for pupils and teachers alike. We also know that victims of bullying whether on or off-line have been driven to suicide by such misery. This report brings home the necessity of taking steps to deal with pernicious virtual violence, not only to protect those who could and should be taking advantage of all the positive aspects of these exciting technologies but to send a clear message to those who might believe otherwise, that abuse conducted online is still abuse and is not immune from consequences. We welcome this report for highlighting these issues and are proud to support Beatbullying in its attempts to provide a common sense response to cyber violence."

Annika Small, CEO of Nominet Trust, added:

"This new research is extremely worrying. A kneejerk reaction would be to lock and block the internet, but this would negate its vast potential for supporting young people's learning and development. Instead, we need to equip young people and their parents with the skills to use the internet safely and responsibly so they can take advantage of the opportunities that digital technology presents for positive discovery, collaboration and participation"

"It is worse being bullied over the internet because everyone can see and it makes you feel really little and small".
(Girl, 13)

Press release from BeatBullying

The theme for Safer Internet Day 2012 will be 'Connecting generations' and will take place on the 7^th February 2012 to encourage all internet users, whatever their age, to discover the digital world together safely. The UK Safer Internet Centre will be encouraging parents, carers and grandparents to connect with their children and young people and to share their ideas for staying safe online with others. Similarly, Safer Internet Day will be a call to action for children and young people, supported by their schools, in sharing their knowledge on how to stay safe with the community around them.

Let the Safer Internet Centre know your plans!

Schools can send in to the UK Safer Internet Centre, in no more than 140 characters (i.e. a txt), how they are planning to mark Safer Internet Day 2012. This may be working with children, it could be raising awareness in your local shopping centre, it could be organising for children to help senior citizens to get online for the first time! The opportunities are endless! Send your school logo and text to enquiries@saferinternet.org.uk and these will be added to Safer Internet Centre website.

New Resources to use on SID from Childnet International

Childnet International has developed new resources to support schools taking part in Safer Internet Day on the 7^th February 2012. The new Safer Internet Day Education Resources aim to help teachers think about how to address and cover Safer Internet Day in the classroom. A series of resources have been designed for both the Primary and Secondary age groups.

Secondary Schools:

• Use the lesson plan to enable debate and discussion surrounding internet issues. Challenge young people to understand the concerns of other generations. Showcase your debate to peers, parents, carers and grandparents; and give them the chance to join in!
• Create an awareness raising campaign in your school to encourage all generations of the local community to connect to the internet safely!
• This free content can be downloaded from the UK Safer Internet Site at www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/download-schools-pack

Primary Schools:

• Use the lesson plan to enable your pupils to share their internet knowledge with their peers and with a selected audience within the community, to facilitate an exciting and collaborative group learning experience.
• Create a class song / jingle / rap / short play or sketch titled "How we connect online and why we love the internet" IN ADVANCE of Safer Internet Day that can be showcased at the end of the SID assembly on 7 February 2012.
• This free content can be downloaded from the UK Safer Internet Site at www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/download-schools-pack

Infant and Early Years Settings:

• The Early Surfers' Zone is now live on Childnet International's Kidsmart website and can be found at http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/teachers/ks1/.

• The Early Surfers' Zone is designed for the parents, carers and educators of 3-7 year olds, to help introduce young children to the idea of internet safety, in an age-appropriate, fun and engaging way. The site introduces the character of Smartie the Penguin, who learns to be safe online, by asking his family for help whenever anything happens to make him feel upset, confused or worried. The resources include a new printable E-book, accompanying questions for discussion (for parents / carers / staff who are reading the story), a lesson plan with relevant curriculum links, and subsequent follow-up activity ideas for children to complete at home. There is also an art gallery for children to submit their posters and creative work.
  

Safer Internet Day Live Radio Show

Safer Internet Day Live, the internet radio programme, will be broadcasting on the day. Building on the success of Safer Internet Day 2011, the marathon programme will hear from world leading experts, those being children and young people! The programme is truly interactive - it doesn't have listeners but participants. The programme will have sections focusing on particular subjects. The UK Safer Internet Centre are specifically looking for groups of children to appear on the programme- either live or pre recorded and would love to hear from you if your school or organisation has such a group who would like to be broadcast across the globe. The children can tell us how they use online technologies, put questions to our interviewees, or tell others how they are marking Safer Internet Day at home, at school and with friends! Get in touch with enquiries@saferinternet.org.ukto express your interest to take part in the programme.

New Resources to use on SID from CEOP

On the 7^th February CEOP will be hosting the "Parents' and Carers' Guide to the Internet", ready to broadcast anywhere from schools and offices, to phones and homes. This will be a short TV-style programme which schools and settings will be available to download or stream from the Thinkuknow site. The programme will be an entertaining and light-hearted look at what it's like to bring up children in the online world - featuring clips and tips from some surprising sources!

CEOP want schools to get parents, carers, childminders, and grandparents to tune in, and here's how:

• School could run a parent and carers event, showing the programme and following it up with activities from CEOP;
• Schools can encourage parents and carers to watch the programme from the comfort of their own homes if they are unable to attend your session;
• Schools can get children and young people involved using activities supplied by CEOP prior to the event; and
• Schools can get involved with the event through interacting directly with the CEOP Team on the day.

CEOP are providing the following resources: 

• A short trailer to market the event, this aims to get parents and carers thinking about what their children are up to online and how they can get involved.  This will be released on the Thinkuknow site at the end of January.
• A TV style programme that can be streamed live online on the 7^th February or downloaded from the Thinkuknow website from the 1^st week of February.
• A resource pack that will be available to download from the Teacher/Trainers area of the Thinkuknow site which can be downloaded from the 9th January This will include:

• Posters and letters that you can use to publicise events to parents and carers;
• Activity sheets to get young people involved in the day that can be used in the run up to SID;
• Briefing notes for running an event; and
• A presentation to use with parents once they've watched the programme.

All of these resources, and more, are available to professionals working with children and young people who register at: www.thinkuknow.co.uk/teachers

For Kent Schools and Settings

The e-Safety Officer is looking for Kent Schools to take part in activities across the county. Please contact esafetyofficer@kent.gov.uk if your school is taking part in SID12 or if your school would be interested in joining in or supporting an event.

The resources have been produced as part of the UK Safer Internet Centre and, The Early Surfers' Zone is now live within the "I work with Kids" section of Childnet International's Kidsmart website and can be found at http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/teachers/ks1/.

 The Early Surfers' Zone is designed for the parents, carers and educators of 3-7 year olds, to help introduce young children to the idea of internet safety, in an age-appropriate, fun and engaging way. The site introduces the character of Smartie the Penguin, who learns to be safe online, by asking his family for help whenever anything happens to make him feel upset, confused or worried. 

The resources include a new printable E-book, accompanying questions for discussion (for parents / carers / staff who are reading the story), a lesson plan with relevant curriculum links, and subsequent follow-up activity ideas for children to complete at home. There is also an art gallery for children to submit their posters and creative work.

The UK Safer Internet Centre has released some information for parents in the run up to Christmas.  A Parents’ Guide to Technology is an online resource providing advice for parents about the benefits, capabilities and potential risks of smartphones, gaming devices, tablets and internet-enabled media players. It introduces some of the most popular devices such as the BlackBerry, iPhone, iPod Touch and 3DS, highlighting safety tools that are available, as well as setting out top tips to help parents encourage their children to stay safe when using these technologies.

Increasingly parents are asking questions about particular devices that their children are using - or perhaps would like to have for Christmas! Many young people experience internet-enabled technologies as a positive and integral part of their lives, but parents are not always aware of the capabilities and issues raised by different devices.It can sometimes feel challenging for parents and carers to keep up with what their children are doing online, to supervise what they are viewing, who they are chatting to, what games they are playing and what they are downloading, and even more so now that the internet can be accessed from a wide range of devices.

Recent research from Ofcom shows that a large number of British 5- to 15-year-olds are using a range of internet-enabled technologies to go online:

• 4 in 5 via a PC/laptop
• 1 in 5 via a games console
• 1 in 7 via a mobile phone
• 1 in 14 via a portable media player
• 1 in 50 via a tablet

The online resource introduces smartphones, gaming devices and other internet-enabled technologies such as the iPod Touch and iPad, helping parents to understand how young people are using these devices as well as the potential risks they may face. There is an FAQ section for each technology, answering some of the common questions that parents have, such as “How can I help my child stay safe when accessing the internet on their smartphone?” and “How might my child communicate with people using their gaming device?” There are also downloadable tip top guides for the iPhone, BlackBerry, iPod Touch, iPad, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, 3DS, DSi, and the PlayStation 3 and PSP, which look at the capabilities of the specific device and help parents navigate the parental controls available.

With these devices increasingly making it onto the Christmas wish list of many young people in the UK, A Parent's Guide to Technology will help parents and carers in understanding these different internet-enabled technologies.

The theme for SID 2012 will be 'Connecting generations' and it will encourage all users, whatever their age, to discover the digital world together safely. The UK Safer Internet Centre will be encouraging parents, carers and grandparents to connect with their children and young people and to share their ideas for staying safe online with others. Similarly, Safer Internet Day will be a call to action for children and young people, supported by their schools, in sharing their knowledge on how to stay safe with the community around them.

Schools can send in to the UK Safer Internet Centre, in no more than 140 characters (i.e. a txt), how they are planning to mark Safer Internet Day 2012. This may be working with children, it could be raising awareness in your local shopping centre, it could be organising for children to help senior citizens to get online for the first time! The opportunities are endless! Send your school logo and text to enquiries@saferinternet.org.uk and these will be added to Safer Internet Centre website.

Childnet International has developed new resources to support schools taking part in Safer Internet Day on the 7^th February 2012. The new Safer Internet Day Education Resourcesaim to help teachers think about how to address and cover Safer Internet Day in the classroom. A series of resources have been designed for both the PrimaryandSecondary age groups.

Secondary Schools:

• Use the lesson plan to enable debate and discussion surrounding internet issues. Challenge young people to understand the concerns of other generations. Showcase your debate to peers, parents, carers and grandparents; and give them the chance to join in!
• Create an awareness raising campaign in your school to encourage all generations of the local community to connect to the internet safely!

Primary Schools

• Use the lesson plan to enable your pupils to share their internet knowledge with their peers and with a selected audience within the community, to facilitate an exciting and collaborative group learning experience.
• Create a class song / jingle / rap / short play or sketch titled “How we connect online and why we love the internet” IN ADVANCE of Safer Internet Day that can be showcased at the end of the SID assembly on 7 February 2012.

The Primary resource pack contains a poster to promote the SID theme, a primary assembly PowerPoint and accompanying script, 5 quick classroom activities and an in-depth lesson plan for a class community project, designed to utilise the technological skills of the class and to potentially share these with a chosen audience within the local area to create a communal learning experience. Similarly, the Secondary resource packs contain a poster to promote the theme, 5 quick classroom activities, an assembly PowerPoint with supporting script and an in-depth lesson plan for a debate. The aim of the debate lesson plan is to prepare pupils to stage a debate about the internet; the young people will put themselves in the shoes of others and consider other people's points of view.

This free content can be downloaded from the UK Safer Internet Site at www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/download-schools-pack

Safer Internet Day Live, the internet radio programme, will be broadcasting on the day. Building on the success of Safer Internet Day 2011, the marathon programme will hear from world leading experts, those being children and young people! The programme is truly interactive - it doesn't have listeners but participants. The programme will have sections focusing on particular subjects.The UK Safer Internet Centre are specifically looking for groups of children to appear on the programme- either live or pre recorded and would love to hear from you if your school or organisation has such a group who would like to be broadcast across the globe. The children can tell us how they use online technologies, put questions to our interviewees, or tell others how they are marking Safer Internet Day at home, at school and with friends! Get in touch with enquiries@saferinternet.org.ukto express your interest to take part in the programme.

The e-Safety Officer is looking for Kent Schools to take part in activities across the county. Please contact esafetyofficer@kent.gov.uk if your school is taking part in SID12 or would be intrested in joining in.

The UK Safer Internet Centre, together with the University of Plymouth is undertaking some research into 'inter-generational' technological use:

• How involved are parents with their children's online lives?  
• Do children support their grandparents? 
• How many children speak to their grandparents online?

Please encourage pupils, staff and parents to complete the short research online at www.saferinternet.org.uk/connecting-generations-research

Kent schools and settings taking part in SID can contact the e-Safety Officer to publicise, discuss or highlight ideas and events going on in your community.

The SWGfL and UK Safer Internet Centre have produced some content that any schools or organisations could include in their communication to parents such as a newsletter or website.

“Technology and the online world are becoming an intrinsic part of many young people's lives and, just like the physical world, is another equally real world where they can spend a lot of their time. So with Christmas looming ever closer, many parents will be faced with the task of unravelling the complexities of their child's request for the latest console or video game.

What is safe? When is the right age to go online and play with others? Which video games should I allow them to play? How can I make sure they are not taking big risks that could harm them?...... “

The content continues (and can be downloaded) here

The UK Safer Internet Centre is also about to release information for parents on the run up to Christmas so keep an eye on the content at www.saferinternet.org.uk

The Kent e-Safety Policy Template has been updated for 2012 by the Kent e-Safety Strategy Group to reflect the rapid changes in technology and to promote good practice within schools and settings.

The e-Safety agenda relates to children and young people as well as adults and is concerned with the safe use of the Internet, mobile phones and other electronic communications technologies, both in and out of school. It includes education for all members of the school community on risks and responsibilities and is part of the ‘duty of care’ which applies to everyone working with children.

All schools and settings need to recognise the importance of e-Safety as part of the wider safeguarding remit and in ensuring that children feel safe and are able to learn and achieve to the best of their abilities. Children now live in an ever increasingly digital world and it’s essential that schools recognise this when implementing their safeguarding responsibilities. Schools and other settings must decide on the right balance between controlling access to the internet and technology, setting rules and boundaries and educating students and staff about responsible use and should ensure that action has been taken to help protect staff, students and the wider school community.

The updated 2012 e-Safety Policy Template builds upon the foundations laid by previous editions and incorporates new content and is provided as a framework to support schools and other settings when writing and updating e-Safety policies. The e-Safety policy is essential in setting out how the school plans to develop and establish its e-Safety approach and to identify core principles which all members of the school community need to be aware of and understand.

New content includes:

• New and updated discussion material in relation to establishing school policies and procedures
• Updated sections regarding cyberbullying, learning platforms and personal devices 
• Content regarding responding to e-Safety incidents and the use of Social media tools 
• Updated audit, contact information and references to useful materials
  

The Kent Online e-Safety Policy Generator website has also been updated with the new material to enable schools to create a collaborative and personalised version of their policy online. If any Kent schools or settings have not already registered to use the generator, they can visit www.policy.e-safety.org.uk for more information and to register for an account. Please note that only schools within Kent, Medway or other registered Local Authorities can register to use the Online Generator.

Kent schools and settings can consult with the e-Safety Officer to discuss policies and procedures in relation to schools e-Safety responsibilities.

The updated policy template is available electronically here and other Kent e-Safety Material can be found at www.kenttrustweb.org.uk?esafety

The development and use of digital technology has grown quickly, and advancements in social networking sites, web-cams, portable media devices, and online gaming have been particularly appealing to children and young people. Whilst these technological developments bring benefits and opportunities to and young people in terms of their learning and development, they also bring about safeguarding implications.  This report has worked with two primary schools and followed their journey to reach ‘outstanding' in terms of safeguarding. 

Findings from the two case studies provide an overview of what works in primary schools in terms of improving and raising e-safety awareness, as well as the barriers and challenges schools may face in trying to implement them.

You can read the full document here

For more information regarding training or consultations for Kent schools and settings, contact the Kent e-Safety Officer: esafetyofficer@kent.gov.uk 

The IWF is the UK reporting Hotline for images of child sexual abuse hosted anywhere in the world and UK-hosted extreme adult pornography and non-photographic images of child sexual abuse. It is an independent self-regulatory body which was set up and funded by the online industry and the EU. It has more than 100 members. Since it was launched on 1 December 1996, the IWF has assessed almost 370,000 webpages.

As a result of the IWF's work with the online industry, the volume of UK-hosted child sexual abuse content has reduced from 18% in 1997 to less than 1% since 2003 and the IWF has kept it that way. Child sexual abuse webpages in the UK are rapidly removed thanks to the responsible actions of the online industry with whom the IWF works.

However there is still a problem with child sexual abuse content hosted around the world.

• The IWF statistics spanning the past 15 years show 45% of the worldwide webpages assessed and actioned for removal by the IWF featured children aged 10 years and under, including babies. For the past four complete years (2007 to 2010) this figure is 73.5%. This reflects the increasingly extreme nature of the content assessed and actioned by the IWF analysts.
• Since 1996, 40% of the global child sexual abuse content actioned by the IWF involves the *** and sexual torture of children. For the past four complete years (2007 to 2010) this figure is 53.5%.

IWF Chief Executive Susie Hargreaves said: "To assess more than 370,000 webpages is incredible and the IWF is proud to have played its part nationally and internationally to remove images of child sexual abuse. Although we've had tremendous success domestically, child sexual abuse content on the internet is a problem the IWF and the industry are eager to tackle wherever it is hosted. With the industry and partner Hotlines' support we've been able to remove 87,000 webpages containing some of the worst content depicting the *** and sexual torture of young children and babies. Preventing the revictimisation of those children and protecting the public from stumbling across this horrific content is our priority.Through working with the online industry and our partners we've been able to grow and adapt in order to meet this challenge and we will continue to adapt to tackle this global problem."

Home Office Minister for Crime and Security, James Brokenshire said: "We must never forget that behind every computer image is a real child victim. Over the last 15 years the IWF has done fantastic work to help rid the web of large amounts of illegal and deeply disturbing content.  As the IWF's figures show we can never be complacent. The strength of the IWF approach is working in partnership with the internet industry, government, the police, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre and, most importantly, the public themselves.  We must continue that work together."

For more information about the IWF or to report online content visit http://www.iwf.org.uk/

To read the full press release accompanying the IWF 15th anniversary click here.

To learn more about the IWF 15 years combatting criminal content online visit 15th anniversary page.

The following information has been taken from the Ofcom Press Release

Ofcom's research reveals that more than nine out of ten (95 per cent) 12-15 year olds now have internet access at home through a PC or laptop, up from 89 per cent in 2010 and 77 per cent in 2007.

Mobile social networking increases among 12-15s

Social networking is still one of the most popular uses of the internet amongst 12-15s, although the number of children with social networking profiles has stayed static since 2010 at 3 per cent of 5-7s who use the internet at home, 28 per cent of 8-11s and 75 per cent of 12-15s.

However, children are visiting social network sites more often on their mobiles, driven by the increase in smartphone ownership. Half (50 per cent) of 12-15s with a smartphone visit social networking sites weekly compared with 33 per cent in 2010.

Increase in computer and video gaming among 8-11s

While 12-15s are using the internet for social networking sites, 8-11s are more likely to use it for gaming, with 51 per cent saying they play games online on a weekly basis, up from 44 per cent in 2010.

8-11s are also spending more time playing on games players/ consoles compared with 2010 (9 hours 48 minutes - an increase of nearly 2 hours).

Taking computer and video games together, seven in ten (68 per cent) 8-11s say they play games almost every day, up from 59 per cent in 2010.

Television remains the most popular activity among 5-7s

Among 5-7s, almost half (48 per cent) say that television is the medium they would miss the most, compared to 25 per cent naming playing computer/video games, and less than one in ten naming either the internet (7 per cent) or mobile phones (1 per cent). The research shows that 95 per cent of this age group watch TV almost every day, compared to 43 per cent using the internet, and 7 per cent using a mobile phone.

Online safety risks remain

Parents say they are generally very confident about their children using the internet safely and the vast majority of children aged 8-15 feel that they know how to stay safe online (88 per cent) and that they are confident internet users (97 per cent). However with increasing use of media, there remain some safety issues.

A fifth of all 12-15 year olds said they'd had a negative mobile or online experience in the past year, with gossip being spread (13 per cent) being the most common issue. Girls are more likely to know someone who has had gossip spread about them (44 per cent of girls compared with 29 per cent of boys). A quarter of teenagers (23 per cent) say that they know someone who has been bullied through their mobile phone, rising to 30 per cent of teenage girls.

A minority of children have social networking profiles which are either open (public) or set to where friends of friends can see it - 28 per cent of 12-15s and 17 per cent of 8-11s.

18 per cent of children who play games online play against people they don't know personally, with boys aged 5-15 are more likely to do this than girls (24 per cent compared to 7 per cent of girls).

Increasing parental supervision

The research also reveals that in some areas parents of children who use the internet at home are increasing their supervision and protection.

Over half (54 per cent) of parents of 5-15s supervise their child in some way when they're online - up from 48 per cent in 2010. And four in ten (39 per cent) parents say that internet controls or filtering software are fitted, rising to 59 per cent when asked about specific controls such as ‘safe search' and YouTube safety mode.

For mobile phones, one in three (31 per cent) parents whose child has a web enabled mobile has limited their access to exclude websites aimed at those aged 18 or over.

Children are also becoming more aware of potential risks, with 12 per cent of 8-11s with a social networking profile saying they talk to people not directly known to them, down from 22 per cent in 2010 (24 per cent of 12-15s, down from 32 per cent in 2010).

Ed Richards, Ofcom Chief Executive, said: "The almost universal use of the internet at home by 12-15s - both for their education as well as their entertainment - is a positive step forward. The research also shows that parents and children are increasingly aware of how to be safe when using the internet. But risks do remain. Better understanding - amongst parents as well as their children - is key to helping people to manage content and communications, enabling them to enjoy the benefits of media use while protecting themselves from the potential risks."

 A full PDF version of the report can be found here

The specially produced ‘Back to School' resources, sponsored by Visa Europe, give you everything you need to raise the awareness of parents. These are:

• a fully scripted presentation to deliver to parents and carers
• an animated film on the increasing influence of social media
• a guide for running successful awareness raising events that really grab attention
• a letter for parents and carers - ‘Taking control'
• a parents'/carer's checklist

To access all of these resources please register at Think U Know in the teacher/trainer section or log in to your account at www.thinkuknow.co.uk/teachers and download the ‘Parents and Carers Awareness Raising Pack'.

CEOP's Thinkuknow education programme has to date been viewed eight million times. With the help of schools and organisations CEOP can reach even more children with vital safety messages and help their parents/carers play their part in protecting them.  Please help to create a safer online environment for children.

Online social media tools such as blogs, Wikis, social networking and video sharing sites can be excellent tools for teaching and learning and can provide exciting and new opportunities for schools to engage, communicate and collaborate with pupils and the wider community. The positive use of social media and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) within schools and settings for curriculum and learning should be encouraged.  However it is essential that their use is carefully considered in advance by the school Senior Leadership Team in order to ensure all members of the school community are kept safe and to reduce the likelihood of any risks or dangers being encountered.

The document can be downloaded from www.kenttrustweb.org.uk?esafety

Also available is two versions of downloadable Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) posters in a variety of sizes - one for children aged 6-11, and another for older children aged 11-16.

Visit the Insafe Back to School website for more information

Facebook has announced on its official blog that it will be making changes to have Friends list operate. Friend lists have been a feature of Facebook for some time, however very few users (approximately only 5%) are aware and make use of the feature.

The original blog post can be found from Facebook here.

A summary of the key changes are:

• New Smart lists - You'll see smart lists that create themselves and stay up-to-date based on profile information that your friends have in common with you such as your work place, school, family members and city or place you live in.
• Close friends and acquaintances lists - You can see updates and content from your best friends' in one place, and users can choose to see less from people they are not as close to by using the "acquaintances" option. These lists are managed and set up by the user.
• Restricted List - Users can now add people onto a restricted list and they will only see publicly shared posts. Users will still be friends with these contacts on Facebook so can send them messages or tag them in a post but they will be restricted from seeing all content shared. This list is managed and set up by the user.
• Better suggestions - You can add the right friends to lists quickly, without using the old process which users have reported takes too much time and effort.
• Still keeping old friend lists - If you created your own lists on Facebook in the past, then you can still use them. You can also continue to create new lists in the future. When you post something to a list that you've created - including Close Friends and Acquaintances lists - no one will be able to see the title of the list.
• More transparent sharing - The people on the list you've shared with will be able to see each others' names. This gives them more context. For example, if users see that a post is shared with five close friends; they may be more likely to comment freely on it than if they don't know who else could see the post.
• More granular control - Users can control which friends list sees what update or content they share through the news feed option.

These new controls could help to improve Facebook users' awareness of public sharing and the concept of "digital footprints". It is important for parents/carers to discuss friends' lists with any young Facebook users so they can discuss what information is safe and unsafe to share online with different friend groups. This feature may also be helpful to professionals who choose to use Facebook for work purposes.

These changes are due to be rolled out over the next few weeks and may help all users to understand the importance of online privacy in additional to the previously updated privacy controls. Improved friends lists make users more likely to share personal, professional and local content with relevant audiences in a much safer fashion and help them to consider their and present their digital persona appropriately .

Childnet international have launched a new set of resources ith the support of the TDA, which have been developed to inform and assist Trainee teachers and NQTs.  .

There are three key components to this new resource:

1. a guide designed to support teachers personal use of social networking services, keeping themselves, their students, and their job safe.
2. a checklist for those entering a school to assist and inform them in relation to technology use at home, at school and in the classroom.
3. a matrix of resources - example teaching resources for use in class for different Key Stages, including resources from CEOP, the BBC  and others.

The guide alos features video clips which could be used as part of staff induction or training. Although aimed at trainee teachers and NQTs, these resources would also support other areas of CPD and could be utilised to enhance other staff members awareness and understanding of e-Safety and professional practice.

These are online resources and can be found at http://www.childnet.com/kia/traineeteachers/, with the Guide and the Checklist also available as downloadable pdfs.

In the next few days Facebook will be rolling out changes to its privacy settings options to all users. Facebook state that they believe the new privacy settings will offer more control to users and will make managing personal data more visual and straightforward.

One of the key changes for users to be aware of is that Facebook has changed some of the appearance, terminology and language that it uses. The previous option in the Privacy Settings "Everyone" is going to be replaced with "Public". This is to clarify the fact to users that any content shared publicly can be seen by anyone on the internet. 

Some of these changes have some new benefits to users and will help to safeguard young people and professionals online. However these changes also need to be carefully considered with an e-Safety perspective to ensure that all users are fully aware of the options and choices provided by the new settings, as well as the potential impact to online privacy and safety.

 New Changes to Profiles on Facebook

Facebook profiles are getting new tools that give users clearer, more consistent controls over how photos and posts are shared and who can see content.

New Inline Profile Controls

Content on Facebook profile, including work, hometown and photo albums, will appear next to an icon and a drop-down menu. This inline menu lets users know who can see this part of the profile, and it can be changed with one click.

e-Safety impact: This change will be useful to help young people consider their digital footprint and restrict access to different contacts. It will also be useful to help professionals understand and maintain a professional role online.

For more detail on the profile settings visit: http://www.facebook.com/about/control

New Profile and Content Review Tools

With the old privacy controls any photos or content users are tagged in would show up on their profile as soon as they were tagged, meaning users had limited control over who tagged them in images or posts. With the new settings, users can choose to use a new tool to approve or reject any photo or post they are tagged in before it's visible to anyone else on their profile. Also with the old settings anyone who could see photos or posts could add tags to them.  With the new controls, users will have the option to review and approve or reject any tag someone tries to add to any photos and posts.

e-Safety perspective: Frequent complaints to the e-Safety Officer are not about the content users themselves have uploaded, rather the content their friends choose to share without consent. This new feature will give users more control about who can see content they are tagged in by their friends which should empower users to stay safe and be more aware of their own online persona.

Highlighted "View Profile As..." Option

For a while Facebook has had a useful tool which enables users to check how their profile looked to other users but this tool was hidden and many users didn't know how to find it. This tool is now on the top of the profile and is easier to access.

 e-Safety perspective: This will help users to be more aware of their digital footprint and how different friends can view the content they share.

New Changes to Sharing Content on Facebook

In addition to the profile changes detailed above, it will now be more straightforward to understand and control who can see posts shared on Facebook. Facebook have broadening the functionality of the sharing tool and made changes to make the settings earier to use visually.

 New Inline controls

The control for who can see each post will be inline with the post itself on the profile page. There is now an icon and label to help make it easier to understand and decide what content to share with different audiences. Initally this will include "Public", "Friends" or "Customise". When someone is tagged, the audience label will automatically update to show that the person tagged and their friends can see the post. The dropdown menu will apparently be expanded over time to include smaller groups of people such as co-workers, Friend Lists and Groups.

For a guided tour of these new controls, go here: http://www.facebook.com/about/sharing

e-Safety perspective: This will enable users to be more aware of how public the information they choose to post is and hopefully will encourage users to be more mindful about the content they share. Many users (especially young people) were not aware that the option of "everyone" meant content was shared with anyone who had access to the internet. Young people can also choose to share certain posts or photos with different groups of friends or online contacts. This could be very useful for users who have hundreds of friends but only know a limited amount in the real-world, as they can choose what content they share with different audiences in real-time and in a more user-friendly way. One possible risk is that it will now be easier for users to choose to hide unsuitable or inappropriate content from certain contacts e.g. from their parents (for young people) or from their colleagues (for professionals) which could be a concern in some cases.

Change Sharing Options For Content After You Post

With the old settings, once a user posted a status update they then couldn't change who could see it.  Now users will be able to change who can see any post after the fact. If something is accidentally posted to the wrong group, or a user changes their mind, they can adjust it with the inline control at any time.

e-Safety impact: This will help strengthen users understanding of digital footprints and how the content we post nline leaves an imprint about us. It could potentially be misused to cyberbully other users by posting content to annoy, upset or offend other users and then changing it so only a limited number of people can view the content. It is important that all users understand they need to take copies of cyberbullying content (either as a print screen or printing the content out) to ensure it can be used as evidence, even if the content is later removed or hidden.

New Options to Tag Locations in Posts

With the old settings, users could only "check in" to locations using the Places feature on a smart phone. Now users can add location to anything from anywhere, regardless of what device they are using, or whether it is a status update, photo or Wall post. Users can tag a location from a web browser on a computer or via a mobile app. Users can also tag locations to photo albums or individual photos or videos. Users can choose not to add location at all and can switch the feature off.  As a part of these changes, the mobile Places feature is being removed, and so are the settings associated with it. If users are still using this feature, the "Friends can check me in" setting will still apply, and users own "checkins" will be seen by the audience selected in their default privacy setting.

 More details about how location works and the settings affected can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/about/location

 e-Safety perspective: This is an especially important feature to discuss with young people as they may not have been able to share their excat location previously if they did not have access to a smart phone, although it is important to remember that they have always been able to share their location via status updates, chat and private messages. Young people need to be fully aware of the possible risk of sharing a location publicly and should be shown how to opt out of location sharing or  shown how to share their location with trusted real-life friends only. This new change may have a higher risk for looked after or adopted children who may have no contact orders or restrictions in place, so it is important that parents/carers discuss this with them.

Users can Tag Anyone on Facebook

With the old privacy setting options, users could only tag someone if they were friends with them, and they could only tag a Page if they had liked it. Users can now add tags of friends or anyone else on Facebook even if they are not friends. If users are tagged by someone who they are not friends with the tag won't appear on their profile unless they review and approve the post.

e-Safety perspective: This could mean that young people or professionals could be tagged by people they don't know or by people they don't wish to be friends with e.g. a teacher could be tagged by a pupil at an unsuitable location. However this risk is greatly reduced as users need to review and approve tags which are made by users they are not friends with before they appear on their profile.

New Tools to Remove Tags or Content

With the new settings, users' options for removing tags or content on Facebook are presented more clearly. Users will have the option to confirm or remove their identity before a tag appears on their profile. Enabling this option can be found in the "Manage How Tags Work" section of the privacy settings as "Profile" or "Tag" Review. Users can choose to set their privacy settings so that friends can tag them without approval or can have more control as detailed below.

 Once Tag/Profile Review is enabled, users will be given options every time they are tagged in a photo or post on Facebook. If users don't want to accept or confirm a tag request then the options are:

• Remove the tag. The post or content will still be on Facebook, but it will no longer be linked to your profile.
• Send the owner of the post a message, asking them to remove the post or content from Facebook.
• Report a post to Facebook. If the post is abusive, it will be removed.
• Block the owner of the post. All tags from this person will be removed, and you will no longer be able to see or interact with each other on Facebook.

More details on tagging can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/about/tagging

e-Safety perspective: It is important that all users are aware that this won't affect whether their friends can add a photo of them, only whether their name is attached to it. The owner of the content should be contacted to remove unwanted photos or content, or if the content is abusive it should be reported to Facebook for removal. This feature could help to reduce cyberbullying incidents. It will also make it harder for people to find any inappropriate or unwanted pictures or content that users might have been tagged in. Users now have more control over what is shared about them by their friends which is brilliant, but they need to enable the review option as it might not be a defualt option. Some users may not like to approval every comment or photo they are tagged in, so some usersmay choose not to use the function at all.

The new privacy settings will start to roll out to all users over the next few days. When the settings are live on the account, users will see a prompt for a tour that walks them through these new features from their homepage when they login. Current Facebook users will retain their current default sharing settings. The first time any new Facebook member (i.e. any users who sign up after the new settings are in place) shares a piece of content on their profile, their default suggestion will be public (for users who have registered as over 18) unless they select another option (e.g. Friends), which will then become their default setting in future.

Also New: Facebook Security Guide

Users can download a new free guide to help improve awareness about Facebook Security:  “OwnYourSpace: A Guide to Facebook Security.The guide will help users to understand  how to protect your Facebook account, avoid scammers andconfigure advanced security settings. Users will also be aware of secuirty features such as how to use one-time passwords, enable secure browsing and track account activity. The guide will also help users to understand what motivates account thieves and malware pushers and what they should if an account is hijacked or hacked.

e-Safety Perspective Summary

Overall the new privacy settings can be seen as a really positive step forward to helping Facebook users become more aware of how much information they are sharing  online and have more control over content shared about them.

Parents/carers of Facebook users are strongly recommended to read through the new privacy features and discuss the possible impact of these changes with their child. Professionals need to understand the impact the new privacy changes may have to their profile and the possible implications for them both professionally and personally. Schools will need to be aware of these changes in respect to their policies and whole-school approach to cyberbullying as it will become even more important that users save evidence of cyberbullying. 

Many of the new features will offer users more control and clarity over what is shared on Facebook and with whom (such as more control over tagging and the chnage in terminology to "public" rather than "everyone"). Some of the new changes could be misunderstood by users and could expose children and adults to new online risks (such as the addition of location sharing to web browsers, the new default setting of public for new users and the ability to tag people who you are not friends with) so it is important that users fully understand the implications (both positives and risks) of these new features.

As yet Facebook have not fully stated how all of these changes will affect "minors" (users who are registered as being under 18) other than to say that minors will not have the option to share content publicly and they will be limited to sharing with either "friends of friends" of "friends". However, this will rely on the fact that the user has given a correct date of birth when the registered for their profile. With an estimated 43% of 7 - 12 year olds in the UK being active on Facebook (and therefore having lied about their age) it is possible than some of them may be given the "public" option sooner rather than later.

This blog post will be updated as the changes and implications of the new settings become more apparent.

Last update 24.8.11 @14:00

New Ofcom research published today (4^th August 2011) reveals the extent to which the UK has become "addicted" to smartphones. The Ofcom Communications Market report looks at the huge growth in smartphone take-up in the past 12 months - over one in four  (27 per cent) GB adults and almost half of teens (47%)  now own one - and how the devices have affected people's lives. The rapid growth in the use of smartphones, which offer internet access, email and a variety of internet-based applications, is clearly changing the way many of us, particularly teenagers, act in social situations.

The report also looks at the rise in Internet use, TV, Radio  and other key market developments in the UK. The full document can be read here

Mobile Phone, Smartphones and Internet Access

• Nine out of ten people own a mobile phone (36 per cent in 2000, 91 per cent in 2011) - and one in seven households are now mobile-only, as the penetration of landlines dropped from 93 per cent in 2000 to 81 per cent in 2011;
• An average of five text messages per day were sent for every person in the UK last year.
• Over a quarter of adults and now own a smartphone
• 37 per cent of adults are ‘highly addicted' to their Smartphone
• 28 per cent of UK adults people use their mobile phones for internet access.
• Over half (55%) of adults and three-quarters (74%) of teens have used their smartphone for social networking, with 40% of adults and 62% of teens doing this regularly
• The majority of homes in the UK are now connected to the internet with  91% of households with children have internet access.

Teenagers use of Smart Phones

• Nearly half of all teens (47%) now own a smartphone
• 60 per cent of teens are ‘highly addicted' to their Smartphone.
  
• Teenage girls are more addicted to their phones than boys (53% say they have ‘high addiction' across all mobile phones, compared to 38% among boys).
• BlackBerry handsets are the most popular choice among teens (37%). Female teens, in particular, appear to have a preference for BlackBerry handsets (44%)
• The top three activities/functions used regularly by teens on Smartphones are social networking (62%), listening to music (62%), and playing games (50%)
• The most popular social networking site used by teens is Facebook (97%). Twitter comes in second (26%), followed by MySpace (13%) and Bebo (10%).
• Eighty-three per cent of teen smartphone social networkers claim to access social networking via their smartphone at least once a day with 29% using it every couple of hours of more.
• Forty per cent of teen smartphone users are on a contract (significantly lower than the 77% of adults) compared to 19% of teen standard mobile phone users. Most teens have their phone bills paid for by adults (82%), although nearly one in five (18%) claim to pay their phone bill themselves.
• The majority of teens make calls every day (56% of smartphone users and 35% of regular phone users). But a significantly higher proportion of teens send text messages every day (80% of smartphone users and 57% of regular phone users).
• 23 per cent of Teenagers claim to watch less TV and 15 per cent admit they read fewer books since owning a smartphone

In the bathroom and at the dinner table - use of Smartphones in daily life

The vast majority of smartphone users (81 per cent) have their mobile switched on all of the time, even when they are in bed, with four in ten adults (38 per cent) and teens (40 per cent) admitting using their smartphone after it woke them.

Over half (51 per cent) of adults and two thirds (65 per cent) of teenagers say they have used their smartphone while socialising with others, nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of adults and a third (34 per cent) of teenagers have used them during mealtimes and over a fifth (22 per cent) of adult and nearly half (47 per cent) of teenage smartphone users admitted using or answering their handset in the bathroom or toilet.

Teenagers are also more likely to use their smartphone in places they've been asked to switch their phone off such as the cinema or library - with 27 per cent admitting doing so, compared with 18 per cent of adults.

Work/life balance

Ofcom's research found that the line between work and social time is also becoming increasingly blurred.  Thirty per cent of smartphone users say they regularly take part in personal phone calls during working hours, compared with 23 per cent of regular mobile phone users.  However, smartphone users are more likely to take part in work calls while on holiday or annual leave.  Seventy per cent say they have ever done so, with a quarter (24 per cent) admitting to doing so regularly, compared with just 16 per cent of ordinary mobile phone users.

71% of teens with smartphones generally have their mobile phoned switched on all the time. This compares to 51% of regular mobile phone users in the same age group.

"Generation App"

The research also looked at the popularity of applications, or ‘apps', among smartphone users and found that just under half (47 per cent) of adult smartphone users have downloaded an app - with many people taking advantage of the availability of free apps.

Teenage smartphone owners are more likely to have paid for an app download (38 per cent) than adult owners, amongst whom just a quarter (25 per cent) had paid for an app.

Teenagers are most likely to part with their pocket money for games, with a third (32 per cent) having paid for at least one game. Music is the next most popular genre amongst teens with 22 per cent having paid for a music-based app.

Adults are also most likely to pay for games (15 per cent) and music (8 per cent) apps, with maps/ navigation following close behind (7 per cent).

"Generation gap"

 Nine out of ten adults (90 per cent) aged 35-44 have the internet at home, this falls to just a quarter (26 per cent) of over 75s.

And while virtually all (99 per cent) 25-34s own a mobile phone, only half (51 per cent) of over 75s own a mobile, with this age group more likely to have a landline (94 per cent) than 16-24s (67 per cent).

When asked what media would be missed the most, people aged over 75 are also far more likely to miss their TVs the most (65 per cent), followed by radio (15 per cent) and newspapers/magazines (8 per cent).  The picture is very different for young adults aged 16-24 who would most miss their mobile phone (28 per cent), followed by the internet (26 per cent) and TV (23 per cent).

However, there is evidence that older age groups are catching up in the adoption of technology.  For the first time, over half (55 per cent) of those aged 65-74 have access to the internet at home while over three quarters (77 per cent) now have a mobile.

Some material adapted from http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2011/08/04/a-nation-addicted-to-smartphones/

Anglia Ruskin University has published a study which identifies how bullying via texts, e-mails, social networks can have detrimental effects on mental health for people aged 11 to 19.This reseacrh would estimate that nearly one in five UK youngsters have been the victim of cyberbullying, with more girls being affected than boys.

The study led by academics from the University, questioned almost 500 young people (273 girls and 200 boys) aged between 11 and 19 and almost a fifth (18.4%) admitted they had been subjected to cyberbullying (where a person uses the internet or mobile phones to bully another).

22% of girls questioned said they had been subjected to cyberbullying, while 13.5% of boys quizzed  said they had experienced it. Two thirds (66%) of the young people questioned said they had witnessed cyberbullying or known someone who has been a victim. A third of those who experienced cyberbullying said it had affected their confidence "quite a lot" or "very" much, while half (52%) said cyberbullying had affected their mental and emotional wellbeing. Just over a quarter (29%) of those who had been cyberbullied had truanted from school, while more than a third (39%) had stopped socialising outside of school.

Cyberbullying was seen as being as harmful as direct face-to-face bullying by three-quarters of those surveyed. Some said it was worse as it is permanent, can involve posting harmful or distressing photos online, can be transmitted to people quickly and can strike at any time. Of those 188 young people who answered a question about whether they would seek help with cyberbullying, less than half (45%) said they would look for support. Those that said they would not seek help gave fear of making it worse and being able to deal with it themselves as some of the reasons. Those who had been cyberbullied were most likely to seek help from parents and friends.

Steven Walker, Principle Lecturer in child and adolescent mental health, who led the research said: “While most online interactions are neutral or positive the internet provides a new means through which children and young people are bullied. Many of the respondents in our study thought that cyberbullies do not actually think they are bullying. In the main they thought that cyberbullying was seen by bullies as merely a form of 'harmless fun', a joke and therefore not an issue. Others thought cyberbullies are motivated by a lack of confidence and a desire for control, perhaps because they are too cowardly to bully face-to-face. As the use of social media amongst young people continues to grow, unless properly addressed by host sites and Government agencies the problem of cyberbullying is only likely to get worse.''

The poll of 1,000 parents was carried out by the Nominet Trust who worked alongside Dr Paul Howard Jones, a Neuroscientist from Bristol University, to analyse the research on the internet and society.

The report "The Impact of Digital Technologies on Human Well being" aims to highlight what neuroscience can realistically tell us about the implications of using interactive technologies on young people's brains, behaviours and attitudes. The report also seeks to debunk the myths, scaremongering and misinformation that some adults may be led to believe.

The report concludes that there is no neurological evidence to suggest that the internet is any more effective at 'rewiring' brains than any other environmental influences, despite people's fears. In fact the report highlights many positives of the internet as well as possible risks. The report highlights that the internet can be an important learning resources for children and young people and that all learning resources cause changes within the brain.

Key points from the Executive Summary include

"Rather than label any type of technology as being good or bad for our brain, it is how specific applications are created and used (by who, when and what for) that determine their impact."

"Existing forms of online communication for supporting existing friendships are generally beneficial for their users, with little basis for considering that social network sites and online communication, in themselves, are a source of special risk to children. Internet-related abuse (eg inappropriate sexual solicitation, cyberbullying) appears related to issues beyond the use of the internet"

 "The internet is a valuable learning resource and all learning involves changes in the brain. Some technology-based types of training can improve working memory, and others can provide mental stimulation that helps slow cognitive decline"

 "Some types of gaming (whether on-line or off line) can improve visual processing and motor response skills, prompting suggestions that games may represent a particularly effective way to enhance brain plasticity across the lifespan. The mechanisms involved are still not understood, but may help explain the effectiveness of such games to also influence affective response. Playing violent and pro-social video games generally shifts behavioural tendencies towards aggressiveness and empathy respectively. Gaming can strongly engage the brain's reward system, and this may also help explain their attractiveness."

 "Internet use (including online gaming) is problematic when it regularly interferes with normal daily living and is difficult to control, although internet/gaming addictions have not been established as psychiatric disorders. No particular threshold has been identified that can be defined as excessive use, but research supports a guideline of maximum two hours total screen-based entertainment per day for children. Problematic internet usage is associated with a range of psychosocial difficulties, but the internet can also support mental health through online therapeutic treatment for a range of mental health disorders."

 "...some applications can be a distraction, suggesting parental monitoring of younger students' use of technology may benefit learning outcomes. For example, adult students who make substantial use of instant messaging consider they are distracted by it, and such heavy "multitasking" does not appear to improve the ability to switch attention between applications."

The report states: "The ability to understand risk: that is, an appreciation of the likelihood and consequence of a possible outcome, is also something that requires further consideration."

The report suggests that further research is required to help support parents and their children as well as school, to appropriately assess and act upon any risks. It states that "Parents and their children would benefit from clearer independent information about where a significant body of research indicates potential risks from a particular technology application...Academic achievement and student wellbeing would benefit from schools having access to curriculum and teaching resources aimed at delivering skills to students that enable their ‘hygienic' use of internet and digital technology. These resources would help schools equip students with the knowledge and understanding required to guide their own use of technology."

Annika Small, director of Nominet, said: 'The Nominet Trust believes in the internet as a force for social good. We fund projects that help people get online, be safe online, and change their world for the better. Exaggerated fears about internet use can potentially deny its benefits to those most in need. I want to see a proper debate amongst policy makers, based on accurate research, about the effects of using interactive technologies on young people's brains, behaviours and attitudes, without resorting to scaremongering that parents are being subjected to on a regular basis. Our aim is to provide people with a clear and independent information resource that will help them navigate the minefield of misleading information on internet use."

The full report can be found here

Google states "Your online identity is determined not only by what you post, but also by what others post about you - whether a mention in a blog post, a photo tag or a reply to a public status update". Being aware of your own digital footprint is an essential part of everyone's digital safety, this tool enables web users to become more aware of and manage their online reputation.

You can use "Me on the Web" to alert you when your personal information gets published online.

To create alerts:

1. Sign in to your Google Dashboard
2. In the 'Me on the Web' section, click Set up search alerts for your data.
3. Select the checkboxes beside the alerts (such as your name or email address) you'd like to receive.
• (Optional) Enter additional information in the text field and then select the checkbox for that alert.
• (Optional) Click Add another alert to create alerts for additional personal information.
4. In the 'How often' drop-down box, choose the alert frequency.
5. In the 'Deliver to' drop-down box, choose which email address your alerts should be sent to.
6. Click Save alert preferences.

You will now be notified when content about you (depending on the options you have selected) is publicly indexed via Google.

Users can also register for a Google profile. Google state that this can help users manage the information (such as contact details, and other information) that people see. With a Google Profile, you can also link to other sites about you or created by you. For example, you can link to your blog, online photos in Picasa, and other profiles such as Facebook and LinkedIn. This could be a useful tool in managing and maintaining separate professional and personal presences online. Google profiles can be made private or public (meaning it will be visible via search engines) and is optional. Professionals should carefully consider if this is a suitable option for them and should ensure it is compatible their professional role prior to use.

Parents and carers might want to consider using the tool to manage content posted online about themselves and their family. It could also be useful in showing Young People how visible their digital footprint is and how important it is to be aware of how the content you post online can be shared further and on a larger, more public, scale than intended.

Google also provides some very useful advice for users on how to remove unwanted content and unwanted search results.

For more information visit Google's help and advice section: "Managing your Online Reputation" here 

Schools have reported that it has been used to cyberbully and harass students. Formspring does have settings which users can adapt in order so they can choose not to receive anonymous questions.

Full details of how to do this, as well as how to report abusive content and other useful information, appears in this booklet produced by Yorkshire & Humber Grid for Learning

The UK Safer Internet Centre's plans for the day are being worked on now and they will be providing a range of resources (lesson and assembly plans) for schools.

The UK safer Internet Centre also has a brand new monthly newsletter which you can easily subscribe to at www.saferinternet.org.uk.  Here they will share the latest updates on Safer Internet Day as well as keeping you up to date with not only the plans and resources they are working on but also those from around the UK and of the Safer Internet Centres across the EU.  The newsletter will also include the online safety news making the headlines.  Indeed if there are any articles, alerts or information you might wish to share, please do contact the UK Safer Internet Centre at enquiries@saferinternet.org.uk

 If schools and settings are taking part in  Safer Internet Day 2012, please do let either the UK Safer Internet Centre or the Kent e-Safety Officer (esafetyofficer@kent.gov.uk) know about any activities you are planning for the big day. For the last Safer Internet Day, over 70  companies, organisations and schools send in their logos plus a description of their Safer Internet Day activities to the UK Safer Internet Centre (you can see these at http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/supporters, and it would be great to expand that for 2012).  

 More information will be posted on the e-Safety blog as soon possible.

The Guidance recommends a robust e-Safety Policy and Acceptable Use Policy needs to be in place and also highlights ways to report concerns to social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter directly.

Read the document here

If schools have any further concerns or enquiries regarding the use of Social Media sites then please contact the e-Safety Officer directly via email or the KCC Contact Centre (Tel. 08458 247 247 Textphone 08458 247 905)

Launching on Tuesday 26 April 2011, Childnet has two separate projects in place for primary and secondary aged children. Once you have registered, you will be emailed a lesson plan, further resources and most importantly, this year's theme!

All you have to do is think about the theme, decide on how you are going to film your message & as long as you keep it to 60 seconds and get it back to Childnet by 5pm on Monday 6th June 2011, you're in with a chance of winning!

How does it work?

You will be emailed your category theme on the opening day of the competition (26th April).

The shortlisted finalists will be selected from each category and invited to a private screening in a London Cinema on Monday 11 July 2011.

The judging panel will then choose a winner and runner up from each category (judges and prizes to be announced!)

• Competition opens: Tuesday 26 April 2011 @ 9am
• Competition closes: Monday 6 June 2011 @ 5pm
• Finalists notified: Monday 13 June 2011
• Screening & finalist event: Monday 11 July 2011

How to enter

In order to receive all competition detail via email, teachers and youth workers MUST register on behalf of all entrants to film@childnet.com and clearly state:

• Your name and position
• School or establishment
• Primary or secondary category

Please be aware that Childnet may feature footage on their website

Good luck!

Trend Micro are running a film competition for young people aged 13 or older to create a video for their competition "What's Your Story 2011". The competition is open to individuals or schools in the USA, UK and Canada. Videos can be submitted by individuals or as a group effort by their schools (Note this competion is open to Secondary Schools only).

Prizes include: One $10,000USD for the grand prize and overall winner; six $500USD category prizes (three awarded to schools per category and three awarded to individuals per category). All prizes are in US Dollars or the equivalent in British Pound Sterling or Canadian Dollars at contest closing date.

The videos will be used to help educate children, young people and families and will promoted by members of the judging panel which includes Trend Micro, Childnet International and Facebook. All videos should be 30 seconds to 2 minutes long, must not use copyrighted content like someone else's music and must cover one of the following topics:

1. Being a Good Online Citizen

Being a good online citizen means thinking critically about your behaviour and acting ethically while online. Do you think about the consequences of what you say/post and do you treat others as you would in person? Topics for this category may cover one or more of the following:

• Cyberbullying or online harassment
• Keeping a good reputation online
• Setting a good example for others or reporting bad behaviour (versus just being a bystander)

2. Using a Mobile Phone Wisely

There are more ways to connect online today than ever before. Mobile phone apps make sharing things like your location, photos, videos and what your dog had for breakfast so easy. Think about the following regarding wise mobile phone use:

• Snapping, storing and sharing photos & videos that you wouldn't be embarrassed to share with the world or that wouldn't embarrass or hurt someone else
• GPS and geo-location privacy - who would you want knowing where you are?
• Phone security - what would happen if you lost your phone or it was stolen?

3. Maintaining Your Privacy Online

Free, fun and fabulous services are a part of our online lives - but they do have their risks. You need to be aware of what a stranger can find out about you and how your information can be used in the wrong hands. Being a savvy web user is more important than ever - how do you keep your personal information safe? Some things to think about:

• Privacy policies - Do you know if your personal information is being protected, how it's being used, or who it's being shared with?
• Are you using secure website, privacy settings and security software in a way that protects your information from getting into the wrong hands?
• Do you respect the privacy of others, or are you posting information or pictures about them without regard for their privacy?

You can find out more about the competition by visiting these links:

What's your story 2011 Home Page 

Official Competition Rules (Please read before entering)

Internet Safety Advice 

In the light of increasing concerns around this issue, The South West Grid for Learning, working with Childnet International, are in the process of establishing a helpline and web resources to support professionals dealing with this. They wish to better understand the prevalence of this problem and also the nature of incident and are working with the University of Plymouth to conduct a brief survey to collect experiences related to these issues. They are asking for professionals who work with children and young people to respond to the survey which comprises of 20 short questions and will take no more than 5 minutes to complete. All data collected is entirely anonymous and will be stored securely, accessible only by the researchers in this project.

If you have any questions about the nature or process of this survey, please contact Professor Andy Phippen andy.phippen@plymouth.ac.uk.

If you would like to take part then please fill in the survey here

Kent County Council's e-Safety Strategy Group are proud to launch new resources for professionals in time for Safer Internet Day 2011 entitled "Think B4U..." which includes a Poster (A3 and A4 versions) and a workbook.

The resources have been developed by  multi-agency professionals including staff from schools, Connexions, Kent Youth Service, Kent Police and Safeguarding.

The workbook and poster have been developed to support professionals in exploring e-Safety concerns with children, young people and their families in both formal and informal settings. The resources can be used by a variety of staff and it is recommended that professionals use the materials as a starting point and differentiate them according to the needs and ability of the audiences they will be used with.

The poster is intended to be displayed in communal areas where it can stimulate discussion. The workbook contains useful information and guidance for staff and parents/carers as well as suggested activities and uses for the material.

Copies of the workbook and poster can be downloaded and printed from www.kenttrustweb.org.uk?esafety or the weblinks below

We hope that all settings find these documents useful and professionals from a variety of agencies can use them to deliver e-Safety messages to all members of their community.

Please contact the e-Safety officer at esafetyofficer@kent.gov.uk if you have any suggestions for any future updates.

• "Think B4U..." A4 poster
• "Think B4U..." A3 poster
• "Think B4U..." workbook
  

CEOP has developed a suite of resources designed to tackle the issue of young people taking indecent images which are then circulated to a wider audience. These resources consist of a ten minute film called ‘Exposed' and accompanying lesson plans for classroom activities or assemblies. The materials show common ways young people get into this situation, explore the consequences of these actions and what they can do if they find themselves in this position. ‘Exposed' is aimed at 14 to 18 year olds, although in practice you may feel the film is suitable for those outside of this range.  

More information on the resource can be found at: www.thinkuknow.co.uk/teachers/exposed and www.thinkuknow.co.uk/11_16/control/sexting/

You can download these resources from www.thinkuknow.co.uk/teachers/resources/ and selecting ‘Exposed' under the 11 - 16's tab. 

Interactive e-Safety Game for KS2

There is a new internet safety game for 8 - 10 year olds called ‘Star Riders'.  This interactive game requires the user to answer questions about internet safety to increase the amount of time they have to collect stars and avoid nasty icons.  There is a leader board to encourage users to improve.  The questions users are asked will be changed every few months to reflect new themes.   

You can access this game at www.thinkuknow.co.uk/8_10/star-rider/