This Guardian’s Guide is designed to provide an overview of TikTok and the many tools and controls that TikTok have built into the product to keep everyone safe. The guide also provides general information on common internet safety concerns:
There are two new social media apps that are not appropriate for our young children to use which parents/carers need to be aware of.
The first app is called NGL (Not Gonna Lie) which is an anonymous question and answer site. The National Online Safety team have produced an information leaflet identifying the risks and some advice for parents and carers.
The second app is called Likee which is a video sharing app which is similar to tiktok and very risky for children. The Qustodio website have shared some information about the app and its risks:
Why the Likee app is dangerous for kids!
Likee is an unsafe environment for children, even if they’re just browsing, but especially if they’re uploading their own content. Unlike with other social platforms like TikTok and Instagram, you cannot make your Likee account private. This means that young children can easily create an account, and start interacting with strangers in seconds, in comments sections or by uploading their own videos.
For every innocent video of a dance trend, or recipe instructions, you’ll find yourself swiping through a landslide of inappropriate content uploaded to the Likee feed. In Qustodio testing, we browsed Likee extensively, but even within the first few minutes of use, we were met with:
Overtly sexual imagery and suggestive language, Videos of minors engaging in suggestive acts, Violence, Inappropriate language, Insulting and derogatory comments on videos of minors, Suggestive comments on videos of minors
Plus, there’s no way of telling who’s behind the profile when interacting with users on Likee, and the gifting system means younger users could be easily coerced, bribed, or manipulated.
Conversation Starters to Understand Your Child’s Online Life
Having regular conversations with your child can keep them safe online. Help children deal with online issues and open up about their digital lives with these 4 simple tips:
For Safer Internet Day Cherries read Hanni and the Magic Window. We discussed all of the things we like to do online then drew our own magic windows including all of the things they like to do.
We have been finding out how to stay safe online. We read the story ‘Hanni and the Magic Window’ and discussed what we could do if we saw something online or elsewhere that made us feel upset or worried. Then we drew things that we would like to see if we had our own magic window.
In English we read the story ‘Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge’ by Mem Fox. This is a lovely story about a little boy who helps an elderly lady to find her lost memories. We then shared some of our own favourite memories with the class.
Our grown ups have been helping us with our topic work. We gave them a task of telling us about their favourite toys when they were children. We are going to put this information onto a timeline to show how toys have changed over time.
The children in Willows took part in lots of activities surrounding Internet Safety Day on 7th February.
They played a ‘this or that’ game, where they had to choose between choices like; Games or Videos? Meet a famous YouTuber or be a famous YouTuber? The children were able to make their choices and then justify why they had chosen them.
Next up, they created lovely posters stating some of the things that they liked doing online as well as some of the changes that they would like to see in the online world. After this they then put their written words into spoken ones and made short videos voicing their thoughts about the internet and being online.
Finally, the children took part in a timeline activity where they had to place different technological milestones at the age at which they thought someone would first do it; such as, ‘have a video chat with a friend’ or ‘play on a games console’.
In Maples the children have listened to the story of Hanni and the Magic Window. They then created their own magic windows using pictures of characters and TV shows they enjoy.
Take a look at their creations!
Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity to focus on online safety with your child, whatever their age. The UK Safer Internet Centre have created a range of pages to help you start a conversation with your child, whatever that may be about and no matter how much time you have:
https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2023/parents-and-carers
Watch the official Safer Internet Day 2023 film for parents and carers:
Since 2017, cyber fraud among young people has increased by 156%, which means it’s vital that you explore this issue with your child.
Digital Matters have provided expert advice, information and actions you can take to prepare your child for scams they might come across on social media and in the online video games they play:
