Parents: Wearable Tech

More and more children are being given technology that can be worn, e.g. smartwatches and whilst there can be benefits the risks aren’t always apparent. This article from Internet Matters explores wearable technology for children and gives advice on:

The different types of wearable tech, e.g. smart watches, glasses, VR headsets and fitness trackers.

Whether wearable technology is safe and what some of the concerns are, e.g. privacy and data collection, impact on body image.

How wearable tech can support wellbeing.

And more.

You can find the article HERE.

Parents: Supporting Young People Online

Childnet works directly with children and young people from the ages of 3-18, as well as parents, carers, teachers and professionals, finding out about their real experiences online and the positive things they are doing. 

Information and advice for parents and carers on supporting young people online can be found on the following link.

The internet is an amazing resource which enables children and young people to connect, communicate and be creative in a 

number of different ways, on a range of devices. However, the internet is always changing, and being able to keep up to date 

with your children’s use of technology can be a challenge. You may sometimes feel that your child has better technical skills than 

you do, however children and young people still need advice and protection when it comes to managing their lives online. Issues 

that your child may encounter on the internet will vary depending on their age and online activities. Follow the link below to learn about 4 potential online risks for young people.

www.childnet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Supporting-Young-People-Online.pdf 

For Parents - What is Kick Streaming?

Many parents will be aware of Twitch, especially if their children are gamers. Owned by Amazon it has become incredibly popular over the years for children to either watch live streams or to live stream themselves. But in the past there's been plenty of controversy about the platform, particularly in relation to restrictions that imposed upon streamers. So it's no surprise to see other platforms becoming more popular and one of those platforms is Kick (not to be confused with Kik Messenger).

It was launched in 2022, users should be 13+ and it follows the same process as Twitch where live streamers can make money. However, much of the content on Kick is adult in nature.

Report - NSPCC - Viewing GenAI and Children's Safety

With Ofcom's Online Nations study showing that almost 50% of 8-15 year olds report feeling worried about the impact of GenAI it's clear this is something we need to be targeting sooner rather than later. I have given a lot of talks recently to students, teachers and parents with a focus on AI and understandably there's a lot of confusion in relation to what is discussed, how it may change the curriculum and lots more, so here's my very over-simplified take on it all:

In education we've had the 4C's for a long time - content, contact, conduct and commerce. Within these categories we cover a lot of subjects from bullying to CSE, misinformation, body image and so much more. AI isn't changing this, it is simply adding another layer. For example - misinformation and/or scams - some things we tell students young and old is to check verifiable sources, check spelling and grammar etc. AI hasn't changed this, but check spelling and grammar isn't something that can be relied on any more even though it's still important to check. Another example would be the creation of explicit imagery in order to bully, harass or coerce. This has happened for years through software such as Photoshop, all that has changed now is the ease and speed by which this can be created.

In January the NSPCC released a new report which looks at the need for robust polices and practices to ensure the safety and protection of children in the context of GenAI. Although it seems to be targeted towards policy-makers it makes for interesting (but disturbing) reading as it includes examples from young people and their own experiences which have been taken from Childline counselling sessions. This will give you an idea of the thoughts and concerns from children so you can get an indication of where their worries lie. 

You can download the report HERE.

Manipulative Marketing in Mobile Games - Better Internet for Kids

Children are increasingly becoming major components in the online games industry. Many games are deceptively pay to play, whilst claiming to be free. For most of these apps the download is free but most of the gameplay is locked. Free in the context of apps is a highly flexible term. Online gaming firms use the ‘free’ label to draw in players, whom when talking about minors may be attractive due solely to that quality. Money making tactics such as these, can be hard to detect even for adults. Their use of bright colours, distracting music and other methods can be highly persuasive in gaining players. Better Internet for Kids has crafted a learning module designed to explore digital marketing tactics. You will learn why companies use these tactics and how they can impact your child and their rights. You will also learn how you can support your child to spot and avoid these issues, as well as where you can seek help and support. If interested, please follow the link below:

https://better-internet-for-kids.europa.eu/en/learning-corner/parents-and-caregivers/marketing-games

For Parents - How Safe is WhatsApp for Children - NSPCC

WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant messaging apps, used by over 2 billion people in 180 countries. It allows you to send and receive messages, as well as make voice and video calls. You can connect with people individually or join group chats where lots of people can contribute. All you need to set up a WhatsApp account is a phone number. However, children and young people can easily subvert the restrictions placed on its access. In April 2024 the age for WhatsApp use was lowered from sixteen to thirteen, all that is required is a phone number. All it takes is one child in a class to be on whatsapp, and all the others will wish to join. This can lead to increased vulnerabilities for child users. The NSPCC has released its own analysis about the dangers of the app. If interested, please follow the link below:

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/online-safety-blog/2023-01-12-is-whatsapp-safe-for-my-child/ 

For Parents - Tips to Promote Positive Body Image

Concerns around social media influence in particular and the negative effects of this influence on body image for girls and boys have been around for years. In the age of generative AI this can only increase. My social feeds are awash with photorealistic images and they're all the same: so-called perfect body, composition, beauty. There's nothing in the way of different body shapes, diversity in people of colour etc. Simply speaking, AI can be very biased.

Internet Matters have some great, practical advice for parents about self-image, body image and identity which you can find HERE.

For Parents - Roblox Major Safety Updates.

Last week Roblox, the game used by 90 million people daily, announced some major updates which are available to users and parents. The rollout has already started and will be fully implemented by March 2025. These safety updates include:

• Limits to how children under 13 can communicate.

• Parental controls accessible from the parents phone rather from the child's device (remote management).

There's too much detail to include within an email so to see an explanation of all the new features visit the Roblox website HERE.

You can also see the full guide to Roblox parental controls on the Internet Matters website HERE.

 For Parents - Second-Hand Devices Guide

Often when children get their first or subsequent devices, particularly mobile phones, it's a hand-me-down, for example when a parent gets a new device on contract. This can be a real positive, mobile devices are very expensive and the latest/greatest devices often have very limited additional functionality over older devices.

But it's really important these devices are configured correctly for younger users. thankfully Internet Matters have a full guide to help parents navigate all the different features and settings, plus how to choose the right second-hand device, safety concerns and much more.

All information and guidance can be found HERE.

Report - The True Cost of Virtual Currency

Not too long ago you bought a game and that was it, there was no other financial outlay. But in recent years this has changed enormously; many games (and apps) are free in order to lure in new players, once in their games players are bombarded to purchase currency, skins, loot boxes, power-ups and much more.

A new report called "Getting Played: The True Cost of Virtual Currency" has shed further light on this, explaining the lack of any transparent pricing for virtual currencies or items, the obscure value of currencies and the lack of any consumer rights.

A summary of a few of the main points below, you can read the full report HERE.

• Predatory Monetization: The document focuses on how video game companies use virtual currencies, often called premium currencies, to exploit players, especially children, through deceptive design and monetization tactics. This practice is aimed at maximizing revenue by encouraging continuous spending.
   

• Cognitive Bias and Deceptive Design: Virtual currencies confuse consumers about the real cost of in-game purchases. Game designers use cognitive biases such as the sunk-cost fallacy and scarcity bias to push players to spend more, often making the act of spending money feel less significant by using virtual currencies as intermediaries. (The sunk-cost fallacy and scarcity bias is where, if a player has invested money or time in the game, they may feel compelled to keep spending money to avoid wasting their previous investment).
   

• Legal Concerns and Lack of Consumer Rights: Premium virtual currencies and in-game purchases are often not covered by consumer protection laws, depriving players of rights such as refunds. The document argues that virtual currencies are detrimental, stripping consumers of protections they would have if real money were used directly for purchases.
   

Impact on Children: The document highlights that children are particularly vulnerable to these tactics due to their lack of financial literacy and impulse control. Games targeting children often include hidden costs, paywalls, and repetitive grinding, which can be circumvented by purchasing in-game currencies, encouraging overspending. (Repetitive grinding refers to repetitive, monotonous tasks such as defeating enemies repeatedly in order to progress or unlock certain features creating frustration).

For Parents - My Family's Digital Toolkit

There are so many really good resources out there for parents/carers about how to help keeping children safe online, but it can quickly become really overwhelming. 

Internet Matters has a really great resource for parents called My Family's Digital Toolkit. This is a personalised resource which gives age-specific advice, advice to deal with specific concerns, recommendations for digital tools to support children's interests and more.

The toolkit is free and you can find more details HERE.

For Parents - Smartphone-Free Childhood?

There's a lot of talk going on right now about a smartphone-free childhood. Statements such as 'all under 16's should be banned from owning a smartphone' are neither practical nor possible, but all of this makes things very difficult for parents who want clear information to make an informed decision.

Thankfully Internet Matters have lots of clear information which should be useful for parents. In THIS article Internet Matters look at a number of aspects such as balancing concerns with safety and limiting risk. In THIS article there's a parents guide to smart phones versus dumb phones. Together these articles and the links within the articles have lots of up to date, useful information to help them make a decision.

For Parents - Video Games and Children

Unicef have shared an article with some nice, clear and simple advice for parents/carers about online gaming. The article covers how to create a positive and safe gaming environment, how parents can engage with their children, what the benefits or gaming are and more.

You can view the article on the Unicef website HERE.

YouTube - Parental Controls for Teens

Google (YouTube) have, in the past, always argued that YouTube is strictly for over 13's, much like most other social platforms. This age is predominantly for marketing/advertising purposes. However, that argument has never stood up given that Google have never had a means to prevent under 13's using the platform with or without an account. 

Back in 2021 YouTube introduced new parental features, called Supervised Experience, and this was for parents of children under 13 who were using YouTube.

Now, it looks like YouTube is extending Supervised Experience for parents of teenagers. In early September they announced that parents/carers will be able to link their teenagers account to the parent account where parents will have the ability to see some limited information such as number of video uploads, comments etc. 

I think some parents may be disappointed that this is quite a limited set of features and I would agree. You can read more about this HERE.

For Parents - Gaming Tips for Parents of Neurodivergent Children.

Internet Matters have released another really useful guide, this time it's all about online gaming safety tips for parents and carers of neurodivergent children. It's a simple 5-page guide covering the research, example games, some of the challenges which parents face and the all-important benefits.

It's a great little guide which you can download HERE.

For Parents - The ABC Online safety Checklist.

Internet Matters have done it again, this time with a really simple guide for parents using Activate, Balance and Check.

The ABC's are broken down by age to make this as simple as possible for parents: all ages, under 5's, 6-10, 11-13 and 14+. Definitely worth sharing with your parents and I'll definitely be using it in my parent training sessions.

You can download the guide HERE.