Internet Watch Foundation Report
We are totally shocked by the latest report from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
They report – 97% of all Child Sexual Abuse material identified by IWF in 2021 featured the sexual abuse of girls.
We have been highlighting this disparity for 3 years now and each year the percentage increases.
We can’t sit back and ignore this. A large percentage of the material will relate to abuse by paedophiles but a lot will also relate to material generated through peer on peer abuse in secondary schools, made worse through an increasing level of misogyny amongst teenage boys.
Please make sure you open up serious conversations with your children both boys and girls.
Let’s make sure girls are fully aware of how freely content depicting them is spreading around the world.
Let’s talk to our boys about respect for women and make sure they realise the outrageous level of misogyny depicted on apps like TikTok and through modern music is not an appropriate way to build relationships with girls.
Let’s all work together to promote a much better outcome for our young girls.
We have added a link to the IWF report below.
Christmas 2024
Discover numerous ways to ensure your child’s safety this Christmas by visiting our online safety information page for Christmas 2024.
News & New Resources
AI-generated imagery of child sexual abuse has progressed at a “frightening” rate, reveals a report update from the IWF
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is seeing the first realistic examples of ‘deepfake’ AI videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, created by offenders using AI tools to add the face or likeness of a child to an existing video, as well as rudimentary, fully synthetic videos.
Teen Accounts introduced to Instagram
Instagram has introduced ‘Teen Accounts’ to provide more protections for users aged 13 to 15. This blog from The UK Safer Internet Centre details Instagram's new feature designed specifically for teens.
Make sure your home doesn't have an open door to child sexual abusers.
Increasingly, young people are being contacted in their own homes on online platforms and apps and asked for sexual pictures and videos, while their parents and carers are totally unaware.
Follow IWF TALK checklist to help keep your child safe online.
My Family's Digital Toolkit
Get your personalised online safety toolkit in a few easy steps. Get age-specific advice to support your children online. Learn about popular apps and platforms your children use. Get information about how to deal with any online safety concerns. Get recommendations for digital tools to support their interests and wellbeing
Snapchat includes new features to protect against sextortion
Snapchat has introduced new features to help users combat sextortion and other online dangers. The enhancements consist of in-app alerts, enhanced friend request safeguards, location-sharing choices, and upgraded blocking features.
Remove a nude image shared online
It can be scary finding out a nude image or video of you has been shared online. But Childline can help. Follow the steps below to get your image or video removed from the internet.
Artificial or Real?
Can you tell the difference between a real video or picture, or one that has been generated by artificial intelligence (AI)?
Have a go at the BBC Bitesize quiz with your child and let’s see if you can spot the REAL from the AI!
Under sixes manipulated into 'disturbing' sexual abuse while playing along.
Abuse hotline sees most extreme year on record and calls for immediate action to protect very young children online.
Guidance and help about how to talk to your children about life online and the different issues and dangers they may face.
Guidance on how to set parental controls and privacy settings.
Helpful resources and guidance to help support parents and carers with children who may be more at risk of online harms, including children with additional needs.
Find out about all about Artificial Intelligence (AI). You will find updates and guidance on the potential risks and benefits to AI.
Find out about setting screen-time limits and helping children moderate their own habits and finding the right balance for your family's needs
Links to useful websites such as Childnet, ThinkUKnow, Internet matters and many more for further help and advice
Find out in this section the various ways you can make a report if you are worried about anything you or your child come across when online.
Online gaming means you can play in real time with people across the world through a computer, games console, tablet or smartphone connected to the internet. Games can offer children a world of adventure to immerse themselves in, but it’s important to understand how children can stay safe and what games are appropriate for their age.
Social networking sites such as Instagram and Facebook are popular with young people, even those who are of primary age. These types of sites allow young people to be incredibly creative online, keep in touch with their friends as well as sharing photos and videos. Learn about the apps your children are using
What is digital wellbeing? With the online world being such a huge part of young people's lives today, it's very important that we help them to understand how to use it safely, sensibly and with an awareness of how it can impact on them.
Find out what cyberbullying is and how you can help your child.
Find advice on the messaging and video apps that let you send messages, share photos, and make video or voice calls.
Help and advice from various organisations on how to help children make safer choices about who they talk to and what they share online.
Digital platforms have made it easier for anyone to share information online, and it can be difficult to determine whether something is real or false.
What a young person sees online can shape how they view the world and impact their overall wellbeing. It’s important to talk to them about how misinformation spreads and how to look out for it.
Online hate speech is a type of speech that takes place online with the purpose of attacking a person or a group based on their race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, and/or gender. Here you will find some useful resources to help you and your child understand facts and the impact of online hate.
Cyber security means protection in the online space. Therefore, it can refer to the security settings you use on your online social and video gaming accounts or the software you use on your family’s devices.
Here, you'll discover tips and insights on different apps where you can buy and sell items. Additionally, learn how to ensure safety for both you and your child while shopping