Navigating the Shifting Sands of Online Safety

However, the issue has become increasingly complex over the last couple of years as education at times moved out of the classroom, into the home and often out of school hours. Some students were lucky enough to be supplied with school devices (which may come with a degree of technological protection), while others did their best to continue learning via their parents’ smartphones or shared devices in the home.

All independent online activities expose young people to risks, regardless of what device they’re on, so what’s the answer to shielding them from the dangers?

Lay the foundations

We know that the internet changes all the time – and therefore, so do the risks. A foundation of digital citizenship education is crucial to enable young people not just to identify what the dangers are, but be empowered to keep themselves safe with actions, whether that is making the right decisions, talking to a trusted adult or reporting online abuse to a service provider.

Schools go to great lengths to provide a secure online environment in which students can learn with a teacher and try things out for themselves without putting themselves at risk. For example, many well-thought-out solutions are available for younger students that act as a safe training ground for using social media and learning digital citizenship skills, such as Natterhub, GoBubble and PopJam. In addition, students can learn from one another. Schemes that encourage student digital leaders, e.g. i-Vengers or Childnet Digital Leaders, can be a great starting point for engagement for online safety issues. Often, peer-led initiatives can be very successful, as students feel more comfortable talking to and confiding in people their own age.