Digital Footprint
Setting up parental controls can help you monitor your child’s digital footprint. Find out how to set these up here.
Is Your Child Livestreaming?
Ofcom, the UK’s online safety regulator, updated its research into children and livestreaming on 10 September. Its research shows that livestreaming is now a relatively common part of children’s online lives and highlights particular safeguarding risks because everything happens in real time.
Many children enjoy watching live videos of gaming, hobbies, challenges and other activities online. But did you know that some apps, games and platforms also allow users to broadcast live themselves?
Unlike recording a video first, livestreaming gives children little opportunity to reconsider what they have shown or said. They could accidentally reveal their school, location or other personal information, interact with people they don’t know, or feel pressured by comments from viewers. A livestream can also be recorded by somebody else and shared afterwards.
A few useful things to check:
- Ask your child whether they ever “go live”, not just what videos they watch.
- Look together at the apps and games they use and find out whether they include livestreaming.
- Check privacy and location settings and who can watch, comment or make contact.
- Talk about what should never appear on camera, including personal information or anything that identifies where they live or go to school.
- Reassure them that they should stop and tell you if anybody online asks them to do something that makes them uncomfortable.
Livestreaming can be creative and enjoyable. The important thing is knowing when children are using it and helping them understand that “live” can quickly mean public — and what happens on camera may not disappear when the stream ends.
For further advice:
CEOP Education – Live streaming: a parents and carers guide
NSPCC – Livestreaming and online video apps
Digital Well-Being and Lifestyle
Passive screen time and consuming media from the internet is a concern for many parents. Internet Matters have published screen time information for parents which is differentiated by age.
Internet Matters have also published recommendations for apps and websites which promote good lifestyle choices on and offline, including apps to support children with their mental health. This website also has reviews on apps, websites and games that your child may ask to play or use.
