The internet can be a great place to have fun and inspire change. Have a look at these tips which will help you stay safe and positive online:

Inspire change by:

•  Encouraging positivity

With little acts of kindness, we can all work together to help make the internet a more positive place. When you are posting or commenting, think about the impact it will have on others. Can you challenge yourself to make someone happier today? You could leave a kind comment, share a funny post or like a friend’s video.

• Raising awareness

The internet is an amazing place to learn new things, educate yourself and inspire others to make a difference. You can use the internet to talk about specific issues such as climate change, fast fashion or equality and to hear from people with different perspectives. Why not inspire change by creating awareness posts, signing petitions or researching charities and  other organisations.

Make a difference by:

•  Being an upstander

When something isn’t right or something unkind happens, upstanders take action.  You can be an upstander by standing up for others, offering them support or reporting hateful content. The more we stand up for what is right, the bigger the difference we can make.

• Sharing your knowledge

Your ideas and your voice matters. Use your experiences and online research to help those around you. Even something simple like recommending apps and websites you like to use or the people you follow online can help inspire others. The online world can be challenging, so share your tips and advice, like how to report or look after your digital wellbeing with those around you.

Manage influence by:

• Taking a balanced approach

The internet can be a great place to find content or influencers that inspire you. There is a wide range of voices and information online, but it is important to take a balanced approach when interacting with content so you can form your own opinions and understand the facts. Make sure to do your own research and use multiple sources.

• Making positive choices

There is a huge amount of inspiring and engaging content online, but sometimes the things we see and hear on the internet can affect our feelings and behaviour. Make sensible and informed choices about who you want to follow and interact with online by reflecting on how they make you feel. Remember it’s okay to unfollow, mute or block accounts and keywords if they’re making you feel upset or uncomfortable.

Navigate change by:

• Talking about it

The online world is always changing, with game updates, new content and services, breaking news stories, exciting new developments, trends and technology.. Change is an important part of life and can be exciting but can sometimes feel overwhelming too.  However, if you’re finding change overwhelming or feeling pressure to stay up to date, then it’s always best to talk about it. Talk with friends, family or an adult you trust about what’s going on and how it makes you feel – even if they can’t fix it for you straightaway, they can offer support and may even be going through the same thing. Talking to friends, family or trusted adults can help you to manage these emotions.

These top tips have been written for parents and carers to help you support your child to stay safe and happy online.

Inspire change by:

• Modelling how to be safe online

Just like in their offline lives, children need role models online too. Set clear and fair expectations about how the whole family should use the internet and technology, and demonstrate these yourself. A Family Agreement is a great way to start conversations and put your ideas down on paper, to refer back to later and adapt as your child and your family’s internet use changes.

Make a difference by:

• Having regular discussions about the online world

Having regular and open conversations with your child about their use of technology and the internet is the best way to stay up to date, not only with changes in the online world, but also with what they are doing and seeing online. Starting these conversations can sometimes feel daunting, but they can help you feel more informed and show your child that you are taking an interest in their online life. Not sure where to begin? Use the tips and conversations starters in our “Let’s Talk About Life Online” resource.

Manage influence by:

• Researching the content and games your child enjoys the most

Giving young people the opportunity to talk about their life online, and enjoying online content together, can be a great way to gain an insight into the content they are viewing. Our ‘Parents and Carers Resource Sheet’ is a great tool that you can use to research any websites, apps and games and find out more about specific content.

Navigate change by:

• Knowing where to go for further support

If your child needs help, it’s important you know where to go for further support. Using the report and block buttons,   websites such as ‘Report Harmful Content’, and other safety tools is a great starting point. It can also be useful to discuss any concerns or worries with your child’s school as they may be able to offer further advice and guidance. It can also help to talk to other parents and carers who may have experienced something similar.

Please refer to the following links and attachments below:

https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2024/parents-and-carers

https://www.guilsborough.northants.sch.uk/safeguarding/online-safety