Online safety

Scams and fraud accounted for £485.2m of loss in the UK in 2022. Most of this was caused by purchase scams, investment scams, impersonation scams, and romance scams. Get safe online have produced comprehensive advice on identifying and reporting spam, scams and fake emails.

"Take Five - To Stop Fraud" is a national campaign to share advice that helps prevent email, phone or online-based fraud. They have created an interactive quiz to help you spot signs of a scam.

Derbyshire Police have launched a campaign called "Sock it to the Scammers" which encourages people to Stop. Think. Tell when faced with a potential scam. Their page on internet, email, and mobile phone frauds is also full of current examples of commonly used tactics that scammers will try to use, so you know what to expect.

Internet Matters is a one-stop-shop covering a range of issues that children face online, broken down into age-appropriate advice. It covers ages 0-5, 6-10, 11-13 and 14+.

Similarly, Think u know has a range of articles and advice for parents/carers of all age groups.

Derbyshire County Council supported the message of Safer Internet Day 2023, which was "Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online". The Safer Derbyshire page describes the importance of talking regularly with our children about their life online, and how you might approach this conversation. Giving your child the confidence to come to you when they need support or have had a bad experience online, without fear of blame or judgment, is perhaps the most important piece of advice for parents.

If you are experiencing cyberbullying or know someone else who is, Childline’s website has steps that you should follow, and links to support and people to talk to.

It is important to:

• Keep evidence of what has been said. Keep screenshots saved so that you have proof.
• Don’t retaliate. In the heat of the moment, you may be tempted to say something equally as hurtful back. This may make things worse.
• Get the support of a friend or family member. Talk to someone you trust.
• Report the incidents to school, or to the Police if a crime has been committed.
• Use tools to block and report the bully, and take a break from your devices.

It is important to recognise where hurtful comments cross a line into criminal territory. If you:

• Are bullied based on your Race, Gender, Sexual identity, Disability or other protected characteristic
• Receive threats to kill or seriously harm
• Receive images of genitalia with the intention of causing you distress or alarm.
• Have intimate images of you sent to others, without your consent.

then you should report this to the Police. Remember to keep a copy of the evidence and not to retaliate.

Good password management is something that we can all do. The current National Cyber Security Centre guidance is that you should use different passwords for all of your accounts. That way, if a hacker gains access to one of your accounts, they won’t gain access to them all.

Your most important account should be your main email account – i.e the one that you use to log in to services, apps, and websites. If this account becomes compromised, a hacker can reset all of your other passwords, effectively locking you out.

The NCSC advises that you should use Three random words for your passwords. This makes them complex enough to avoid being hacked and is also a rememberable formula. Remembering all of these unique passwords, however, may be difficult. You should consider using a Password manager to keep your passwords safe in one place. This can be on an app, a programme or in your browser.

2-Factor Authentication is something that you should use where available. This means adding an extra layer of security to your accounts, on top of your password. It might be the use of your fingerprint, facial recognition, or a code that is send to your mobile. Each of these ensures that if someone finds out your password, they won’t be able to gain access to your account. 2FA Directory is a website that shows you which forms of 2-Factor Authentication are available on the sites/games/apps that you use.

The minimum age for signing up to social media in the UK is 13. With the introduction of the Online Safety Act 2023, you can expect to see this more strongly enforced in the coming years. There are huge social benefits to using social media, but you should be aware of the tools at your disposal to block unwanted contact and limit your vulnerability to online harm. The NCSC has links to privacy settings tips for mainstream social media sites, all on one page.

Understand that everything you post, comment or share online leaves a digital footprint. These are things that once posted cannot be taken back, and this may harm your reputation. You should look back through your historic posts to see what information about yourself or opinions you have shared online. What does your digital footprint say about you?

For parents looking to develop your understanding of the games that your children are playing, take a look at Family Gaming Database, which has a wealth of information about over 2800 games, such as the PEGI age-appropriate rating, a breakdown of in-game purchases and a description of the content.

Internet Matters have a collection of step-by-step guides on setting up privacy controls on consoles, and guidance on keeping gaming healthy and what to do if gaming gets out of hand. Remember: our biggest tip for parents to keep gaming healthy is to have regular, open conversations with your children about their life online. What do they enjoy doing? what do they want to learn more about? What concerns do they have? Are they well equipped to deal with a negative experience online?