How_a_Child,_Young_Person_Could_Be_Harmed_Through_Using_the_Internet

It’s called Cyber bullying, this could happen through: • Chat room, blogs and forums, people involved in discussions can be sent abusive responses. • Email: new addresses can be set up in minutes and used to send offensive messages and images. • Social networking and personal websites like Facebook or MySpace. • Identity theft: in many cyber environment fake profiles can easily set up and pretend to be someone else with the aim of bullying. • Instant message services: quicker than email, responding is immediate. • Webcams: used to view each other when chatting it could be used to filming. • Virtual Learning Environments • Video hosting sites: like YouTube children could find themselves on films been shown around. • Gaming sites, consoles and virtual worlds: they could be subjected to name calling, abusive remarks and chatting. How could you prevent this: • Encourage the child to talk about what’s upsetting them. • Watch out for them seeming upset after using the net or mobile. • Try to understand the ways in which they are using their technologies. • Ask them to think about how their actions affect others. • Suggest that they only use moderated chat rooms. • Encourage them to show you any abusive or offensive emails or messages they’ve received and keep a record. • Help them report any abuse to school, internet provider, website manager, Mobile Phone Company or the police. • Tell them never to respond to them. • Discuss keeping their passwords safe and avoid giving their name, email address or mobile phone number to people outside their circle of friends and family. • Change email address or telephone number if the abuse continuous. • Turn on in-built internet safety features and install computer software so you receive emails that you want and blocks the rest. • Tell them about places they can go for help like Cyber Mentors, ChildLine, and Childnet International.