Online safety – Education Today

Online safety issues reach primary school children

Charlotte Westwood — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:00:27 +0000

A Censuswide survey commissioned by BBC Teach suggests that online safety, often considered an issue for teenagers, is a growing problem amongst younger children.

The survey indicates that more than three-quarters (80%) of primary school teachers are aware of at least one safeguarding incident linked to online safety in the past 12 months. Meanwhile, a third (36%) of teachers reported that safeguarding incidents, linked to online safety, had increased at their primary school.

Teaching online safety, often referred to as ‘safe use of technology’ in curriculum documents, is a requirement for schools across the UK. Yet the survey suggests effectively all primary teachers (98%) find it a challenge to teach.

The theme for Safer Internet Day 2025 is ‘Too good to be true’ encouraging young people to protect themselves from scams online. The survey covered this topic and indicates that a third (33%) of primary teachers said at least one child in their class had reported being a victim of an online scam. A third (35%) felt that the number of children being scammed each year was increasing, and the same number thought that artificial intelligence (AI) could contribute to making children more vulnerable to scams.

The survey also indicates that almost half (47%) of primary teachers want better teaching resources for online scams. To support teachers, BBC Teach is broadcasting a Live Lesson at 11am on Safer Internet Day (11 February). Inviting children from across the UK to participate in a fictional game, Scam Smashers, it will encourage them to use their detective skills to spot scams and solve online safety problems. The curriculum-linked lesson for 7 to 11 year olds is created in partnership with Childnet.

The survey asked primary teachers about the challenges children faced in talking about negative experiences online. Almost every respondent (99.8%) indicated that they felt children faced challenges and, selecting from a list of options, were most likely to say that they felt children were afraid of their friends finding out; unclear as to who they should speak to; and feel there is no point in reporting an incident as nothing will change.

Helen Foulkes, Head of BBC Education, said: “The survey indicates that teachers believe primary aged children are facing increasing challenges as they navigate their world online, and are often staying silent when encountering a negative experience. Teachers play a key role in keeping children safe online. But the pace of change, for instance with scams, means it’s incredibly hard to stay up to date. BBC Teach has brought together more than 100 resources covering every aspect of online safety. Together with a Live Lesson, they provide teachers and children with the tools that they need to be good online citizens.”

Survey indicates primary teachers want social media minimum ages raised

Social media use by primary aged children is a concern for primary teachers, the survey results suggest. Almost every respondent (99.5%) reported that at least one child in their class used social media*****.

Around half of teachers feel the minimum age requirements should be higher* for social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat (51%), for video platforms such as YouTube or Twitch (50%), and for communication apps such as WhatsApp (51%).

Apps such as WhatsApp used to have a minimum age requirement of 16. In 2024, it was reduced to 13. The survey suggests that just under a quarter (22%) of primary school teachers feel the minimum age requirement should be put back up to 16 years or older**. And a quarter (24%) feel the same for both social media and video platforms.

The survey indicates that primary school teachers feel social media platforms need to do more to protect children. They feel social media platforms should change how they use algorithms to display particular content and they want safety controls to not only be more accessible, but also easy to use. Furthermore, teachers want social media platforms to enable children’s accounts to be linked to their parent or carer’s accounts.

The survey suggests there was general confusion amongst primary teachers about the minimum age requirements for children to set up social media accounts. Only around 1 in 10 respondents answered correctly when asked about a range of platforms including TikTok (13%), Instagram (13%), and YouTube (11%). Around half thought the minimum age was 14 years or higher *** (51%, 52%, and 52% respectively). And around a third thought it was 12 years or younger**** (33%, 32%, and 33%).

Will Gardner, CEO of Childnet, said: “We are working closely with the BBC as we approach Safer Internet Day, the UK’s biggest celebration of online safety. The survey offers a valuable opportunity to hear from primary school teachers about their experiences and concerns in relation to online safety, as well as the support they require. We can all agree on the ever-increasing need to support young children in their lives online and the vital part schools and teachers play. The BBC and Safer Internet Day are working together to support teachers in fulfilling this role through the provision of practical, engaging, easy-to-use and up-to-date resources.”

Additional information from the survey suggests:

Almost two-fifths (38%) of primary teachers feel it is hard to keep pace with the online scams faced by children.
Respondents’ top three issues that make teaching online safety hard are: staying up to date, trying to fit online safety lessons into the school timetable, and not feeling confident to talk about the topic.
Respondents found it hardest to find teaching resources about online safety and AI.
All respondents reported that they cover online safety with their pupils.
Of the 80% of primary teachers that were aware of at least one safeguarding incident linked to online safety, 47% said they were aware of more than one incident in the past 12 months.

Is your school Cyber safe?

dt-admin — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 11:06:33 +0000

The sustained integration of technology into the classroom over the past two decades has undoubtedly changed the art of teaching. Yet, technological innovation has also created new vulnerabilities which can be exploited by criminals, who see schools as profitable targets.

From cybercriminals posing as suppliers, to other cyber-threats such as phishing links, designed to obtain data through defrauding someone into disclosure; and ransomware, which aims to extort money via a ransom following the acquisition and encryption of data or files – cyber attacks can have far-reaching consequences for pupils’ education, teachers’ resources, and learning systems.

Weak passwords, poorly designed software, authorising too many people to access files and accidental human error are all contenders for a data breach/cyber attack.

Schools are more likely to identify cyber security breaches than the average business

In their latest report, the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology stated that all types of education institutions are more likely to identify cyber security breaches or attacks than the average business.* In the last 12 months, 63% of secondary schools and 41% of primary schools identified cyber breaches or attacks.

Phishing attacks are by far the most common type of breach or attack identified, followed by online impersonation, then viruses, spyware, or malware.

Many of these issues can be avoided through staff training and investing in robust data management processes.

What to do if a data breach occurs

If a serious data breach occurs which is likely to harm the rights and freedoms of individuals, it must be reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) within 72 hours. The ICO will then provide advice and guidance on how to manage the breach, and lessons to be learned so it doesn’t happen again. This may cover what improvements to policy documents, security measures, and training the school needs to put in place.

How can cyber insurance protect schools?

What options are available to schools if they do suffer a serious security breach, even if all policies have been closely followed? One option which can provide a viable safety net against emerging cybercrime and security threats is cyber insurance.

Not only does a cyber insurance typically cover loss of income related to a cyber attack, but it can also cover the cost of third-party experts should they be required, such as a forensic investigator or ransom negotiator, and the cost of full data re-creation.

Should a cyber attack happen, having insurance in place could be the difference between a breach being well-managed, and resolved, or a difficult process ensuing. Cyber security insurance can also be supported by an online reputational risk management policy which can include the use of ‘social listening’ technology to monitor your school’s digital footprint and alert stakeholders to any imminent online reputational risks.

Is your school fully protected?

Whether you’re covered by a commercial insurance policy or the Risk Protection Arrangement, it’s worth checking to see if your current cyber cover is as extensive as it could be. Here are a few questions to ask:

Does your policy cover your school for extortion as standard?
What are the current limits of indemnity?
Does your policy only cover the restoration of data/ systems if there’s a back-up available, or are you covered for full recreation of data and systems?
Is your insurer pro-actively trying to reduce cyber events via risk management/ internet scanning and by being aware of ongoing threats to the market, or do they only offer reactive cover?

Complimentary cyber insurance review

Endsleigh, part of Howden the global insurance group, has almost 60 years’ experience providing insurance solutions to the education community. We’d like to offer you a no obligation, complimentary review of your current cyber cover. Call us on 0333 234 1553, email us at schools@endsleigh.co.uk or book your review here.

Find out more about Endsleigh’s cyber insurance cover for schools.

* Cyber security breaches survey 2023: education institutions annex – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Schools find key safeguarding areas highly challenging according to new survey

Jonathan Swift — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 09:00:33 +0000

School leaders and designated safeguarding leads see several key safeguarding areas as relatively ineffective and highly challenging according to a new survey from UK school support business Judicium Education.

The survey, carried out by Judicium with parent company Supporting Education Group, asked more than 620 designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) and SLT members in schools across England to rate the effectiveness of a range of key safeguarding activities.

Schools found that filtering and monitoring ICT usage, along with safeguarding training and updating safeguarding records to be areas of low effectiveness and high personal challenge.

Just 18% of all respondents said filtering and monitoring was as effective as it can be in their schools, with 59% claiming it is one of their biggest current challenges. These results were driven by DSLs – 65% rated it a big challenge, compared to 46% of SLTs.

Just a quarter (25%) of all respondents thought that their current safeguarding and child protection training works well and 43% said the activity is one of their biggest challenges. DSLs once again led these concerns – just 16% find this training works as well as it could, compared to 49% of SLT members.

Updating and reviewing safeguarding records to identify patterns of events or behaviour was another key pain point for effective safeguarding, with 30% finding this activity challenging.

Drafting and reviewing policies, and communicating with stakeholders, such as other professionals, parents, students and agencies, were rated as high effectiveness, low challenge activities.

The survey was carried out in June 2022 to better understand how schools think about and meet some of the challenges associated with safeguarding and to explore if any additional resources and support can be provided to help schools with this important area.

The findings follow analysis by Judicium which has revealed the important part safeguarding failures play in Ofsted category 4 inspection reports. Of the 130 inadequate judgements between 2019 and 2021, 59 (45%) cited safeguarding as ineffective. Record keeping, leadership, and governance, following-up concerns, staff training and pupil safety were most frequently cited in inspector feedback in these cases.

Helen King, a former DSL in a London secondary school and now head of safeguarding at Judicium, says: “We know from our safeguarding work with schools that the risks of getting safeguarding wrong are significant and can have a devastating impact on pupils. These findings will help to highlight key areas of concern for schools, service providers and policy makers.

“We also need to bear in mind that the DSL role is a high accountability job which has grown hugely in recent years – KCSIE has more than trebled in size over the past seven years, from 57 pages in 2015 to almost 180 today. That needs to be reflected in the understanding of the DSL remit and the support that is available to them if the role is to remain effective.”

Hampshire primary school taps into NSPCC’s Speak Out Stay Safe programme to support PHSE curriculum

Jonathan Swift — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 10:11:32 +0000

A recent independent evaluation by the NSPCC confirmed an ongoing need for Speak out Stay safe (SOSS). Whilst most primary children have a good understanding of what abusive behaviour looks like and which trusted adults they can speak to, the children’s charity safeguarding programme is designed to boost schools’ relationships and sex education (RSE) teaching. Headteacher Sarah Oliver from Rowledge C of E Primary in Farnham shares how her pupils have engaged with the online assembly.

My sixth year in post also marks the sixth year we’ve rolled out the Speak out Stay safe (SOSS) programme. At Rowledge C of E Primary we feel incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to have the NSPCC in to speak with our children. Tapping into their expertise and resources has been hugely beneficial in enabling our pupils to understand abuse in all its forms. Their team made the initial outreach and the process of bringing them into the school was seamless. More recently due to COVID-19 restrictions we’ve taken advantage of their brilliant online assembly.

Just this term we ran our first online offering with our children to support them in feeling empowered – knowing how they can speak out and stay safe with the support of classroom resources. Making sure that pupils then have sufficient time to reflect on these sessions is a key priority for our teachers. Tapping into thought books that they use every morning, pupils are encouraged to write down any thoughts or feelings that they may want to share with their teacher. Having this tool available means they really took the content of the assembly seriously.

The SOSS online assembly is well-made, and the introduction of Ant and Dec is genius. The children absolutely love them, and it makes the film very current. With the programme’s goal of ensuring children know how to access support, if they need it, it wouldn’t be everyone who can deliver such difficult content. However, Ant and Dec and their co-presenter manage it with just the right level of sensitivity. At primary level if you don’t grab the pupils’ attention from the get-go you’ve lost them before you’ve even begun. So, the delivery being engaging and entertaining without trivialising the seriousness of the topic means the children really want to listen.

One of the pupils’ main takeaways from SOSS is that they are supported in telling someone if they think there’s a problem. Teachers encourage students to critically think about if something doesn’t feel right and listen to any butterflies in their tummy which might indicate that they need to confide in someone. From experience we know that a child is more likely to first disclose to a close friend than an adult, especially if they feel the grown-ups in their life are too busy. So, leveraging the NSPCC’s content, we have also developed extra materials around keeping friends safe.

It’s likely a friend may not know what to do or where to go with such information. As such we’re aiming to upskill the children as to next steps if they heard something that makes them uncomfortable. On top of my role, I am working with the Hampshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSCP) which prioritises keeping young people safe and ensuring their wellbeing in the local area. One of our focuses is how children can keep their friends safe, so collectively with the NSPCC’s resources, we’ve spearheaded the idea of upskilling into Rowledge’s classrooms. The overarching message we are trying to put across is that it is okay to talk. However big or small the problem is, there are adults they can approach who are available to listen and help.

SOSS has also helped support our safeguarding duties while linking directly to the curriculum. Working in the education sector you’re often told to deliver a subject but aren’t given the right resources to do so. For example, when it comes to PHSE subjects such as abuse or sex education, teachers naturally worry about getting it right. It’s critical that resources can either be delivered by external organisations or are made available for teachers, so SOSS is pivotal for tackling an issue that’s close to my heart. Other NSPCC resources such as Talk PANTS have been invaluable. With the help of the friendly dinosaur Pantosaurus, children understand that their body belongs to them, and they should tell someone they trust if anything worries them.

Given that some of the abuse that can be experienced as you get older isn’t always obvious, the impact of nuances in relationships is important for pupils to be aware of early on. Despite the sensitive nature of the topic the SOSS online assembly manages it superbly. Not shying away from difficult subject matters and approaching them in a way that is accessible for children is crucial, so they’ve really hit the nail on the head in my eyes. Available to every primary school at no cost I’d highly recommend SOSS to all. Unless you’re specifically teaching this in your own way, and you have a clear programme of study it should be 100% compulsory. It’s a non-negotiable that children know that abuse is never their fault and that they have the right to be safe.

Interested in the NSPCC’s online safeguarding programme? Receive their online assembly and supporting resources to use in your classroom discussions by signing up your primary school today.

New class resources will help empower young people to take control of their online privacy

Jonathan Swift — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 09:36:18 +0000

The UK’s data protection regulator is helping children and young people understand the power of their personal data as they learn, play and socialise online.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a suite of lesson plans and worksheets aimed at teaching primary and secondary school pupils how to protect their privacy online and how they can control what online companies and platforms know about them.

Emily Keaney, ICO’s Director of Regulatory Strategy said: “With children learning how to use an iPad before they can ride a bike, it’s crucial that they’re taught how to keep their personal data safe. These plans will ensure that the UK’s children are learning about the value of their name, where they live, what they like and where they go from the very start of their data journey.”

The resources explain what counts as personal data, how to protect it and how to keep it private on social media. They cover the curriculum in all parts of the UK and can be downloaded for free from the ICO website.

The resources form part of the ICO’s work on building awareness of the Children’s Code, a set of standards that online services must follow if they are likely to be accessed by children. That includes putting in place extra layers of protection for children’s data.

Ms Keaney said: “With the introduction of the Children’s Code last September, it’s more important than ever that teachers feel empowered to educate their pupils about the positives and negatives of sharing personal data with websites, apps and online services.

“We hope that these lesson resources will enable teachers to introduce these topics in the classroom, and begin the conversation around keeping safe online.”

The ICO will be producing more resources around the principles of the Children’s Code to ensure that young people know what to expect when they open an app, visit a website or play an online game.

For more information on the Children’s Code, please visit the dedicated website hub or email our Children’s Code team on childrenscode@ico.org.uk.

Premier League and Internet Matters to help young people tackle challenges they face online

Jonathan Swift — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 08:00:42 +0000

Internet Matters is working alongside the Premier League to equip children and young people with the skills they need to navigate their online world safely and responsibly.

Internet Matters is the industry collective which inspires leading organisations to create a future where children and young people are prepared to benefit safely from connected technology. They have used their expertise in the area to work alongside the Premier League on the creation of an online support activity pack.

The Respect activity packs cover issues such as tackling online hate and abuse, managing digital wellbeing and digital identity. They will be used by staff from 91 Premier League and EFL club community organisations to support the digital wellbeing of young people taking part in Premier League Kicks workshops.

Premier League Kicks is a community programme which inspires young people in high-need areas to engage in positive activities including a wide variety of sports, coaching, music and educational and personal development sessions, so they can achieve their potential and improve their wellbeing.

The Respect workshops will encourage young people to think critically about the online world, making them feel more confident, improve their wellbeing and, crucially, allow them to create a positive digital environment where they feel comfortable in supporting each other.

Nick Perchard, Head of Community, Premier League, said: “Online safety is more important now than it ever has been. We are pleased to work with Internet Matters, who are experts in this space, to support the thousands of young people participating in the Premier League Kicks programme with their digital wellbeing.

“The Respect activity pack will provide participants with more awareness of the possible dangers they could face online and will equip them with the information and support necessary to tackle them.”

Carolyn Bunting, CEO of Internet Matters, said: “Regular engagement and communication with young people about their online lives has a significant impact on their ability to ensure any risk they face online does not turn into harm.

“We are thrilled to be working with Premier League in order to reach young people through their exceptional community programmes.

“We know there is much more to be done to ensure children and young people are safe, happy and healthy online, and we are delighted to have produced these resources to help demonstrate the Premier League’s commitment to this challenging issue.”

EduCare make a number of courses free in response to school closures

Jonathan Swift — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 11:31:36 +0000

The impact of Coronavirus is affecting people in many ways. Duty of care and safeguarding training specialists, EduCare, recognise the impact that school closures will have on the safeguarding of children and young people, and have made a number of their courses and resources available for free online.

The courses and resources, which are usually only available to customers, can now be accessed for free via EduCare’s recently launched Coronavirus Hub.

Amongst these resources is information from EduCare’s owner TES, which will support teachers, schools and students during this time. This includes revision material, home packs and self-guided study material.

In addition to the free courses and resources, the Hub also contains the latest news and recommendations for good practice relating to the Coronavirus and children and young people whilst away from education.

Understanding that remote training will be vital to schools over the coming months, EduCare has also made seven online CPD courses available for free. These are:

“Effective Health & Safety for Children with SEND and ASN”
“Parental Responsibility in Schools”
“Search, Screen and Confiscate for Schools”
“Risk Assessments for School Trips”
“Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption”
“Cyber Security”
“Working with Display Screen Equipment”

Also available for free are wellbeing resources from EduCare’s EduSafe resource library. Designed for the community of parents and carers, and children and young people, EduSafe resources have been written with leading experts including Winston’s Wish, Karma Nirvana, YoungMinds, Mentor and The Children’s Society.

EduCare is communicating the message that whilst safeguarding has always been everyone’s responsibility, with school closures this will be more relevant than ever. Schools will soon lose day to day contact with their pupils and so our communities will need to act together to support children and young people.

The intention of the EduSafe resource library is to ensure that the community can access the same level of high-quality information as education staff receive as part of their training.

EduSafe is split into two banks of resources – resources that are specifically designed for parents & carers, and resources that are specifically designed for children & young people.

Topics covered within EduSafe include:

Mental health
Substance misuse
Dealing with bereavement and loss
Honour-based abuse and forced marriage

More directly related to immediate issues presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, EduCare’s Coronavirus Hub also includes free resources and information relating to the virus itself and preventing its spread. Within this section, there is also the most up-to-date news from TES editorial team, as the situation develops.

To find out more, access EduCare’s Coronavirus Hub at https://www.educare.co.uk/coronavirus

Cybersmile Foundation offers free digital education and support in response to coronavirus crisis

Jonathan Swift — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 09:41:15 +0000

Cybersmile has announced details of digital education and support available for people being affected by the Coronavirus outbreak, including those self-isolating and those in quarantine.

With schools closing daily around the world, Cybersmile is offering use of its full curriculum of lesson plans and access to its interactive learning programme, completely free of charge to all parents, students and teachers – enabling them to deliver engaging educational materials to those who would otherwise be missing out on education. The resources are available from today via Cybersmile’s education portal.

In addition, the organisation is seeking partners who can fund emergency interactive learning modules to educate people about the importance of social distancing, hand hygiene and best practices during this difficult time.

The non-profit has also confirmed that Cybersmile Assistant, their AI smart assistant launched last year, is unaffected by the Covid-19 outbreak and will continue to offer round-the-clock support to anyone impacted by internet-related issues such as anxiety, harassment, cyberbullying and many more.

“Fortunately, all Cybersmile education and support services have been developed to scale almost infinitely. Our services are also designed to withstand the most challenging social environments. We feel fortunate to be able to provide free education and support to everybody affected at such a difficult time,” said Dan Raisbeck, Co-Founder, The Cybersmile Foundation.

The coronavirus emergency has presented itself as a challenge for countries around the world, severely impacting schools, colleges and universities. Due to increases in news consumption and screen time, Cybersmile have seen a surge in demand for support services and access to their education programme.

Potential partners that wish to support Cybersmile’s effort in creating new resources relating to the crisis should contact corporate@cybersmile.org

For more information, visit https://www.cybersmile.org/education

NSPCC’s ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ programme reaches 20,000 schools

Jonathan Swift — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 10:07:10 +0000

An NSPCC programme that teaches children how to keep themselves safe from abuse has reached 20,000 primary schools across the UK.

Widney Junior School in Solihull became the 20,000th school to be visited by the charity’s ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ service.

‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ consists of an assembly presentation for children aged five to 11, and a one-hour classroom workshop for children in years five and six.

With the help of NSPCC mascot Buddy, the interactive assemblies and workshops help children recognise the different types of abuse, and understand how to protect themselves.

They also learn where they can turn for help – including the NSPCC-run service Childline.

It comes as latest figures reveal 2,494 child sex offences were recorded by West Midlands Police last year, and nearly 65,000 across England and Wales.

In the 2017/18 school year, more than 25,000 pupils at 82 schools in Birmingham and Solihull were reached by ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’.

But NSPCC Schools Service volunteers and staff are visiting schools across the UK every week.

NSPCC Schools Service Area Co-ordinator for Birmingham, Tracey Hulston, said: “’Speak Out. Stay Safe’ is spreading an important message in a lively, interactive and memorable way, while also helping children feel empowered to talk to a trusted adult or Childline.

“We are delighted to have reached so many children across the UK, but we will keep visiting schools every week to ensure this vital service helps to protect a generation of pupils from abuse.”

Widney Junior School Deputy Headteacher, Marie Kitching, said: “Not only have our pupils really enjoyed today’s assembly, they have learned so much, and it is clear that it has made a lasting impression on them.

“Educating children about the risks of abuse, and how to keep themselves safe, is a crucial part of their development – and ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ does this brilliantly.”

The NSPCC Schools Service relies on volunteers to help deliver assemblies and workshops. To get involved or to find out more, visit www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do, email Tracey Hulston on tracey.hulston@nspcc.org.uk or call her on 07976065088.

Almost half of British children are scared to use the internet

Jonathan Swift — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 11:17:48 +0000

Research by Kaspersky Lab to mark Safer Internet Day 2017 reveals that the increasing threats facing children online are now having a detrimental effect, with almost half (49 per cent) of 10-15 year olds in the UK admitting they are scared or worried about going online. From the collection of personal data by connected devices, including children’s toys, to grooming on gaming platforms such as Minecraft, it’s no surprise that children are becoming afraid of what they may encounter online – but what can be done to rebuild their confidence? Kaspersky Lab is supporting Safer Internet Day 2017 to help address this issue.

According to the survey, specifically, over one in five (21 per cent) of children worry that a stranger might bully them; 18 per cent worry that a stranger might ask them to do something they’d be uncomfortable with; 13 per cent worry a stranger might ask them to do something illegal; and one in ten (ten per cent) worry that strangers would still have access to information they have posted online even after they have deleted it.

In addition, the children surveyed are also conscious that their own activities online may cause worry among peers, with over a third (36 per cent) admitting that they have previously regretted posting something online because it may have negatively affected a friend or someone else.

“The benefits of children being online and connected are numerous. So it’s easy to forget that children and young people are inherently vulnerable and may expose themselves to danger, whether knowingly or unknowingly, when using the internet and connected devices,” says David Emm, principal security researcher, Kaspersky Lab. “This years’ theme for Safer Internet Day is ‘uniting for a better internet’. It is the combined duty of care of the security industry, government, teachers and parents, to mitigate the risks and provide children with a safe, secure online environment where they can work, rest and play.”

“As the internet increasingly becomes the medium of choice for children and young people, this important research demonstrates the need to ensure they have the right technology tools and guidance to make safe choices online,” adds David Miles, international online child protection expert and member of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) Evidence Group. “Given the right support, children feel incredibly empowered by what they find online. Whether it’s to socialise, learn or play, we all have a collective responsibility to minimise the risks and maximise the benefits for this new digital generation.”

Kaspersky Lab urges parents, teachers and the industry to work together to create a safe environment for children, so they can learn and thrive online, as opposed to being scared or worried to connect to the internet altogether.