Technology
Technology has many benefits, however, it also introduces many risks. During the Covid pandemic, children’s use of the internet for educational, social and entertainment increased significantly. We already know that much abuse is perpetrated using technology and online platforms and this risk increases the more that children use the technology.
Some progress has been made in raising awareness of the risks and in helping and enabling children and young people to report concerns, however, we know that while older children are more likely to report suspicious activity, there is still a long way to go.
Risks associated with technology include:
- Sending threatening or abusive text messages
- Creating and sharing embarrassing images or videos
- Trolling – the sending of menacing or upsetting messages on social networks, chat rooms or online game platforms
- Excluding children from online games, activities or friendship groups
- Shaming someone online
- Setting up hate sites or groups about a particular person
- Encouraging young people to self-harm
- Voting for or against someone in an abusive poll
- Creating fake accounts, hijacking or stealing online identities to embarrass a young person or cause trouble using their name
- Sending nude, semi-nude or otherwise explicit messages, also known as sexting
- Pressuring children into sending sexual images or engaging in sexual conversations
- Distribution of pornographic material to minors
- Using the internet to stalk another person
- Grooming, including radicalisation
- Etc
There are many useful resources available for children and young people,their parents and professionals working with them. amongst them would be the ThinkUknow website and the Safer Internet Centre .