Online Harm
Online Harm
Online abuse can happen anywhere through the following types of digital communication:
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- Social media
- Text messages and messaging apps
- Email and private messaging
- Online chats
- Through commenting on videos or livestreaming
- Chatting in online games, including voice chat
- Technologies such as virtual and augmented reality
How can I stay safe online?
There are lots of ways that you can stay safe online.
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- Don’t post any personal information online – like your address, email address or mobile number. Don't tell people your last name, the name of your school, sports teams, and the town you live in.
- Think carefully before posting pictures or videos of yourself, they might be there forever! Before uploading a photo, think about how you would feel if it was seen by a parent or grandparent, a friend’s parent, a teacher or future employer. If you wouldn’t want any of those people to see this photo – then don’t put it on the internet
- Only accept people you know and trust as friends.
- Never give out your passwords.
- Cover your webcam, whenever you’re not using it.
- Never get together with someone you meet online. If you have only met them in the “internet world” then you don’t know who they really are, people can pretend to be anyone and any age. Speak to your parent or carer about this if people inline are suggesting you do this.
- Remember that not everyone online is who they say they are.
- If something online makes you feel uncomfortable, unsafe or worried: leave the device and tell a trusted adult.
- Be honest about your age - membership rules are there to protect you. If you are too young to sign up, don’t lie about your age.
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Sending Nudes
Sending Nudes
Sexting is when someone shares sexual, naked or semi-naked images or videos of themselves or others, or sends sexual messages. It's online abuse if a child or young person is pressured or coerced into creating or sending these types of images. (NSPCC)
Has someone asked you to send a nude?
Sending nudes
What is sexting? - BBC Bitesize
Online Blackmail
Online Blackmail
Online blackmail
Cyberbullying- What is it?
When should I report my concerns
When should I report my concerns?
You should report your concerns if;
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- Someone you are talking to online does or says something that makes you feel upset
- You are worried or uncomfortable,
- Someone is asking you to do things that you don’t want to,
- You see something that you don’t like.
How can I report when something doesn’t feel right?
How can I report when something doesn’t feel right?
Are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online?
Make a report to one of CEOP's Child Protection Advisors -Make a report - CEOP Safety Centre
CEOPs website provide useful links to Social Media platforms to report online content concerns
How can I get help to remove indecent images from the internet?
How can I get help to remove indecent images from the internet?
Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) created Report Remove to help young people report nude or sexual images and videos that have been shared of them online, to see if they can be removed from the internet.
Please watch the Report Remove | Childline
What is Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)
What is Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)
An explanation for younger children
What is Generative AI? | Kids Guide to AI | BrightBYTES
Generative Artificial Intelligence – Good and bad
What do Children and Young People like about Generative Artificial Intelligence?
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- Easy to use
- Can be accessed on many platforms
- Explains and breaks down difficult information
- Offers a different way to learn
- Can create new things
- Children can ask questions with no one judging them
(Taken from Childnet cheat sheet)
What do children and young people dislike about Generative Artificial Intelligence?
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- Can they trust the information it gives?
- It can be used to create scams, deepfakes (videos, picture or audio clips made with artificial intelligence to look real) and nude images
- They might be accused of cheating in school work
- Information might be biased (tell one side only)
- It might mean they don’t use their own skills and abilities
- Takes away meeting people face to face
(adapted from Childnet cheat sheet)
Worried about your own sexual thoughts or behaviour?
Worried about your own sexual thoughts or behaviour?
If you're worried about your own sexual thoughts or behaviour, or you're concerned about a friend, you can find help on the Shore website made by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation. This is a safe and anonymous place to get support.
You’ve had sexual thoughts or feelings about younger children - Shore
Getting Help to prevent online sexual behaviour
What do I do if someone is encouraging me to hurt myself
What do I do if someone is encouraging me to hurt myself?
Encouraging or assisting serious self-harm is when someone tries to persuade you to harm yourself, or helps you to harm yourself. This means injuries to yourself like broken bones, deep cuts to the skin or disfigurement. Other serious harm, such as starvation, is also considered. The physical harm doesn't have to be permanent.
It can happen online or offline and can include things like:
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- sending you social media posts telling you to harm yourself
- sending you links to pro-self-harm or pro-anorexic websites
- encouraging you to stop taking medication you need
- someone giving you a razor blade and encouraging you to cut yourself
(Taken from Encouraging serious self-harm | Police.uk)
Concerns around Radicalisation / Extremism/ Terrorism
Concerns around Radicalisation / Extremism/ Terrorism
Report illegal or harmful information, pictures or videos you have found on the internet. 
You can report things like:
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- articles, images, speeches or videos that promote terrorism or encourage violence
- websites made by terrorist or extremist organisations
- videos of terrorist attacks
You can make your report without leaving your name and contact details.
Report online material promoting terrorism or extremism - GOV.UK
Further Information and resources on online harm