At Google we know that feeling safe online is important. Here is some information on features available from Google that are designed to help and some advice on how to stay safe.
Google SafeSearch
When you're searching on Google, you may prefer to keep adult content out of your search results. SafeSearch screens sites that contain sexually explicit content and removes them from your search results. While no filter is 100% accurate, SafeSearch helps you avoid content you may prefer not to see or would rather your children did not stumble across. You can modify your computer's SafeSearch settings by clicking on the Preferences link to the right of the Google search box.
Google SafeSearch Lock
If you're worried about children removing the SafeSearch setting without your knowledge you can protect it with a password.
Locking SafeSearch is simple and quick and all you need is a Google username and password. Once locked, the Google search results page will be visibly different to indicate that SafeSearch is locked:
Even from across the room, the coloured balls give parents and teachers a clear visual cue that SafeSearch is still locked. And if you don't see them, it's quick and easy to verify and re-lock SafeSearch.
This covers issues such as privacy, cyberbullying, hate content and phishing and provides information from organisations including ChildNet, BeatBullying and Samaritans.
Cyberbullying
The Department for Children Schools and Families offers the following advise on cyberbullying …
Unfortunately, bullying isn’t new. But for young people growing up in a digital world, cyberbullying is on the rise.
Cyberbullying is when someone uses digital means like the internet or a mobile phone to deliberately harass, threaten or humiliate someone else. Email, social networking sites and mobile phones allow young people to experience social connections in new and exciting ways but previously safe and fun environments can become a source of anxiety if abused.
Why is cyberbullying so concerning?
Cyberbullying allows the perpetrator to harass their victim even when they’re not in the same physical space. So while with normal bullying the victim can escape by walking away, cyberbullying allows the bully to relentlessly hound their victim, wherever they go and it can be 24/7. A digital image, message or piece of footage can be shared easily among millions of people and once it’s ‘out there’, it might be impossible to retract.
How to spot the signs
While playground bullying may have a physical aspect which makes it easier to spot, cyberbullying is by its nature non-physical.
Some things to look out for:
Mood swings and apparent changes in personality and relationships with other people
A change in their relationship with e-mails, mobiles and social networking sites – e.g. suddenly losing interest in opening emails or being upset after using the internet or their mobile phone
Constant anxiety or nervousness
Depression
Tearfulness for no apparent reason
Lack of confidence and negative self-image
Hostility and defensiveness
General symptoms of ill health
Bedwetting
Injuries that a child cannot or will not give a convincing explanation for – these may be self-inflicted
What can you do?
Talk to your children and understand the ways in which they’re using the internet and their mobile phone. Make sure they know how to use this technology safely and responsibly. Be aware that by forwarding on emails, videos and images your child is as likely to be an unwitting accessory to cyberbullying as the actual target.
Other ways you can help your child:
Assure them that they are not to blame and remind them not to retaliate
Help them use the safety features on the internet and on their phone to block upsetting messages. Ensure that privacy settings are set to high to stop unwanted contact
Tell them to keep evidence of offending emails, text messages or online conversations
Contact the child’s school if the cyberbullying involves another pupil so that they can take appropriate action. All schools have policies for dealing with bullying
Contact the service provider and report the cyberbullying
If the cyberbullying is serious then a criminal offence may have may have occurred, then you should consider contacting the police
Contact ParentLine Plus on 0808 800 2222 if you want to talk to someone about it
Other Tips
Here are some more suggestions for how to keep your family safe online.
Keep computers in a central place. This will make it easier to keep an eye on your children’s activities
Know where your children go online. If you have young children, you may use the internet with them. For older children you could agree which sites they can and can't use before they go online. You can also check where your kids have been by looking at the history in your browser menu. Another option is to use filtering tools like Google SafeSearch.
Teach Internet Safety. It's impossible to monitor your child's online activity all the time. As they get older, they need to know how to use the internet safely and responsibly when they're on their own.
Use privacy settings and sharing controls. Many sites that feature user-generated content, including YouTube, Blogger and social networking sites, have sharing controls that put users in charge of who sees personal blogs, photos, videos, and profiles. Using sharing controls is particularly important when you or your children share personal information like names, addresses, or phone numbers, on public sites. Teach your children to respect the privacy of friends and family by not identifying people by name in public profiles and pictures.
Protect passwords. Remind your children not to give out their passwords. Make sure they make a habit of unclicking "remember me" settings on public computers such as those at school or in the library.
Beware of strangers. Teach your children not to arrange in-person meetings with people they meet online, and not to share personal information with online strangers because people may not be who they claim to be.
Prevent viruses. Use Antivirus Software and update it regularly. Make sure your children avoid downloading from file-sharing websites and don't accept files from unknown people, or emails with unknown attachments.
Teach your children to communicate responsibly. Take the following as a good rule of thumb: if you wouldn't say it to someone's face, don't text it, email it, instant message it, or post it as a comment on someone's page.
View all content critically. Just because you see it online, there's no guarantee it's true. Children should learn how to distinguish reliable sources from unreliable ones, and how to verify information they find online. Make sure kids understand that cutting and pasting content directly from a website may be plagiarism.
The Department for Children Schools and Families offers the following advise on cyberbullying …