Child Online Safety
Understanding online threats is the first step to protecting children. Explore our
educational resources on the key risks facing young people today.
Online Grooming
Online grooming occurs when someone builds a relationship with a child through the internet with the intention of
exploiting or abusing them. Groomers often use social media, gaming platforms, and messaging apps to target
young people, gradually building trust before escalating to inappropriate behaviour.
- Warning Signs
- Becoming secretive about online activity
- Receiving unexplained gifts or money
- Using new devices or phone numbers
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Displaying sudden changes in mood or behaviour
- Having an older 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend' met online
- Prevention Tips
- Maintain open and non-judgmental conversations about online friendships
- Educate children about the tactics groomers use
- Monitor online activity with age-appropriate parental controls
- Encourage children to report uncomfortable interactions immediately
- Teach children never to share personal information with strangers online
Sextortion
Sextortion is a form of blackmail where perpetrators threaten to share intimate images or information unless the
victim complies with their demands. This can happen to anyone, including children and teenagers, and victims
often feel too ashamed to seek help.
victim complies with their demands. This can happen to anyone, including children and teenagers, and victims
often feel too ashamed to seek help.
- Warning Signs
- Sudden anxiety or distress related to phone or computer use
- Unexplained requests for money or prepaid cards
- Withdrawal from social activities
- Fearfulness about specific online contacts
- Reluctance to use devices in front of others
- Prevention Tips
- Teach children to never share intimate images, even with trusted people
- Explain that predators can manipulate images using AI
- Reassure children they can seek help without judgment
- Report threats to law enforcement immediately
- Use privacy settings on all social media accounts
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying involves using digital platforms to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person, particularly
among young people. It can occur through social media, text messages, online games, and other digital channels,
and can have devastating effects on mental health.
among young people. It can occur through social media, text messages, online games, and other digital channels,
and can have devastating effects on mental health.
- Warning Signs
- Avoiding school or social events
- Sudden loss of interest in technology
- Unexplained changes in eating or sleeping habits
- Declining academic performance
- Appearing upset after using devices
- Deleting social media accounts suddenly
- Prevention Tips
- Foster a culture of kindness and respect online
- Teach children to block and report bullies
- Encourage children to save evidence of bullying
- Schools should implement clear anti-bullying policies
- Create safe spaces for children to discuss their experiences
Misinformation
Misinformation refers to false or misleading content shared online, whether intentionally or accidentally. Children
and teenagers are particularly vulnerable as they may lack the critical thinking skills needed to distinguish reliable
information from falsehoods, which can shape harmful beliefs and behaviours.
and teenagers are particularly vulnerable as they may lack the critical thinking skills needed to distinguish reliable
information from falsehoods, which can shape harmful beliefs and behaviours.
- Warning Signs
- Sharing unverified claims or conspiracy theories
- Believing extreme or sensational stories without question
- Difficulty distinguishing between news and opinion
- Growing distrust of established institutions or science
- Citing obscure or unreliable online sources
- Deleting social media accounts suddenly
- Prevention Tips
- Teach media literacy and fact-checking skills
- Encourage children to verify information from multiple sources
- Discuss the motivations behind misinformation
- Model critical thinking when consuming news together
- Use age-appropriate resources to explain how algorithms work
Online Radicalisation
Online radicalisation is the process by which individuals, often young people, adopt extremist views through
exposure to online content. Extremist groups use sophisticated recruitment tactics on social media, gaming
platforms, and encrypted messaging apps to target vulnerable youth.
exposure to online content. Extremist groups use sophisticated recruitment tactics on social media, gaming
platforms, and encrypted messaging apps to target vulnerable youth.
- Warning Signs
- Expressing increasingly extreme political or religious views
- Isolation from friends and family
- Consuming extremist content online
- Using language associated with extremist groups
- Dehumanising language about other groups
- Sudden changes in appearance or identity
- Prevention Tips
- Maintain open dialogue about complex social and political issues
- Build children's resilience and critical thinking skills
- Monitor for exposure to extremist content
- Report concerning behaviour to appropriate authorities
- Schools should provide counter-narrative education programmes
Disinformation
Disinformation refers to false or manipulated information that is deliberately created and spread to mislead
people. Online platforms can make such content appear credible and widely accepted. Children and
teenagers are particularly vulnerable because they may not yet have the critical thinking skills needed to
question sources, identify manipulation, or recognise coordinated attempts to influence their beliefs and behaviours.
- Warning Signs
- Repeated sharing of content that promotes extreme or divisive narratives
- Strong belief in information from anonymous or unverified sources
- Dismissing credible evidence in favour of emotionally charged claims
- Exposure to coordinated campaigns or misleading online communities
- Reliance on manipulated images, videos, or edited clips as “proof”
- Prevention Tips
- Teach young people how disinformation campaigns work online
- Encourage them to question who created the content and why
- Show how to verify information using trusted and independent sources
- Discuss how emotional language and sensational headlines can manipulate opinions
- Promote digital literacy and responsible sharing habits
- Encourage open conversations about what they encounter online
Need to Report a Concern?
If you are worried about a child’s safety online, please don’t hesitate to reach out. All
reports are handled confidentially.