WIREDGOV

Our partners at Internet Matters are experts in helping parents, carers, grandparents and teachers navigate the world of online safety for children and young people.

After speaking to hubs from our network; Skills Enterprise, Lincs Digital, Go-Woman Alliance and Starting Point, Internet Matters have pulled together a list of their top resources that cover topics most relevant to the people Digital Inclusion Hubs support.

As one hub recently said, online safety isn’t just for Safer Internet Day! So, take a look at these great resources. There are loads of other interactive and up-to-date resources to explore on their website too.

1. Setting up devices safely (parental controls)

Hubs that are distributing devices to families will find this guide to setting up parental controls really useful. You can find guidance for all kinds of devices, internet services and apps.

2. Protecting your data (article password)

With changes to Learn My Way and other websites meaning people need to create longer and more complex passwords, learners might feel frustrated at this barrier. This simple article explains why it’s so important to have a strong password and how that keeps our personal data safe.

3. How to tackle online scams

Scams are a huge concern to our network and the people they support, and with scammers becoming more and more convincing, it’s important to make sure people of all ages can spot a scam.

4. Connecting with others safely online (social media)

With our social lives being increasingly lived online, knowing how to connect with others safely on social media is an important skill for young people, people with learning disabilities and autism, parents and carers. These resources are a great tool for starting a conversation about using social media, with activities that parents and carers can do with their children.

5. Fake news

Fake news and misinformation was another major concern for our network, with many sharing stories about health and politics related fake news that people they support had seen. These quizzes and discussion points are aimed at young people, with age appropriate resources from under 11s to over 14s. These can also be used for adults.

6. Managing money

Internet Matters have some great resources for managing money online. From in-game purchases to understanding crypto currencies, these resources aim to help parents, carers and young people better understand how these things work so that they can spend their money wisely online.