Online safety for young people
Live streaming and gaming
Children have greater access to devices that are internet-enabled with current technology. This has created greater opportunities for exploiters to reach children. These devices can include:
- smart televisions
- gaming devices
- mobile phones
- computers, laptops and tablets
Using parental controls is very important to keeping children and young people safe online.
There has been a rise in children Live Streaming themselves in recent years. This carries similar risks to other online activities. We would encourage the following safety advice:
- Encourage your child to only Live Stream when you are present.
- Have open conversations about why they wish to livestream and what they plan to do in the livestream.
- Where possible, ensure this takes place in an open space.
- Ensure that they are not wearing anything that would share information about them. For example, school uniforms.
- Ensure that photos, door numbers and road names are not visible.
It is very common for children to be gaming online. This is often an important part of their development and how they socialise. But, it can create opportunities for exploitation online.
Exploitation online can include children receiving gaming credits/money in exchange for sending indecent images.
Exploiters can also ask for their gaming/bank details so that they can launder money through the child's account. It is important that children don’t talk to people online that they don’t know in real life.
Terminology used in online gaming
Skins: These are avatars that come with most games. Changing your ‘skin’ usually requires a financial cost and certain skins are more desirable/cost more.
Nube or Noob: This refers to the ‘skin’ that a player has when they start a game for the first time. Nube is a slang term for a ‘newbie’.
Nube often has negative connotations and most young people will want to buy a new skin quickly to avoid being referred to as a Nube. Nube’s are known to be targeted for exploitation online as they will be encouraged to do things in exchange for gaming credits/gift cards.
We would suggest a parent consider uploading a small amount of credit to the game. This enables your child to change their ‘skin’ straight away.
Loot boxes: These are often earned or bought in gaming apps. They are like scratch cards in that you do not know what the prize may be. These can be gifted by exploiters through the game.