safety by subject - ‘broadband’
offensive content – talking points for children
With children spending more and more time online nowadays, here are some suggestions and advice you might like to share with them.
web 2.0 – talking points for children
Web 2.0 sites like MySpace and Bebo are very popular with children – but the ease and attractiveness of them can obscure the dangers. Here are some talking points to raise awareness of the main issues with children.
making social networking safer
Social networking sites are now so prevalent, it’s difficult to completely control your child’s access to them. Instead, it’s a good idea to get to know how these kinds of sites work, and reach an understanding with your child that now and then you will check on who they are in contact with and what they’re posting.
social networking – dangers
Web 2.0 sites like MySpace are also described as social-networking sites. People, and particularly children, use their sites to list their likes and dislikes, write blogs, and invite messages from other users. It can be a way of finding like-minded friends.
posting on the web – dangers
Nothing you post on the internet is private. Even removing a posting or a web site doesn’t guarantee it hasn't already been copied and posted elsewhere. Because of this, it’s very important to think carefully about what you post.
online security – talking points for children
Children are well able to use the internet, but may not be quite so adept at spotting the dangers. Here is some advice to educate them about the risks of parting with personal details online.
email and security
Spammers, fraudsters – there are many people out there, using emails for malicious purposes. Here are some of the things worth looking out for, to keep your inbox more secure.
staying secure online
There are lots of ways you can keep more secure when you’re online. Below are some suggestions for extra safety.
viruses and other dangers
Just like a virus can infect us, even though we can’t see it, so a computer virus can invisibly infect your computer and cause it damage.
online spam – talking points for children
Children are particularly vulnerable to spam, as they often don’t understand the full implications of what they’re being sent. Here is some advice which should give them a clearer understanding of the risks of spam.
Orange free anti-spam service
Anybody who’s got an Orange email address can use our anti-spam service, free of charge. It automatically filters your incoming emails, and ‘tags’ any messages it recognises as spam – so it’s easy for you to delete them, without opening them up.
keeping your email address safe
With so many techniques for gathering email addresses, it’s unlikely you’ll ever be able to cut spam out altogether. But there are measures you can take, to minimise the chances of spammers getting hold of your email address. Here are just a few.
payment cards and children
Often, adult content is intentionally restricted to adults by demanding credit card payment.
keeping broadband costs under control
The best way to avoid unexpected broadband charges is to establish clear rules with your children.
bullying and harassment online – talking points for children
Children spend a lot of online time on social networking sites like MySpace, where they post content about themselves, and can view information about others. Occasionally, this results in malicious material being posted. Here’s some advice for children to deal with this.
dealing with online bullying
If someone’s posted something malicious about you on a web site, you should report it to the host of the internet service provider. They will investigate and remove anything which contravenes their Terms and Conditions.
socialising online – talking points for children
Here are some areas of discussion with children, to help them avoid encountering someone who isn’t who they say they are.
social networking sites
The last couple of years have seen an innovation on the internet called ‘social networking’ or web 2.0. This allows people to publish their own sites quickly and easily, and to post images and recordings onto the internet for anyone to view.
making online chat safer
So, how can online socialising be made safer? On the Orange web portal, you’ll find services such as Orange Chat and other Orange adult services. These warn the user on entry and require under-18s to declare they are aged 18 or over before they can use the service. Take a look at how to protect yourself using Orange chat, and click here to see the Orange chat moderation policy
socialising online – dangers
One of the main threats posed by socialising online is anonymity. There are no rules demanding that anyone must be who they say they are. People often leave messages under usernames rather than their own names, for example. But people can go further, disguising their age, sex, appearance and interests. These deceptions may be impossible to detect.
how do I report potentially criminal content?
If you think you may have encountered an illegal image on the internet, you can report it to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which was formed to minimise the availability of illegal content online, particularly child abuse images.
how can I block content online
If you’re worried about your family accessing inappropriate content, Orange offers a free online parental control system called McAfee® Privacy Service.
dealing with offensive content
If you’re concerned about coming across offensive material, or are worried about your children being exposed to it, there are steps you can take.