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From Stories to posts: How to spot advertising on Instagram
From bloggers and ‘Instagram stars’ to celebrities, there are a lot of people on Instagram sharing sponsored posts or product endorsements. In this blog we share our top tips for being a critical thinker when it comes to advertising on Instagram.
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New Primary Pages – Guidance for parents and carers
The Childnet website has a new exciting addition for children aged 8-11 years old. This blog will look at how parents and carers can use the new information specifically developed for children aged 8-11 years old to support their family.
New Primary Pages – Guidance for parents and carers
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What is TikTok? Looking at the latest lip-syncing app
TikTok – which used to be called Musical.ly, is a social networking app that young people can use to generate and share their own short videos and lip sync to popular audio clips.
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Young people give their thoughts on Voice Assisted Technology
Our latest piece of research found that 70% of young people have used voice assisted technology in the last year.
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Childnet’s response to the Government's consultation on Age Appropriate Design
Recently, Childnet submitted a response to the Information Commissioner’s (ICO) call for evidence in its development of the Age Appropriate Design Code.
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Answering parents online safety questions
In this blog we look to answer some of the questions most frequently asked by parents.
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Privacy settings on Instagram - answering some FAQs
In this blog we are looking to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Instagram and the privacy settings that are available on the app.
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Hot topics – find out more information about the topics affecting young people
Our parents and carers section of our website is full of useful information about the key things impacting on the lives of young people online.
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Why do some apps ask for my age?
Every day, our Education Team are in schools across the country talking to children, young people, teachers and parents about their experiences online and how to stay safe on the internet.
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Screen Time and Healthy Balance – New Hot Topic
The Childnet website now includes two new Hot Topics on the subject of Screen Time and Healthy Balance, these Hot Topics contain advice for Young People, and Teachers and Professionals.
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What happens if I unfollow someone on Instagram?
In this blog we explore what happens if you unfollow someone on Instagram; and what you can do if you discover someone has unfollowed you.
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Staying safe online whilst livestreaming - advice for parents and carers
The release of the Internet Watch Foundation’s new online live-streaming research, titled Trends in Online Child Sexual Exploitation: Examining the Distribution of Captures of Live-streamed Child Sexual Abuse may have concerned some parents.
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A parent’s guide to YouTube Restricted Mode
In this blog we explore the safety feature ‘Restricted Mode’ on YouTube; looking at how it works and some things to be aware of when using it.
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Critical Thinking - New Hot Topic
The Childnet website now includes three new Hot Topics on the subject of Critical Thinking, these Hot Topics contain advice for Young People, Teachers and Professionals, and Parents and Carers.
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YouTube announce new parental controls for YouTube Kids
Google have announced that it will add more parental controls to its YouTube Kids app.
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Age Restrictions on Social Media Services
This blog looks at what age restrictions are in place across the most popular social media services, why they exist and what our advice is for parents and young people.
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Meet the Childnet Film Competition Judges: Joanna van der Meer: BFI
This is Joanna’s 7th year of judging the Childnet Film Competition, find out more about her role at the BFI and thoughts on judging the Childnet Film Competition.
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Having an open and honest conversation about online safety – 5 questions for parents
Phoebe, an Education Officer at Childnet, looks at the ways you can start a conversation about online safety with your family.
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The impact of social media and screen-use on young people's health
The UK Safer Internet Centre has responded to The Science and Technology Committee’s inquiry into the impact of social media and screen-use on young people's health.
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Safer Internet Day 2018 reaches 45% of young people in the UK
The Safer Internet Day 2018 Impact Report has been published by the UK Safer Internet Centre.
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A parents guide to Fortnite: Battle Royale
In this blog we are giving guidance to parents about Fortnite, looking at what the game is and some of the things to be aware of.
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Primary Digital Leaders give their thoughts on Safer Internet Day 2018
This Safer Internet Day a group of young people from across the UK were invited to the Safer Internet Day youth event in London
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Safer Internet Day 2018 youth event video content is now live!
The videos show what happened at the London Safer Internet Day event, as well as key speeches from young people, industry and government.
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Today is World Book Day - Celebrate with Digiduck!
Sharing a story with your child is such a special experience, and for World Book Day 2018 (Thursday 1st March) we have just the story for you!
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Childnet Digital Leaders take part in Safer Internet Day 2018
The Stanburn Primary School Digital Leaders tell us about their time at the Safer Internet Day event in London.
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Childnet Digital Leaders Prepare for Safer Internet Day
Young people take the lead across the UK for Safer Internet Day on 6th February.
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Getting involved in Safer Internet Day – resources for parents and carers
For Safer Internet Day 2018, the UK Safer Internet Centre has created a pack of activities and ideas for parents and carers to use with children from the age of 3 to 18.
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1 week to go until Safer Internet Day
Safer Internet Day is taking place on Tuesday 6th February! With one week to go, we look at all the things you can do to get involved in #SID2018!
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How to get involved in the Safer Internet Day Social media campaign
#ItStartsWithUs this Safer Internet Day – top tips for getting involved on social media.
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Safer Internet Day reaches 1,000 Supporters
We are delighted to announce that the Safer Internet Day supporters list has reached over 1,000 supporters!
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2 weeks until Safer Internet Day - key things to do now
5 things to do this week to help you prepare for Safer Internet Day on Tuesday 6th February.
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Join the 2018 Safer Internet Day Thunderclap
Help to make Safer Internet Day 2018 the biggest yet by signing up to our Thunderclap.
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Advice for parents - what to do if your child sees something upsetting online
Advice about how to support young people who have seen something upsetting online
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Children’s Commissioner #lifeinlikes report into experiences of 8-12s on social media
The ‘Life in likes’ report launched today by the Children’s Commissioner for England is based on a series of focus groups with 32 children aged 8 to 12 years.
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Setting online safety resolutions with your family
New Year is a great time to make some new resolutions. Here are some ideas of online safety resolutions you could make as a family in 2018
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Government launches call for evidence on relationships and sex education
The government is asking parents, teachers and young people from across England to help shape a new relationships and sex education curriculum that will help them stay safe and face the challenges of the modern world.
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BBC journalists will educate young people about fake news
The BBC is launching a new programme supporting secondary school pupils to identify real news and filter out fake or false information.
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Press release: UK youth targeted with sexual harassment on the internet
Childnet has today published research as part of a Europe-wide project that reveals that young people across the UK are being targeted by their peers with online sexual harassment.
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Almost 2 in 5 young people have seen fake news online
Ofcom have today released the findings from their 2017 Children's media use and attitudes report, which focuses on children’s behaviour online and the way in which they interact with fake news.
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Things to consider when buying tech gifts this Christmas
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday over and Christmas fast approaching there are plenty of new gadgets that parents and carers may be thinking about buying for their children.
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6 Tips for having a conversation with your child about cyberbullying
As Anti-Bullying Week comes to a close it is important to continue the conversations and messages that were highlighted during the week. Here are our 6 top tips for starting a conversation with your child about cyberbullying.
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Stop Speak Support when you see online bullying
New video from the Royal Foundation’s Taskforce gives young people three steps to take when they witness cyberbullying.
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Childnet Digital Leaders discuss the Internet Safety Strategy at DCMS
On Monday 13th November Childnet Digital Leaders from Sarah Bonnell School in London visited the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport today to discuss the recently launched Internet Safety Strategy.
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Online reputation – taking care of your digital footprint
From applying to universities to getting a job, it’s important to have a positive digital footprint.
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Delete or Deactivate – What to do with your old accounts
This blog gives site specific guidance about how to deactivate or delete your accounts, and what these options mean.
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Safer Internet Day 2017 Impact Report published
Safer Internet Day 2017 reached more people than ever before, with 3 million children and 2 million parents hearing about the day!
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Gaming – resources for parents and careers
From privacy to parental controls - resources for parents and carers who want to know more about gaming.
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Ballymena Academy's time at the House of Us event
Miss Cuddihy from Ballymena Academy looks at her Childnet Digital Leaders' time at the House of Us event
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Childnet announces new Youth Advisory Board
Childnet is delighted to announce the launch of our new Youth Advisory Board
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Childnet Digital Leaders mark the launch of Facebook partnership at ‘House of Us’ event
The ’House of Us’ event in London is a two-day immersive online safety exhibition showcasing youth voice online as well as the impact of cyberbullying on young people’s lives.
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Facebook announces new partnership with the Childnet Digital Leaders Programme
Childnet is teaming up with Facebook and the Diana Award to deliver a project that will see thousands of young people across the UK trained as peer educators.
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Polls and voting in Instagram stories
Instagram have unveiled their latest update to stories. Users can now share polls to measure the opinions of their followers as they vote on questions.
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Internet Safety Strategy Green Paper published today
Today the Government has published a consultation that will help shape the UK’s strategies around online safety.
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Register as a Safer Internet Day 2018 supporter
Get involved in Safer Internet Day 2018 with new campaign toolkit and supporter registration!
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Children’s Commissioner looks at young peoples’ rights on social media
The Children's Commissioner has released a new set of guidelines that hope to ‘jargon bust’ terms and conditions and teach young people about their rights on social media sites.
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76% of girls are confident in their digital skills
New research from Girlguiding looks at the experiences that girls have in their everyday lives, both online and offline.
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What is a Snapchat streak?
Snapchat is an app that is hugely popular among young people. The app allows users to send photos and videos to their contacts and create ‘streaks’. But what does this mean?
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NSPCC publish report into young people’s use of online services
The NSPCC Net Aware Report 2017: “Freedom to express myself safely” aims to provide a snapshot of young people’s online lives.
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Keeping your account secure on Instagram
Following reports that a large number of Instagram accounts have been hacked, we look at some ways that you can help keep your Instagram account secure.
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New online safety agreement template
The internet is a very important part of our lives today and setting up an agreement can help ensure that everyone within your organisation/ group are safe when navigating the online world.
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Livestreaming - New Hot Topic for young people
New Hot Topic for young people to help them to livestream safely
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Childnet Education Officer - A week in the life
As we recruit for a new Childnet Education Officer we look at what a typical week looks like from the view of the people who know the role the best.
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Livestreaming - top tips from young people
Our latest research into livestreaming habits among young people found that over 1 in 10 8-17 year olds have ‘gone live’. We asked a group of our Childnet Digital Leaders about their experiences of livestreaming and their top tips for other young people.
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Online hate 'as serious as face-to-face'
Today the Crown Prosecution Service pledges to treat online hate crimes as seriously as those committed face to face.
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Over 1 in 10 young people have ‘gone live’
Our new youth research finds Facebook Live, Instagram Live and YouTube Live are the most popular livestreaming services among 8-17 year olds.
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Guardian Saints announce winner of their Safer Internet Day Competition
Skye, one of Family Fostercare West Midlands’ foster children, won the competition by creating the idea for an app to support children who are coming in to care.
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Government to strengthen UK data protection law
New measures will give people greater control over their personal data, while the Government’s announcement about the age of consent has implications for teens and their social media use.
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Children’s Commissioner launches ‘Digital 5 A Day’ to help keep children’s online lives healthy
This week the Children’s Commissioner for England launched a ‘Digital 5 A Day’ to help keep children’s online lives healthy.
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Cyberbullying - advice for parents and carers
We give advice for parents and carers concerned about cyberbullying and practical tips for how they can support their child.
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Safer Internet Day 2018 Theme Announced!
Safer Internet Day 2018 will be celebrated globally on Tuesday 6th February 2018 with the new slogan
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Online challenges - advice for parents
Advice for parents about how to talk to young people about the issues raised by online challenges.
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Online gaming: updated guidance for parents
From virtual reality to the latest advice: our updated guide will help parents and carers get to grips with their children’s online gaming
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Childnet Digital Leaders give top tips for staying safe online
The Childnet Digital Leaders from Goffs School and St. Joan of Arc Primary school give their tops tips for young people to help them stay safe online this summer!
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Childnet Digital Leaders share their achievements
A guest blog from two of our Digital Leaders schools; Brimsham Green School and Sunnyfields Primary. These school look at what they have achieved this year on the programme and look more closely at what it means to be a digital leader.
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Staying safe online in the summer holidays
Online safety advice to help you keep your children safe during the summer holidays
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Free internet safety resources for parents
With the summer holidays fast approaching we look at some of the tools parents can use to help their children stay safe online
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2017 Childnet Film Competition winners announced
Yesterday was the Childnet Film competition 2017 Finalists’ event! The event was attended by 43 young people and over 40 Industry guests. The event revolved around the young people and the films that they had created, with a private screening of the finalists’ films at the BFI on London’s Southbank.
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The 2017 Childnet Film Competition is today!
Today is the Childnet Film Competition finalists' event! This is where we will be celebrating the amazing work of the competition finalists and announcing who will take 1st, 2nd and 3rd place home in each category!
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How to follow the Film Competition finalists' event
Childnet’s 8th annual Film Competition will be held on Monday 3rd July. This year the theme of the competition is ‘be the change’, inviting young people to use films to encourage their peers to make a positive change online.
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Key things to remember when helping your child set up a new profile
Setting up a profile on a new site or game can seem like a daunting task. Profiles are needed for a variety of sites, from gaming websites and social networking sites to the sites children use for school work. So what is important to keep in mind when helping your child to create their first online account?
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Childnet Digital Leaders speak in front of hundreds at NSPCC Conference
On Wednesday 21st June Childnet Digital Leaders were selected from Bristol Free School to speak at the NSPCC ‘How safe are our children?’ Conference.
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Introducing ‘Snap Maps’ - the new location sharing feature in Snapchat
Today Snapchat introduced a new feature, the ‘Snap Map’. This location based map allows users to see where in the country their Snapchat contacts are, as well as seeing location based photos and videos.
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Online etiquette or ‘netiquette’ – The dos and don’ts of online communication
The internet often plays a huge part in many young people’s daily activities; allowing them to communicate freely with others and share information with ease via messaging apps, social media and gaming networks.
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Roblox - a guide for parents
Our Education Officer Tom looks at the popular gaming site Roblox and gives top tips for parents wanting to help young people stay safe whilst gaming on Roblox.
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Features of the latest Snapchat update
Recently Snapchat released an update which saw the inclusion of new features including limitless snaps and a video loop tool. This blog looks at these new features and gives advice for those who may be concerned.
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Putting the Family Agreement into practice
A family agreement is a great way to start a conversation with your whole family about how you all use the internet and discuss together how to behave in a positive way when online at home, at school or at a friend’s house.
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Fake News: 4 quick checks
Tips for young people about identifying fact from fiction
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Reporting concerns to Facebook
In the wake of recent reports from the Guardian regarding Facebook’s internal reporting procedures; some advice for anyone concerned about how to report content and where to go for other advice and support.
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Social media and mental health - Advice for teachers and parents
Following the survey results from the Royal Society for Public Health we look at how parents and teachers can talk to young people about issues such as self-esteem and body image as well as the role and influence of image in their lives.
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How to spot advertising on Instagram
From sponsored posts to celebrity endorsements, we share our top tips for being a critical thinker when it comes to advertising on Instagram.
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Competition: Redesign Digiduck’s Front Cover
For National Share-a-Story Month we're inviting children to get creative and enter our design competition.
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Childnet Youth Ambassadors launching in July 2017
Apply now to join Childnet’s new Youth Advisory Board and have the opportunity to have your say and help shape an important international project.
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5 things teens want parents to know
What do parents and carers need to know about young people’s digital lives? Our Childnet Digital Leaders shared their views.
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Third judge announced for the Childnet Film Competition 2017
We found out about Catherine McAllister's role at the BBC and what her top tips for making a winning entry are.
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Pokémon GO – an updated guide for parents
In 2016 we released a blog, the parents’ guide to Pokémon GO, which looked at the benefits and risks of the global phenomenon that is the Pokémon GO game, along with our tips for using it safely. However, with the introduction of 80 new Pokémon, Pokémon GO is growing in popularity once more. We look at the latest updates to the game and what these mean for young people who want to catch them all.
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Digital Leader joins the Childnet team for work experience
Recently we had the pleasure of hosting one of our Digital Leaders on work experience here at Childnet. We found out what Darcie enjoyed about her time at Childnet, and what she learnt from the experience.
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New Film Competition judge announced
We are delighted to announce that the second of our Childnet Film Competition judges is Joanna van der Meer, a Film Tutor and Family Learning Programmer at BFI Southbank.
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Parental controls on the Nintendo Switch
Gaming consoles can be a great way for young people to creatively interact and engage with their friends and families. We look at the Nintendo Switch console to help parents ensure that their children are using the device safely and responsibly.
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How we can keep under 5s safe online
Children love using technology and are learning to navigate websites, online games and consoles, and touch screen technology like iPads and smartphones from a younger and younger age.
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Be kind online this National Kindness Day!
Today, the Diana Award are calling on young people, schools and wider to get involved in Kindness Day 2017!