As the online world continues to grow, the impact of Social Media on young people’s lives continues to be a concern. Recent research has shown that regular use of social media impacts on GCSE outcomes by at least 1 grade as pupils spend more and more time engaging online with friends and family and not engaging in conversation and dialogue in the real world, using abbreviations and ‘text speak’ rather than clear English which they will be assessed on in exams. Issues with friendship groups and young people having confidence to say things that they would not say in the real world ‘hiding’ behind a chat room/screen is a real concern, especially when what they say online has repercussions in the real world. Here are some top tips from https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk regarding ways in which parents can support children to stay safe online:
At this time, I would also remind parents that social media sites such as Facebook only permit people over the age of 13 to use them and therefore a pupil in year 7/8 will have provided fraudulent details in order to gain access and this is something that they and parents need to be aware of.
Any parent who is concerned about their child’s online use should seek appropriate advice and guidance from CEOP (http://www.ceop.police.uk/) or https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk
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