Emmaus Christian College Newsletter

Wellbeing Team

Cyber Safety – What we need to know about social media and apps

Welcome to Term 2! As a Wellbeing team, this term we decided that we would like our articles to reflect a cyber safety theme, as we’ve reflected on our cyber safety presentation last term and are increasingly faced with what an important topic this is. 

 

To kick-off our cyber safety series, we are going to take a look at social media and apps. Let’s start heavy. While apps and social media often seem harmless and like a bit of fun, they can be dangerous for children. Apps and social media aren’t all bad, and not all the time, but having the right information can help us choose what is okay and not okay for our families and protect our children.

 

Firstly, it is important to note that the terms and conditions of most apps are that you have to be 13+ to use the app. Below is a quick ‘Did You Know’ Section to highlight some other important information.

 

Did You Know?

  • TikTok, Snapchat, Discord and Instagram are the top 4 apps for predators
  • There is such a thing as a decoy app which is an app that looks like something else to hide photos and apps you shouldn’t have
    • The most popular decoy app is ‘Secret Calculator’
  • Nothing disappears on Snapchat. The terms and conditions state that snapchat owns the photos you take 
  • The Kik app is a favourite for predators
  • Omegle is a website that allows you to chat with strangers with a camera function
  • Yubo is essentially tinder for teens and works on geo location
  • Discord is a chat app commonly used by predators for grooming

Every device has safety controls, but they only work if they are used. Instagram, if you use all the safety features, and YouTube Kids are among safer app options. 

 

To help expand your knowledge about social media and apps, The Carly Ryan Foundation offers some great fact sheets with all you need to know about how some of the most popular apps work, as well as the dangers and benefits they offer. 

App Fact Sheets from the Carly Ryan Foundation

We hope this information is helpful, and offers some education around such an emerging world of technology. 

 

If your family is struggling or has concerns in the area of cyber safety, please reach out to our Wellbeing team. If you would like to request counselling support for your child, you can make a referral on the Wellbeing Support page on the Emmaus Website.  

 

Erin James

7-12 Counselling Team Leader