A Christmas online safety song for parents: How to avoid a privacy-invasive Christmas

National Online Safety has launched a brand new Christmas jingle about staying safe at home when unwrapping digital devices this Christmas period.
There will be more children handling digital devices than ever before this Christmas, and despite the happiness and entertainment they can bring, they can pose a number of dangers too.

The 3-minute song, recorded by the talented teacher duo ‘MusicAlternative’, highlights the key dangers children may face with new technology gifts this season. It includes strategies for prevention and protection for parents, such as setting up safe passwords, checking their child’s account settings and communicating with their children about their online activity.
Since its release, the video has been viewed over 38,000 times across social media and has been shared by 500 schools across the country to warn their communities about the dangers presented by tech.

James Southworth, Director of National Online Safety, commented: “A number of gifts we give over Christmas with wi-fi connectivity and so-called ‘privacy-invasive technologies’ is rapidly growing. Even though we are driven by our best intentions when buying a tablet, e-toys, game consoles or a new smart-TV as Christmas gifts, we should not forget that by doing this we are increasing our children's’ exposure to online threats. With our short music video, we really want all parents to start thinking about how to say safe online straight after children open their exciting presents”.
James added: “We want people to enjoy Christmas time with their families and friends whilst be in control of their privacy. We want children to embrace and enjoy new technologies but to be responsible users and keep themselves safe.”

This song is part of National Online Safety’s #WakeUpWednesday campaign which provides free online safety guides and resources every week. Schools are encouraged to follow the National Online Safety social media accounts to help them ‘keep up’ with the ever-changing online world, and to ultimately keep children safe online.

Supporting comments from schools...

Portrush primary school: I’m sure there are some digital gifts on Santa’s list that will be making their way to your homes. ???? ???? ????This is a great message to help you stay safe with all the latest gadgets and gizmos - sang with more rhythm and rhyme than Mr Hayes could muster!

Castleside Primary: The Police have recommended we share this video about online safety over the Christmas Holidays. Mrs Curry & Mrs Stephenson now have this very catchy tune stuck in our heads! Altogether now...


Ygsol Trffynnon: With a tech-filled Christmas on the horizon, we thought parents might need a little help in keeping their children safe when using their new digital devices...


National Online Safety has compiled a list of top tips to ensure all parents are fully informed to keep their children safe this Christmas:
Top tips to protect children with digital gifts

Buying new digital toys
Take care when shopping online for your Christmas presents. Only use secure websites to avoid falling for scams. Before proceeding with an order, spend an extra two minutes to research the security of the product.

Security
Help your children set up their accounts on new devices and ensure their settings are set to private. Take the time before Christmas Day to read the manual and get to grips with security and privacy options. We advise that you set up a ‘two-factor authentication’ process when logging in to an online service. Some toys and devices are fitted with web cameras – you can turn the remote viewing option off in the device’s settings. In addition to this, remove any default location tracking and GPS settings on new devices.

Passwords
Some toys and devices have been found to have unencrypted Wi-Fi connections or unsecured Bluetooth connections. If this is the case, add a secure password or a PIN. Ensuring that passwords are secure is fundamental when protecting your children. When creating a password, remember to:
• Set up unique passwords for new accounts
• Avoid using easy-to-guess phrases such as ‘freddie1’
• Change passwords and usernames on new devices from defaults
• Check your router has a strong password and latest security updates

Setting up parental controls
We advise that you set up parental controls for young and vulnerable children to help prevent them from viewing content or engaging in activities that they shouldn’t be. Additionally, take interest in your child’s online activities. Play with them on their new devices and encourage open conversation to help build that trust and confidence that will mean your child can confide in you if they ever feel uncomfortable, troubled, worried or unsafe.

Check age restrictions
Games and apps have age restrictions. It’s important that you make yourself aware of these age restrictions and WHY they have these restrictions in place. Make the decision about whether it is appropriate for your child.

Establish screen time limits
If you feel like your child is spending too much time on their devices, we suggest setting appropriate screen time limits.

There are a number of downloadable PDF parents guides that are available on the National online safety website: https://nationalonlinesafety.com/resources/platform-guides/

VIDEO LINKS
Link to the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq8CtHpszi8
Here is the link with the downloadable video: https://nationalonlinesafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/...

NOTES TO EDITORS
About National Online Safety
National Online Safety provides CPD accredited courses and educational resources to support UK schools to educate the whole school community in Online Safety. It is their mission to make the internet a safer place for children. We achieve this through equipping school staff, parents and children with the knowledge they need to understand online dangers and how best to react should an incident arise.

About National Education Group Ltd
The National Education Group Ltd, founded in 2017, is an award-winning e-learning company that monitors and reacts to changing policy, emerging trends and customer-insights to deliver modern and responsive online education. Our training is delivered to senior leaders, teachers, parents and members of the school community across the UK and overseas. NEG is comprised of National Online Safety, Online Safety World and The National College - each brand has its own dedicated team who share the NEG mission to make people want to learn online.

Further Information
For more information or images, contact Kirsty Smith in the National Online Safety press office on 01724 231139 or email kirsty@nationalonlinesafety.com
Phone: 0800 368 8061
Website: https://nationalonlinesafety.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/organization/18080872
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalOnlineSafety/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/natonlinesafety