Happy new year! We’re going back to basics with our first #WakeUpWednesday guide of 2023 – a special edition in poster format, with some January reminders about simple things that children and young people can do to make themselves safer online. They’re likely to have encountered some of these suggestions before, but there’s no harm in refreshing their memory for the months ahead. Most tech-savvy youngsters will probably have memorised the fundamentals, like keeping passwords secret and not chatting to strangers on the internet – but some children may benefit from remembering slightly less obvious steps such as treating anything they read online with caution or asking permission before downloading a game or app.
Obviously, many children will have delightedly torn the wrapping paper off various smartphones, consoles, tablets and other internet-enabled devices over the past couple of weeks – and probably couldn’t wait to start their exciting journeys into previously undiscovered corners of the online universe. Likewise, the next 12 months will also see lots of young people who already go online entering a different phase of their relationship with the digital world: perhaps getting more interested in online gaming or social media, for example. NOS’ first #WakeUpWednesday guide of the year will refresh their knowledge of online safety with some core tips for avoiding common hazards.
