At St. Bernadette's we encourage the use of technology to support learning and creativity. We take Internet Safety extremely seriously believing that all children have the right to feel safe and secure online. 

Throughout ICT lessons we teach children how to use the internet and technology safely and how to behave in an appropriate manner.

Children know what to do when they feel uncomfortable about anything online and we encourage this procedure at home.  If they see anything they are uncomfortable with they should inform an adult immediately. 

We also ensure every parent signs a Parent/Guardian Acceptable Use Agreement.  This agreement ensures that their child will be a responsible user and will stay safe while using the internet and other communications whilst at school or home,   Each child will also sign a Children's E-Safety Pledge.  Copies of each form can be accessed below.

FACEBOOK

Please see below the Parents Guide to Facebook.

WHAT IS TIKTOK?

TikTok is a free social media app that lets you watch, create, and share videos - often to a soundtrack of the top hits in music - right from your phone. It was originally available as musical.ly in the U.S. but was rebranded when the two apps merged in August 2018. Users can watch and record videos of themselves lip-synching to popular music and sound bites. And just like Youtube, Tik Tok is an interactive world of videos that lets you connect with friends and admirers through likes, comments, and even duets. These videos can be grouped by hashtags, which often correspond to challenges or memes.

IS TIKTOK SAFE?

While TikTok videos are mostly harmless, creative fun, there are real concerns about children using the app. As with any social network, you have to use privacy settings to limit how much information you and your children are sharing. Children can post stuff without reviewing or editing it first. And other issues have dogged the app reports of online predators using the app to target younger users and serious software glitches-including one that could have allowed the company to collect user data.  When you sign up for Tiktok, your account is public by default, meaning anyone can see your videos, send you direct messages, and use your location information. Parents should make sure to turn on all privacy settings for accounts children are using, so only people you know can interact with your videos or message you on the app. That means either opting for a private account or changing the settings for comments, duets, reactions, and messages to "Friends" instead of "Everyone." You can also turn those features off completely.

HOW DOES TIKTOK WORK?

TikTok users sign up with a phone number, an email address, or a third-party account such as Facebook and Instagram. Once logged in, you can search popular creators, categories (comedy, animals, sports), and hashtags to find videos. Or you can use your phone contacts or social media followers to find friends already on the app. Many children on TikTok like to create videos, but plenty of people don't post themselves - they just use the app to find and follow content creators.

IS TIKTOK APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN?

Because of TikTok's emphasis on popular music, many videos include swearing and sexual lyrics, so it may not be age-appropriate for children to use on their own. It's also easy to find people wearing revealing clothing and dancing suggestively, although TikTok won't let you search for objectionable content such as "sex" or "porn." If you supervise your children and stick to songs you already know from the radio, TikTok can be a child-friendly experience. Users can also earn TikTok Reward points by inviting friends to download the app, and then they can redeem those points for coupons from brands like Sephora and Uber. It's also possible to spend real money by adding virtual coins to your Wallet.

WHAT AGE IS TIKTOK RECOMMENDED FOR?

The app is recommended for age 15+ mainly due to the privacy issues and mature content. TikTok requires that users be at least 13 years old to use the full TikTok experience, although there is a way for younger children to access the app. Anyone under the age of 18 must have approval of a parent or guardian - but there are plenty of younger users.

HOW CAN YOU MAKE YOUR TIKTOK ACCOUNT PRIVATE?

To make your TikTok account private, go to your profile page and select the three-dot icon in the top-right corner. Select Privacy and Safety. There, toggle the switch for "Private Account." You can also select who can send you comments and direct messages, and who can do a duet with you. Using the "Friends" setting or turning those features off completely limits contact with strangers.

HOW DO I DELETE A TIKTOK VIDEO?

To delete a TikTok video that you have posted to your account, select the video you want to delete from your profile. From there, tap the "..." icon in the bottom-right corner and select Delete or the trash can icon. You will be asked if you are sure you want to delete the video. Then it will be removed from your profile.

HOW CAN I DELETE A TIKTOK ACCOUNT?

To delete a TikTok account, go to your profile, then select the "..." icon in the top-right corner. Select Manage My Account. From there, you must add a phone number if you haven't already. This must be a working number, as they will text you a code to verify the number and later to verify deleting the account. Once you've added a phone number, an option at the bottom of the Manage My Account menu will appear that says, "Delete my account." Tap the phrase, which will lead you to a new page prompting you to enter a verification code. Choose "Send Code" to receive a text message with the verification code. Enter the number, then select Continue. You will be given information on what is entailed in deleting the account. Choose Continue once again for a final confirmation that you want to delete your account, then tap Delete Account. 

WHAT ARE TIKTOK CHALLENGES?

Challenges are any idea that goes viral. They can be songs, activities, or dances that start trending and then get copied by users on the platform. Sometimes they're spontaneous, but sometimes they're planned out by brands, musical artists, or influencers for marketing purposes. Most popular challenges, such as the intricately choreographed dance number Renegade and pranks such as the backwards hoodie fridge mix-up are harmless. But some, such as the skull-breaker, are really dangerous. Learn more about viral internet challenges and how to talk to your kid about them. 

DOES TIKTOK HAVE PARENTAL CONTROLS?

TikTok allows parents to set time limits, filter mature content, and disable direct messaging for childrens' accounts. You can enable time limits and the content filter on your child's phone and protect the settings with a passcode, but to disable direct messaging you need to use the app's Family Pairing feature. (Family Pairing also gives you access to time limits and content filter settings.) You'll need your child's phone to sync the settings.

Here's how to enable screen limits and filter content: Go to your child's account and tap the three dots at the top right of the user profile. Then select "Digital Wellbeing" next to the icon of an umbrella. From there, select the features you want to enable:

Screen Time Management. This setting limits users to a maximum of two hours on the app per day, but you can limit it to 40 minutes. If you're only enabling this on your child's phone, choose a passcode to lock the setting.
 

Restricted Mode. This blocks mature content, but even with the filter on, children using the app on their own might come across age-inappropriate videos. Lock the setting with a passcode.

To set up Family Pairing so you can manage the above settings plus disable direct messaging, first download TikTok onto your phone and create an account. Then, make sure you have your child's phone and their TikTok log-in handy.

Family Pairing. On both phones, tap the three dots next to the user profile; tap Family Pairing and sync your account to your child's via the QR code. 

Keep in mind children can always re-download TikTok and create a new account using a different phone number or email address, so any controls you enable aren't foolproof.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Houseparty is a face-to-face social network, which parents/carers should be very aware of.  Please read both documents below for further information.