Last month,
Guernsey Police issued a chilling warning that a Snapchat group was exposing dozens of local children as young as seven to harmful content, as well as potentially coercing them to share indecent images.
It likely confirmed many parents' fears about the dangers of social media as well as being a reminder how difficult it can be to monitor these channels, particularly when some have features like 'disappearing messages'.
So what can we do - as parents, as teachers and as a community - to mitigate these risks? Well, when we do have privacy conversations with our children, it is certainly not about banning our kids from interacting with the online and virtual world - I think we all know how well that strategy works out!
The reality is that there is so much to be gained and to benefit from in today’s digital era, if it is navigated with care. To that end, the conversations should centre around awareness of what is being shared, control over that information, and respect for each other.
We issued a
Bailiwick Data Protection Advisory on this threat and it featured two key pieces of advice for parents and carers:
(i) have conversations with children regarding the reputational and long-term risks associated with sharing personal information via such networks, including personal photos, that could then find an indelible presence online and
(ii) ensure children are not using social networks or apps if they’re under the authorised age for those networks/apps (13 for Snapchat).
We are also asking young people to pause and think before they post their information or photos. They should ask themselves the following questions:
•
How might I feel about this post in 6 weeks, 6 months or 6 years from now?
•
Could it affect my chances of getting into uni or getting my first job?
•
If I am sharing information or photos of others, how might they feel about that? Put yourselves in their shoes – you can express yourself and have fun online while respecting the feelings and personal information of others.
Also, it is truly important
not to be lulled into a false sense of security with features such as disappearing messages. Nothing stops individuals from taking a screenshot of your post and then sharing more broadly.
And as it relates to security measures, young people should:
• ensure that they have a
secure password for each of their accounts, and
•
NEVER share their passwords with friends to post on their behalf or maintain a streak.
Data protection is everyone’s responsibility. By being vigilant and informed we can all do our part to protect ourselves and our community.
&
Indulge