Social Media
The sharing of inappropriate images on Social Media is a practice that some young people are becoming involved in. This is done on a number of different forums including Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to name a few, It normally takes place between young people in a relationship but there has been incidents where images have been sent to complete strangers.
There are many dangers associated with this including: bullying or harassment, lack of control of the images, images becoming public, the effect this might have on the person's digital footprint and the Legal implications of taking, sharing, receiving or posting inappropriate images of anyone under the age of 18.
Our pupils receive advice regarding this issue with dedicated lessons during Personal and Social Education classes. These lessons offer advice and guidance from CEOP, the Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre, who produce very good educational packages, these inputs are presented by Officers from Police Scotland and the PSE teaching staff.
Social Media Checklists
Social media and online platforms play an important role in everyday life, especially for children and young people. However, it is essential that users understand how to manage privacy settings, control who can see their information, and know how to report concerns or inappropriate behaviour online.
The SWGfl website (opens new window) contains a series of checklists providing simple, practical guidance to help you navigate the safety and privacy features of popular platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Roblox and more. Each downloadable checklist offers step-by-step advice on managing profiles, controlling visibility, blocking or reporting users, and making informed choices when using online services.
Parents Guide to Snapchat
Snapchat is a communication service popular among teens and adults. Users can take photos, record videos, add text or drawings (called Snaps) and send them to Friends. Snaps disappear after the recipients view it, or within 24 hours (for a Story or Chat). Snapchat automatically deletes the Snap from its servers unless the users save the content. InternetMatters.org have produced a guide to Snapchat for parents, which can be viewed via the following link: Internet Matters: Snapchat Safety, A how to guide for parents. (opens new window)
