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Safeguarding - OFCOM Reports released for Online Safety

Written by Services4Schools | May 6, 2024 1:31:00 PM

Ofcom has released two reports examining children's media habits and attitudes throughout the UK during 2023/24. The findings from the children and parents: media use and attitudes project are drawn from online surveys involving children and parents. Additionally, the children's media lives longitudinal study included interviews and observations of 21 individuals aged 8 to 17. Key insights from both reports reveal that 5- to 7-year-olds are increasingly active online, girls report higher incidences of 'nasty or hurtful' interactions compared to boys in certain online spaces, children of all ages engage in potentially risky online behaviours, there's a growing caution among children regarding sharing information publicly online, and young people are encountering challenges in discerning trustworthy information on social media platforms compared to the previous year.

 
Key insights to take from both reports:
5- to 7-year-olds are increasingly active online
 girls report higher incidences of 'nasty or hurtful' interactions compared to boys in certain online spaces
children of all ages engage in potentially risky online behaviours
growing caution among children regarding sharing information publicly online
encountering challenges in discerning trustworthy information on social media platforms compared
You can find the reports for full viewing here: