5Rights – Infinite Scroll

If you’ve never visited the 5Rights Foundation website it’s well worth a look, their studies are always incredibly useful for schools. Their newest study  looks at the so-called ‘TikTokisation’ of children online, giving a view into what children and young people are experiencing when they are on their devices. Interestingly this study captures minute-by-minute behavioural data directly from their devices which then shows in real time how design features such as infinite scroll, autoplay and algorithmic recommendations shape children’s attention, behaviour, sleep and wellbeing.

Some key outcomes are:

• Children viewed an average of 708 videos per day, but half of those videos were watched for 5 seconds or less.
• 3 in 4 used TikTok between midnight and 6AM.
• Sexualised content appeared regularly.
• Those in the study reported that, due to ‘TikTokisation’ they spend less time with friends or hobbies.

Link: 5Rights Foundation – Groundbreaking study reveals ‘TikTokisation’ of children online.

CCE – Flipping the Script on Victims

Once again, London Grid for Learning have made available a fantastic resource for schools, this time all about child criminal exploitation (CCE).

The resource and accompanying videos would be very useful for staff training, covering adultification, the implications of misinterpreting defiant behaviour, strategies to empower staff and strategies to challenge victim-blaming narratives.

Link: Child Criminal Exploitation: flipping the script on victims.

Staff September INSET

As well as the 12 month Online Safety Pro subscription I offer, I also produce a one-off annual training video for school staff (Primary and Secondary versions). Fully updated and re-recorded mid August each year, the video lasts approximately one hour and costs only £95 plus VAT per site. 

If this could be of use to you just send me an email with your school name, I will send a quote for you to raise a purchase order and the video link will be sent to you as soon as it is ready in the final week of August.

Looksmaxxing – Don’t Blame Life, Blame Your Face

I’m sure you will be aware of the term ‘looksmaxxing’ by now: the obsessive act of physical appearance optimisation primarily done by young men who are drive by the belief that their appearance is the primary factor of their worth.

The Centre for Young Lives in partnership with Big Tech’s Little Victims have released an excellent new report exposing the risk of looksmaxxing covering what it is, how popular it is and much more, including lots of terminology which might prove useful for staff that have never heard of some of these terms before. Importantly, there’s plenty of really useful information for schools as well.

Link: Report – Looksmaxxing: Don’t Blame Life, Blame Your Face.

For Parents – Social Media Ban and Online Safety Measures

As we’re all probably aware by now, the UK government announced a social media ban for under 16’s, to come into force from Spring 2027. Whilst many are applauding this, many more are not. Part of the problem is that there are very few hard facts: what does this actually mean in practice, which platforms, what does it mean for families and much more.

Internet Matters have put a big article together exploring these questions and more which I think many parents will find useful.

Link: Social Media Ban and Online Safety Measures