This week’s online safety update includes new resources on fascination with extreme violence, concerns around Google’s AI Search, new Parliamentary research on social media and AI, ICO research into parental controls, KS1 resources and ChatGPT parental controls.
Fascination with Extreme Violence
Shout Out UK have created a new resource hub around Fascination with Extreme Violence (FEV). This refers to individuals who may not be focused on a particular extremist ideology, but instead develop an unhealthy fascination with things such as school shootings, terrorist attacks, mass killings, violent videos or perpetrators of extreme violence.
The site explains how this fascination can be reinforced through repeated online exposure and engagement, including through algorithms and social media. It also links the issue to the Prevent context and the need for professionals to recognise when an unhealthy fascination with extreme violence may require further safeguarding consideration.
There are resources for both professionals and pupils, including a professional training deck and pupil workshop.
Link: Fascination with Extreme Violence – Shout Out UK
Google Search – Are the New AI Features Safe for Children?
Common Sense Media’s Youth AI Safety Institute has rated Google’s AI Search features as “Unacceptable Risk” for children. The concerns relate to AI Overview and AI Mode, which can appear directly within ordinary Google searches.
Their testing found issues including inaccurate information, inappropriate responses to sensitive questions and poor recognition of children who may be in crisis. Importantly, unlike Google’s standalone Gemini chatbot, the AI features within Google Search cannot currently simply be switched off by schools or parents while retaining normal Google Search.
Common Sense Media have also published some useful guidance for parents and educators which includes helping children understand that an AI-generated summary is not necessarily the same as information from a reliable source, and encouraging children to check where information has come from.
Link: How to help children stay safe with Google’s AI Search
UK Parliament – New Research on Social Media, Screens and AI
Two new research briefings from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology caught my attention this week and I think both are worth a read.
The first looks specifically at the impacts of social media on children and young people, including the potential benefits and risks, the strength of the available evidence and where gaps in the research still exist.
The second briefing looks more broadly at screen and AI use, considering potential impacts on areas such as learning, development, sleep and wellbeing.
Given the current debate and proposed restrictions around children’s use of social media in the UK, I think these are particularly timely and potentially very useful for school leaders.
Link: Impacts of social media on children and young people
Link: The impacts of screen and AI use on children and young people
ICO – Parental Confidence Versus Children’s Digital Reality
Some very interesting new research from the Information Commissioner’s Office.
More than 4,000 children aged 8–17 and their parents were surveyed, and the findings show quite a gap between what parents think is happening and what children are actually doing online.
For example:
- 91% of parents said they use controls or monitoring tools.
- 41% of children said they had tried to get around those controls.
- Of those who tried, 49% said it was easy.
- 52% of children said they would find a way around age checks if they wanted access to a service.
- Almost a third of parents said they had previously helped their child get around an age restriction.
There is also an interesting finding that more than a third of children talk or play online with people they only know online or do not know at all.
I think this is useful evidence for schools, particularly when talking to parents about why parental controls are only one part of online safety and need to sit alongside regular conversations and digital literacy.
Link: ICO – ICO – Growing gap between parental confidence and children’s digital reality
The D.O.G. – Online Safety Resources for Younger Children
I see very few new online safety resources specifically designed for younger children aged 5–7, so these really caught my eye.
The D.O.G. is a story-led online safety and digital resilience programme designed specifically for this age group. It uses illustrated stories, ready-to-teach lessons and practical activities to help children learn how to make safe, kind and confident choices online.
There are currently five books covering areas such as misinformation, privacy, sharing photographs, password safety and screen balance, with classroom prompts, games and parent notes alongside the stories.
Steve Shepherd, one of the co-authors, also tells me that a sixth book focusing on AI is coming soon.
From what I’ve seen these look really good, particularly for schools looking for age-appropriate online safety resources at KS1.
Link: The D.O.G.
For Parents – ChatGPT Parental Controls
ChatGPT has parental controls which allow a parent or guardian to link their account with a teenager’s account and manage a range of settings.
Parents can control things such as:
- additional safeguards around sensitive content;
- Voice Mode;
- image generation;
- memory;
- quiet hours;
- and some other ChatGPT features.
Importantly, linking the accounts does not allow a parent to read their teenager’s conversations or monitor their chat history.
This could be a useful link to share with parents, particularly those whose children are already using ChatGPT.
