Online safety

Social media sites allow users to create their own content and share it with a vast network of individuals.

When young people set up profiles on websites and apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, they share information about themselves. If things such as their name, photographs, social activities or hobbies and interests are publicly available, they can be used by strangers to identify individual children.

Find out more about the types of social media networks children and young people are using on the NSPCC's Net Aware website. This website also lists the age restrictions in place for social media platforms. 

Potential risks to young people

The same potential risks that are found online– see the tab above-left (or below, on mobile devices) – apply to social media.

Remember that due to social media’s 24 hour nature, it’s much easier for young people to be subjected to or become involved in negative behaviour and it may be more difficult to get away from.

Additional risks include:

• cyberbullying or berating by peers and people they consider ‘friends’ – in sport this can include negative comments or reactions to their performance or achievement
• being encouraged to create or share inappropriate or harmful material of themselves or others, including sexting (sexual images or video)
• making themselves identifiable by posting personal details on social media such as they school they attend or their home address
• encouragement to take part in violent behaviour or harmful trends
• communicating with people they don’t know, including potentially dangerous individuals
• communicating directly with staff or other adults in an inappropriate way
• risks of online grooming
  
  

What social media means for sport

Social media provides unique opportunities for sports organisations to engage and develop relationships with people in a creative and dynamic forum where users are active participants.

It's widely used to promote sports activities, campaigns and events. Groups, clubs and other sports organisations also use it to communicate with coaches, officials and participants (including young people) regarding club news.

Just like other online platforms, experiencing negative behaviour on social media can have an impact on a young person’s performance and desire to participate in sport.

If not used appropriately, it’s easy for sports organisations to open young people’s identities up to the wrong people and make them vulnerable online.

How to minimise the risks

Organisations should put practices in place to ensure young people are kept safe online. As an organisation you should:

• be open and transparent in all communications, whether online or by traditional means
• make sure your use of social media as an organisation is in line with your aims and values
• ensure staff and volunteers who manage the organisation’s online presence have appropriate training on the types of technology, sites and applications young people use – NSPCC Learning's Keeping Children Safe Online course offers an overview of the platforms used by young people and the risks associated with them
• address the safeguards that affect young people through clear guidelines for them to follow, as well as informing them of who they can contact if they have any concerns by developing an acceptable use statement and writing online behaviour into your codes of conduct
• equip young people with knowledge about the risks to them and how to deal with and report any concerns by referring them to Childline’s resources
• develop guidance and advice for staff and volunteers that include guidance on how to behave online when representing your organisation and how to respond to inappropriate behaviour – you can include this guidance in your online safety policy and in codes of conduct for staff
• think about how social media is used in your organisation both during activities or events and outside of normal ‘office hours’ and make sure that’s reflected in your policy and procedures
• reference your online safety policy in your safeguarding policy and make sure staff are aware of your reporting procedures for online abuse

The digital world is rapidly evolving – here, we highlight sport-specific resources for safeguarding children online, and point you towards the parts of the NSPCC website where you can keep up with what you need to know about online safety.

Help for young people

• Online and mobile safety – Childline's advice for children and young people on using the web
• Report Remove - Childline tool to help young people report a naked image of themsleves online
• Zipit app – Childline have developed a free app to advice young people what they can do if they're asked for nude photos

Information for parents and carers

• NSPCC's online safety pages – information on talking to children about staying safe online
• Net Aware – information and advice for parents from the NSPCC
• Share Aware – encourages parents to understand online safety and talk to their children about keeping safe
• Thinkuknow's home activity packs - to help parents learn about online safety at home with their children 

CPSU resources

• Online safety - 2020 podcast
• Keeping children safe online – 2018 webinar
• Photography – guidance and advice on risks, policies and procedures
• Sample online acceptable use statement – ask children to sign-up to and follow this statement to help them understand the risks online
• Sample online safety policy – use this sample policy to create your own for your club or organisation

Further NSPCC resources

• Keeping children safe online course – an online introductory course for anyone working with children, developed by the NSPCC and CEOP
• Online abuse – guidance on identifying abuse, and where to access relevant support and resources to help
• Online safety advice – helpful advice and tools you can use to help keep children safe whenever and wherever they go online
• Sexting – advice on talking to children about the risks of sexting and what you can do to protect them

Other useful resources and websites

• Child Exploitation and Online Protection command (CEOP) – a UK law-enforcement command dedicated to tackling sexual exploitation of children, which also provides education and awareness resources on the Thinkuknow website
• Cyberbullying and children and young people with SEN and disabilities: guidance for teachers and other professionals – guidance to help professionals understand the issues around cyberbullying for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• Good practice guidelines on the use of social networking sites by British Gymnastics clubs and club members (PDF) – provides recommendations for BG club members and parents on the use of social networking sites as they relate to that individual’s role in a BG club
• Sexting in schools and colleges – responding to incidents and safeguarding young people – a guide produced by UKCCIS on responding to disclosures, handling imagery, preventative education and working with parents
• Social media policy display poster – a best practice example by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Sports Partnership
• UK Safer Internet Centre – offers a wide range of advice and resources on how to stay safe online, whether you are a young person, a parent or carer, or are working with children

Publications

• Cyberbullying and its impact on young people’s emotional health and well-being research. The Psychiatrist 37(5): pp 167-170 – Helen Cowie (2013)
• Victims’ voices – the impact of online grooming and sexual abuse research (PDF). Universal Journal of Psychology 1(2): pp 59-71 – Helen C Whittle, et al (2013)