Online Safety

Download: Online Safety Policy 2023-2024 [PDF]

What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Nintendo Switch 2

Please find the National College guide for ‘What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Nintendo Switch 2’ below.

Download: What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Nintendo Switch 2 [PDF]

Thank you.

More Information

Nintendo’s long-awaited Switch 2 has finally arrived, blending fresh hardware with fan-favourite franchises. From Mario to Pikachu, the familiar mascots are back – but so too are evolving online features, in-game purchases, and potential exposure to mature content. As ever, it’s essential that parents and educators understand the risks to young players.

Among these are GameChat voice communication, camera-based gaming, and potential access to mature-rated titles. This guide outlines what to watch out for and how to keep children safe, engaged and having fun.

What Parents & Educators Need to Know about YouTube Kids

Please find the National College guide for ‘What Parents & Educators Need to Know about YouTube Kids’ below.

Download: What Parents & Educators Need to Know about YouTube Kids [PDF]

Thank you.

More Information

YouTube Kids promises a safe, child-centric experience with colourful visuals, age-filtered content, and robust parental controls. Designed to appeal to younger viewers, the app has grown rapidly, being used by tens of millions of children worldwide. But is it as safe as it seems?

Despite YouTube Kids’ safeguards, reports have highlighted worrying issues, such as inappropriate content slipping through filters, subtle advertising, and the use of manipulative design to keep children engaged. Our guide explores how to navigate these pitfalls, offering practical advice for making sure children get the most from the platform – without the risks.

What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Violent Content Online

Please find the National College guide for ‘What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Violent Content Online’ below.

Download: [PDF]

Thank you.

More Information

With around 70% of teens reporting they’ve seen violent real-life content on social media in the past year, this guide shines a light on a disturbing – and increasingly common – aspect of young people’s digital lives. From shocking videos to hate speech, many children don’t go looking for this material, it finds them via algorithms or peer sharing. 

The guide outlines key concerns, including the mental toll of repeated exposure, shifts in behaviour, and the worrying normalisation of harmful ideologies. It also explains how such content can escalate from screen to street, and why some young people may feel pressured to share or even create violent media themselves.

What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Minecraft

Please find the National College guide for ‘What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Minecraft’ below.

Download: What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Minecraft [PDF]

Thank you.

More Information

With its limitless opportunities for building, exploring and collaborating, Minecraft remains a global gaming phenomenon. Its broad appeal lies in how open-ended it is – but this also means it’s not without risk. From chatting with strangers on public servers to the grief of having a beloved creation destroyed, young players can face challenges if left unsupervised. Minecraft can also become a time sink for enthusiastic players, with late nights spent crafting and constructing, potentially impacting school and social lives. 

We’ve created this free guide to help parents and educators understand how to keep young gamers safe – from choosing age-appropriate game modes to setting boundaries around screen time and spending.

What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Bluesky Social App

Please find the National College guide for ‘What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Bluesky Social App’ below.

Download: What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Bluesky Social App [PDF]

Thank you.

More Information

Bluesky is a microblogging social media platform that gained popularity after separating from Twitter in 2021. Since accounts must be public, this opens the door to potential trolling, cyberbullying and the spread of misinformation.

We’ve created this free guide, offering parents and educators advice and guidance on the tools available to keep children safe while using the popular social media platform Bluesky.

Online Safety Newsletter – Issue 2

Please find the MGL Online Safety Newsletter – Issue 2 below:

Download: Online Safety Newsletter – Issue 2 [PDF]

Thank you.

What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Streamers

Please find the National College guide for ‘What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Streamers’ below.

Download: What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Streamers [PDF]

Thank you.

More Information

Livestreaming is now a major part of children’s entertainment, evolving from gamers sharing screens into a booming industry with diverse personalities. While watching streamers can be entertaining, it comes with no small number of risks for children, such as misinformation, negative influences, and inappropriate content. With over 2.5 million viewers on Twitch – the current most popular streaming platform – at any one time, this guide highlights the potential dangers associated with watching livestreams and the importance of staying informed.

We’ve created this free guide – also available in podcast format – to provide parents and educators everything they need to know about streamers and how to keep children protected.

What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Roblox

Please find the National College guide for ‘What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Roblox’ below.

Download: What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Roblox [PDF]

Thank you.

More Information

Whilst they can be a great way for friends to socialise, online games like Roblox that allow multiplayer gameplay with strangers are always fraught with a variety of dangers that can expose children to inappropriate or harmful content. Roblox enables people to play anonymously, which can often be something that attracts people to misuse the game and potentially put young people at risk of harm.

In addition to interacting with random strangers across the world, other factors such as in-game purchases and potential scams can also pose a financial risk. It’s important that parents and educators remain aware of the risks associated with this popular title and how it can be used safely. This free guide – also available in podcast format – offers parents and educators expert advice on what can be done to ensure that young people have a safe and enjoyable experience with Roblox.

Online Safety Newsletter – Issue 1

Please find the MGL Online Safety Newsletter – Issue 1 below:

Download: Online Safety Newsletter – Issue 1 [PDF]

Thank you.

What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Marvel Rivals

Please find the National College guide for ‘What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Marvel Rivals’ below.

Download: What Parents & Educators Need to Know about Marvel Rivals [PDF]

Thank you.

More Information

Marvel Rivals is a highly popular multiplayer shooter that pits iconic superheroes against formidable villains. The game is free –to play on PC and current-generation consoles but does feature microtransactions that allow players to spend real money on cosmetic items for their characters.

While Marvel Rivals has been deemed suitable for children aged 12 and over, there are several risks associated with the title that parents and educators should be aware of. This free guide offers more information on these safety concerns and lets you know how to ensure that children playing the game can have a fun and age-appropriate experience.