Fake news and misinformation, cyberbullying, online grooming, peer pressure and keeping personal information secure – the internet is a minefield and schools need to keep up to date if they are to protect their community.
Parents and teachers have long been aware that teenagers are at risk of stalking and sexting or being taken in by false reports and misinformation which they then pass on to others. Now younger children are facing the same threats.
A survey by independent research agency Opinium in December 2021 revealed that the number of children aged between six and 10 affected by exposure to fake news, misinformation or disinformation had risen by 63% in the space of a year and there was a significant increase in children of the same age having direct experience of contact with strangers online, peer pressure to do things they wouldn’t normally do and giving away personal information online.
In the UK the charity Internet Matters has launched Digital Matters, a free online safety and media literacy education platform to help pupils deal with the issues they are most likely to face in the digital world.
Why the learning platform is needed
Digital Matters was created following extensive research and consultation with primary school teachers. It covers a range of online safety lesson topics ranging from cyberbullying to fake news to password security and more. Ghislaine Bombusa, Head of Digital at Internet Matters, who led the creation of the platform, said: ‘There is a growing need to ensure young people not only stay safe online but have the media literacy skills they need to navigate their increasingly complex digital world.’