It hasn’t quite made the sociocultural splash of the Mac or the iPhone, but Apple’s iPad has undeniably been a colossal critical and commercial success for the American tech giants. The device truly changed the game: before the iPad, comparatively few tablets existed – and they certainly weren’t adaptable enough to find a niche in the home as well as the workplace.

In the intervening 13 years, Apple’s sleek tablet has become a familiar sight in homes around the world – with children being wholehearted fans of having a portable, easy-to-use gateway to learning and entertainment on tap. Are iPads completely safe for young users, however? And if not, what do trusted adults need to be aware of? Our #WakeUpWednesday guide has the details.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety

The rise of programmes like ChatGPT has brought the use of artificial intelligence solutions into sharp focus. Designed to potentially make our lives easier and support everyday tasks, this advanced machine-learning technology offers boundless possibilities and will be a part of our future, and our children’s future, for generations to come.

The opportunities that these AI solutions bring can’t be underestimated, so it’s important that we, as trusted adults, understand how they work, what they can be used for and what potential risks they could spawn. That’s why we’ve created this guide to help trusted adults understand exactly what AI solutions are all about.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety

From Ariana Grande to Dua Lipa, Katy Perry to Justin Timberlake, even the most mainstream and conventional artists in pop aren’t averse to releasing the odd track which contains swearing or explicit lyrics. Although that’s not especially Earth-shattering in itself, of course, it could prove an upsetting experience for a young person who stumbles across such songs on Spotify.

That’s before we even take into account the multitude of other age-inappropriate lyrics in genres like hip hop (a profanity every 47 words, according to one recent study) or towards the harder end of the rock spectrum. As our #WakeUpWednesday guide discovers, the occasional unexpected expletive isn’t the only aspect of the music streaming colossus Spotify that trusted adults should be aware of.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety

It’s Children’s Mental Health Week, and in support of this year’s event we’ve produced a #WakeUpWednesday guide which outlines how youngsters’ mental wellbeing can by boosted by an (arguably) unexpected source: video games. Many children view gaming in the same way that they regard reading a book or watching a movie: a way to relax and unwind.

Gaming not only helps young people to de-stress and gives them a valuable sense of satisfaction when they succeed in the game – it can also develop their essential life skills (such as problem solving, co-operation and social interaction) without young gamers even realising that they’re learning things. Check out this week’s guide for a more detailed run-down.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety

Tuesday 7th February is Safer Internet Day: an annual event which promotes the safe, responsible and positive use of digital tech among children and young people. This year’s title is ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’ and is designed to give young voices a platform to shape the kinds of online safety support that they receive.

Simply checking in with children regularly about their experiences in the digital world, both good and bad, is a brilliant way to engage with what they’re currently into online, while also acting as a valuable early warning system about potential issues. To support Safer Internet Day, this week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide has some top tips for initiating these helpful catch-up chats.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety

Most of us habitually check our doors are locked each night. We don’t leave our cars open with the keys in the ignition. We take care not to let anyone watch us enter our PIN at the cash machine. When it comes to cyber-security, however, many people aren’t anywhere near as routinely cautious – which is one of the reasons that online crime continues to pose a major threat.

The UK had the largest percentage of cyber-crime victims per million internet users in 2022; the US had the second-highest ratio. Nations with (relatively) wealthy populations who spent a lot of time online are, therefore, lucrative hunting grounds for cyber criminals. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide this week has useful tips to help you avoid joining the growing number of victims.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety

A sprawling fantasy epic of wizards and warriors, World of Warcraft has raked in an estimated $9 billion plus in revenue, mainly through monthly subscription fees and in-game purchases. It’s this lucrative seam which has helped guarantee the game’s incredible lifespan: Warcraft continues to receive developer support and expansion packs almost 20 years after its initial release.

The game’s longevity is matched by its immersive – and often addictive – nature. There are frequent reports of players eating meals at their keyboard, guzzling energy drinks to prolong marathon gaming sessions late into the night. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide highlights this and other potential pitfalls that parents of young Warcraft fans should be aware of.

Read on to access your free guide and catch up on the latest online safety news…National Online Safety

Happy new year! We’re going back to basics with our first #WakeUpWednesday guide of 2023 – a special edition in poster format, with some January reminders about simple things that children and young people can do to make themselves safer online. They’re likely to have encountered some of these suggestions before, but there’s no harm in refreshing their memory for the months ahead.

Most tech-savvy youngsters will probably have memorised the fundamentals, like keeping passwords secret and not chatting to strangers on the internet – but some children may benefit from remembering slightly less obvious steps such as treating anything they read online with caution or asking permission before downloading a game or app.

Read on to access your free guide and catch up on the latest online safety news…National Online Safety

Using social media has plenty of potential benefits for young people: it helps them stay connected to their friends, hear contrasting views on the world, find reassurance or support, and ease social anxiety. It also brings, however, a corresponding number of negative possibilities – including compulsive use, unhealthy comparisons with others online and exposure to harmful content.

Ironically – for a medium designed to enable engagement with other people – social platforms can actually lead to children feeling increasingly isolated and lonely, taking an obvious toll on their mental wellbeing. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide has our top tips on how trusted adults can support healthier social media habits in young people.

Read on to access your free guide and catch up on the latest online safety news…National Online Safety