Here’s a Picture of my Junk – The top 10 sexting and internet safety resources
19 June 2014
Based on a whip-round for digital resources here in the Fast Forward office, this list includes our favourite resources on sexting and internet safety. By no means exhaustive, and in no particular order, the top 10 are:
1. ThinkUknow
The one-stop shop for young people and practitioners to find out more about the internet when it comes to relationships, sex, and protecting personal information. Includes great interactive games for the younger generations (as low as 5 years old) and more relevant information for teenagers.
2. South West Grid for Learning
Ignore the dry website name – this site has a great Digital Literacy and Citizenship section with fantastic lesson plans and online resources for the English curriculum. Just as relevant to the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence and easily adaptable.
3. So You Got Naked Online?
A great PDF resource for young people, parents and practitioners, this e-booklet provides everything you need to know in the event a young person has shared a photo of themselves in a state of undress. Also includes a Scottish and Welsh version.
4. ZIPIT by Childline
Continuing with the sexting theme, users of this mobile phone app can reply to sexting requests with a witty picture from an in-built photo bank. For example, a picture of a filthy urinal with the words DIRTY ENOUGH FOR YOU? can be sent in exchange for a ‘dirty picture’ request, or a picture of two bluetits can be sent in reply to a request for… Well, you get the idea. Also comes with flirting advice and a handy ‘Report Abuse’ button.
Designed and provided by Childline, the mac daddy of child support services.
5. BeatBullying
If you’re a young person who’s being cyber bullied, there’s no better place to visit than this website. Young BeatBullying Cyber Mentors chat to visitors online and help them cope and access information. All mentors have received counselling training and are regularly monitored, so no need to worry about safety when accessing this service.
6. Respectme
If the only trolls you’ve heard of are the ones that live under bridges, this great E-book is for you. It contains all you need to know about cyber-bullying and gives parents and practitioners sound advice on talking to young people face-to-face about the issue. It also addresses the often neglected issue, ‘What if my child is cyber bullying?’
7. CEOP
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) is ThinkUknow’s less beautiful cousin, though it offers just as much advice for young people, as well as parents and practitioners. You can also easily ‘Submit A Report’ online if you want to cut straight to the chase.
8. Chat Danger
This website looks and feels like a video game – great if you’re trying to get young people to engage. Contains lots of true stories and things to think about on Mobiles, Online Chat, Email, Instant Messenger, and Games.
9. CKUK
If you work with young people with disabilities, then Common Knowledge UK is the place for you. Extremely simple and easy to navigate, this website is designed with the help of people with learning disabilities and contains easy-to-follow instructions on keeping safe online.
10. Education Scotland
The internet safety section of the Education Scotland website contains a useful collection of CPD videos which highlights emerging issues in internet use. It also contains information for parents and carers, although the information for young people is largely borrowed from Scottish youth organisation YoungScot and ThinkUknow, bringing us full circle.
Have any other favourites? Let us know below…