Framlinghamian 2023-2024 Single page - web 144dpi - Flipbook - Page 61
SPINE OF SKILLS
immerse themselves in a virtual world
“I believe that when you are using social
and have fun doing it without the need
media platforms, and you are not actively
to include their full name, images, or feel
looking for inappropriate content, it’s
pressured to post content to enjoy the
highly likely that you will be exposed to it.
platform - resulting in many parents leaving
Children are very unlikely to tell us about
them to be occupied for a few hours.
something negative that has happened
However, the Ofcom report showed that
online because they think the parents’
22% of children from 8-years-old were
response will be ‘You can’t play that game
talking to strangers online through gaming
again’ or ‘You can’t use Instagram again’
platforms.
and we (as parents) do it because we
want to protect and safeguard, but they
Karl believes that this percentage is much
(our children) see it as unfair or they are
higher. “One reason I believe this is that
in trouble, even if they did nothing wrong
those who were surveyed under the age
and it was actually someone else who was
of 11 had their parents present with them
behaving in the wrong way.
– meaning that the child being surveyed
is unlikely to admit to talking to strangers
“It’s important for parents to react in the
online with their parents in the room.”
right way but not restrict so much to the
The research demonstrated how 17-year-
point that your child will be afraid to tell you
olds were primarily using online platforms
about anything else that happens again.”
to consume in昀氀uencer and personality
content, mostly from TikTok, Instagram
On 19 September, the Online Safety Bill
and YouTube. Karl said: “There’s nothing
was passed to protect children online and
wrong with in昀氀uence, however when you
to make sure social media platforms are
start watching one type of video, they -the
held responsible for the content they host.
platform - will show you more of the same
If social media platforms do not comply
because they want to keep you on the site
with the new rules, Ofcom could 昀椀ne them
for as long as possible – and it’s at this point
up to £18m or 10% of their global annual
that we may not realise that children are
revenue.
being desensitised with the same point of
view in a virtual echo chamber without
seeing opposing viewpoints.
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