University of Gloucestershire and The Cyber Trust collaborate to keep children safe online

University of Gloucestershire and The Cyber Trust have joined forces in a new initiative to help parents keep their families safe online, amid increasing levels of access to social media and gaming sites by children as young as three.

The Cyber Trust’s Family Internet Safety Project supports parents in using monitoring tools to protect children from the risks of the online world, including bullying and sexploitation, by managing their use of mobile devices and view what activities are taking place.

According to Ofcom’s 2024 report, high levels of online usage are increasingly common among children as young as five, with roughly 38% of 5-7 year-olds using social media and 24% owning a smartphone.

In addition, more than 800,000 children aged 3-5 in the UK are estimated to be engaging with social media, often without supervision. These children frequently engage with  TikTok, WhatsApp and online gaming, exposing them to risks including inappropriate content and potential addiction.

The Family Internet Safety Project brings together information about the best parental monitoring tools through step-by step set-up videos, how to manage their activities online and the best approaches to educating children on how to protect themselves from risk.

As The Cyber Trust’s partner in the project, University experts in psychology and computing are inviting families to explore the benefits and issues, including around behaviour, that arise from the implementation of these monitoring tools on their children’s smart phones, laptops and tablets.

The study explores how families engage with parental monitoring tools to support safe digital practices among children aged 11 to 12. It will aim to understand how these tools are integrated into family life, how they influence technology use, and what factors help or hinder their adoption.

Dr Laura Castillo Eito, one of the University academics heading up the study, said: “We’re pleased to be supporting The Cyber Trust’s Family Internet Safety Project helping parents to keep their children safe online.

“Thanks to the parents and children taking part in our study, we’ll be able to gather valuable data around the integration of monitoring tools into daily routines, their impact on digital behaviour, and the drivers or barriers to their adoption.

“Going forward, this information will support the development of strategies that will enable parents to allow their children to enjoy the benefits of the online world through monitoring tools while also helping to minimise the risks.”

Dave Thomson of The Cyber Trust said: “While the UK Online Safety Act 2023 increases responsibility for tech companies, parents remain best placed to understand and manage risks for their children.

“Rather than banning phones for under-16s, children should learn to navigate technology safely. The Cyber Trust’s Family Internet Safety Project aims to support families in doing this.”

If you would like to take part in the study being managed by the University, click here for more information.

Main picture: A parent managing a child’s access to the internet