How to keep your children safe online in Ireland
As children spend more time online, ensuring it’s a safe space is vital. This guide helps parents and caregivers talk to children about online safety, spot potential dangers and take steps to reduce risks.
With the internet playing an evermore central role in children and teens’ social and academic lives, this year’s Safer Internet Day is about empowering young people to ‘Prepare / Protect / Thrive: Navigating Algorithms and Influencers.’
Recent statistics from the CSO revealed nearly 8 in 10 younger internet users (78%) are almost constantly online, while almost all 16-29 year olds (97%) used the internet at least several times a day.
Excessive internet use by children impacts their wellbeing, leading to concerns over their conduct and hyperactivity levels, with the effect greater among those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
The use of the internet in education
Primary and secondary schools in Ireland use the Internet for learning in the classroom and for homework, and students use online learning platforms, emails, messaging and video calls to communicate both inside and outside the classroom.
Emerging tech like AGI (artificial general intelligence) will play an increasing role in young people’s lives so schools and parents must recognise the challenges and manage risks.
Although new AI tools like ChatGPT and other AI content creators are an exciting and positive development, they can also cause harm, which is why it’s vital that children and young people understand and use emerging tech:
Recognise the risks
The first step to protecting your children online is to identify and understand the most common risks they could face.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that happens online, usually on a social network like Instagram or TikTok. It might be in the form of a hurtful comment about a photo, a threatening text message, or the spread of fake news.
When targeted, children often become withdrawn and depressed and quickly believe what’s being said about them is true. At its worst, cyberbullying can lead to eating disorders, self-harm or even suicide.
The Internet Matters website offers practical ways to protect your child from cyberbullying.
Online grooming
This is where a child is targeted online by someone posing as a friend that they start to trust
Once trust has been built, the child is tricked or pressured into doing something of a sexual nature. The groomer may retain the evidence and, under the threat of publishing it, conduct ongoing sexual abuse.
Unlike traditional grooming, AI-driven grooming uses advanced algorithms to identify and target potential victims more effectively, analysing a child’s online activities, communication patterns, and personal information.
This allows predators to tailor how they approach children, and exploit their vulnerabilities.
To find out more about how to protect your child from online grooming, visit the Internet Matters website.
Social media algorithms
A social media algorithm is the way social platforms prioritise the content that users see in their feeds. Past user behaviour, content relevance, and the popularity of posts are some of the factors taken into account.
New research by the DCU anti-bullying centre in 2024 revealed that high levels of harmful content - from toxic masculinity to misogyny - were being served to teenage boys across TikTok and YouTube.
Most social media companies do not disclose how their algorithms work, making it difficult to predict and control what is being shown to teenagers.
Doxxing
Doxing is when somebody reveals someone’s personal information online without the person’s consent.
It’s a form of online harassment that involves collecting personal data (known as breadcrumbs) about someone to reveal the real person behind an alias. Breadcrumb data can include your real name, physical address, job, email address, phone number etc. The aim of doxxing is to bully, harass, embarrass or scare someone.
Deepfaking
Deepfakes use a form of artificial intelligence (AI) called deep learning to make images or videos of fake events. For example, somebody’s face can be superimposed onto another body to humiliate, abuse or bully a victim.
It’s not only video or images that are manipulated to create a false reality, voices can be cloned and writing styles mimicked to hoax WhatsApp conversations.
AI-generated fake videos are becoming more convincing and commonplace due to readily available apps, and it’s easy to be fooled. Learn more about how to spot and protect against deepfakes.
Inappropriate content
Content may be inappropriate if it causes distress and upset, leads to dangerous behaviour, or is adult in nature. Examples include material that is:
- Explicitly sexual
- Violent towards people or animals
- Racist, homophobic or promoting hate crime
- Full of expletives
- Promoting self-harm or other dangerous behaviours
- Promoting gambling, drinking or drugs
For advice on how to protect your child against unwanted content, visit the ISPCC website.
Sharing information
Sharing personal details like a home address and phone number could leave children open to identity theft and harassment.
The danger of sharing private information is that it’s very difficult to retract. Once information is shared publicly online, it could be exposed to a large number of people and fall into the wrong hands.
Phishing
Phishing is a fake email, text or message that often includes a link to a fake website. Scammers may trick a victim into clicking the link or sharing personal details or financial information in exchange for something they might want.
For help recognising the signs of a scam or what to do if you’ve been scammed, visit the Citizens Information website.
How to spot the signs
A recent study found that 28% of children in Ireland have been victims of cyberbullying at some point in their lives, and the problem is increasing.
Other research has found that 60% of cyberbullying victims have NOT told their parents.
It’s important for parents to pay attention to children’s behaviour, both on and off their devices. Being alert to changes in your child’s behaviour can help prevent problems escalating.
Here’s some warning signs to look for:
- Uneasy, nervous or scared about going to school or outside
- Nervous or jumpy when texting or using social media
- Upset or frustrated after going online or gaming
- Unwilling to discuss or share information about their online activity
- Unexplained weight loss or weight gain, headaches, stomachaches, or eating issues
- Trouble sleeping at night or sleepy during the day
- Loss of interest in favourite hobbies or activities
- Seems depressed or withdraws from close friends and family
- Talks about suicide or self-harm
Dangers of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence, or AI, has the potential to evolve education, changing life for today’s teenagers. Yet without limitations in place, widespread AI at home and in classrooms can present dangers as well as benefits.
As parents try to navigate this new technology, it’s important to understand the potential risks it poses to our children’s well-being.
- AI algorithms: can range from algorithms used on social media that serve inappropriate content - from self-harm, suicide, to explicit images - to AI algorithms used to target young internet users for online grooming purposes.
- Deepfake cyberbullying: teenagers have been reported to use AI software to create explicit images of female classmates, using real, identifiable faces and circulating the doctored pictures via group chats, creating a type of cyberbullying that can harm a teenagers’ mental health, reputations, and safety.
- Hate speech and bias: because AI “learns” from what it finds on the internet, AI platforms reflect the same prejudices shared by certain groups online. Studies show that AI-generated content can advance stereotypes and falsehoods, which could fuel negative beliefs and actions.
- Diminished creativity: some educators feel that AI could impair young people’s creativity and self-confidence, when they see how quickly artificial intelligence apps can create images or written text, they may become less motivated to put in time and effort to do it themselves.
How you can help
The more aware you are of potential risks, the better equipped you’ll be to handle them.
By understanding what children and teenagers can go through online, you’ll be more alert to the signs. We’ve collected a range of resources to help you further understand how your child might be targeted and what you can do to help.
Advice and support for parents
Reduce online risks
Here are some practical things you can do to reduce risks and encourage the right online behaviour.
When your child is young, it’s about limiting what they can access online, but as they get older setting boundaries and explaining why could be more beneficial.
1. Set boundaries
By setting out some rules about internet usage, you’ll have more control over any potential risks. For example, you can control:
- Screen time: For younger children, you could use a timer to limit how long they spend. For older kids, try to stick to a regular slot each day. Internetmatters.org has some great tips on managing your child’s screen time.
- Internet before bed: The blue light emitted by laptops, smartphones and PCs can make us feel stimulated instead of restful. Ask your children to turn them off at least an hour before bedtime. Poor sleep can lead to irritability, poor concentration, difficulties in learning, increased stress levels, and behavioural problems.
- Where they use the internet: Encourage them to use the internet in a communal part of the house, so you can keep an eye on what they’re viewing and have some involvement in their sessions.
- The devices they use: Only give children their own device when you think they’re ready. As well as posing risks, a phone could also enable them to contact you in an emergency and even trace their whereabouts.
2. Set up parental controls
Parental controls allow you to manage the content your children can access. They allow you to block certain websites and filter out inappropriate content across different devices.
You can also monitor your children’s internet usage, track their screen time and automatically turn their devices off for periods of time.
Always check the terms and conditions of any sites and apps your child uses, and choose the right privacy settings.
Most internet service providers offer parental controls for free. To find out how to set up controls on your systems and devices, visit Webwise.ie which covers:
- Computer operating systems
- Smartphones and tablets
- Internet browsers
- Search engines
- Video sites
- Games consoles
The best parental control apps
Parental control apps allow you to monitor and restrict your child’s internet and phone use across multiple devices.
The best apps offer features like screen time and call/testing limitations, website and app blocking, location tracking and harmful search restrictions.
Although there are free options, like Google Family Link and free versions of some the below apps, they may not offer as much control as paid versions.
- Qustodio: lets you track location, monitor text and calls, filter web and search content and block apps and VPNs. It costs around €40 a year, offers a 30 day free trial.
- Net Nanny: Net Nanny has great geolocation tracking and history, as well as some of the best content filtering and social media monitoring capabilities. It costs around €60.
- Kasper Sky: Although it has more blocking limitations on certain apps, it still offers a wealth of features like web monitoring and location tracking for unlimited devices - all for just €15 per year.
- Bark: Bark takes a slightly different approach. Rather than prying on your child’s activities, it offers alerts to potential issues, and lighter web content filtering and screen time monitoring. It’s also just €15 per year.
Keep an eye out for limited time offers, free versions and free trials.
3. Select the right social network privacy settings
Each social network has tips for parents on the best ways to stay safe and secure using their apps.
The following links will help you select the right privacy settings and explain how to block someone or report an issue:
You’ll also find links to resources that can support your child if they do suffer any abuse online.
4. Set up internet security
Installing anti-virus software on each device and keeping it up to date will help to minimise risks if you do suffer a cyberattack caused by a scam.
You don’t always have to pay for this software, but you may get added protection with packages you do pay for.
Always check the legitimacy of any software before you download it.
There are plenty of independent review sites to help you choose a security package, and you can also check out their website and ensure it starts with HTTPS so you know it’s secure.
Increase data security
It’s also important to educate your children not to:
5. Use two-factor authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security when you’re accessing a device or confirming a transaction. As well as a login and password, a second factor is required, which is usually a one-off code you’ll receive by text.
2FA can also be used to prevent children from signing into a service that’s blocked or purchasing something without your approval.
If the 2FA has been set up using your number, you’ll be alerted to any prohibited login or purchase. You can then either block it or allow it to go ahead by confirming your password and the unique code.
Teach your child about internet safety
Educate your child about the dangers of the internet by showing them how to spot and deal with risks. This will have the biggest impact on their future safety.
Get talking about it
Make time to chat with your children and teenagers about life online.
Talk openly about online safety from a young age, and discuss the do’s and don’ts of using the internet. Here are some pointers:
Do’s
To help your child stay alert and safe, encourage them to:
Dont’s
To protect your child from online harm and reduce safety threats, remind them not to:
What else you can do
Here’s a few more ways to ensure your children is empowered to stay safe and protected online:
Internet safety FAQs
How do I know which apps are safe for my children?
Common sense media has put together some ultimate guides for parents on the latest apps trending and some of the old favourites.
Their reviews help you to understand what each app does and whether it’s safe, along with plenty of links to other helpful resources.
How much screen time should my child have?
This is really tricky to answer, especially with so many different devices and uses for the internet. It’s likely to depend on a number of factors such as:
- Your child’s age: The younger they are, the less time they should spend online, but any child who is sensitive to too much screen time should also be closely monitored.
- What they’re using it for: If it’s used for educational purposes as well as leisure, you should take this into account, otherwise they could exceed their daily allowance just on schoolwork.
- How it affects them: If you notice your child’s behaviour, sleep, mood, friendships or schoolwork being negatively impacted by the amount of screen time they have, it’s even more important to monitor/reduce it.
- What their peers are doing: You shouldn’t feel pressured to do the same, but chatting to their friends’ parents may help you gauge whether you’re being too soft or too harsh.
There are lots of resources available to help you manage screen time, like those found on internetmatters.org. However, how much time they spend online is ultimately up to you.
Creating a healthy balance between online and offline activities is the best thing to aim for, all within agreed wake up times and bedtimes.
Nothing is ever set in stone. Don’t worry about increasing or reducing screen time if it’s not working, but try and involve your child in the rule setting as they’ll be more likely to comply.
How old must you be to have social media accounts?
Most social networks allow users aged 13 and above to have an account, but until they’re 16 (the digital age of consent in Ireland), the way their data can be used is restricted.
Data protection laws protect children’s personal data from being collected, used, processed or stored for marketing, profiling or micro-targeting without parental consent, until they are 16.
Webwise.ie explains more about the digital age of consent.
What age should my child have their own smartphone?
This depends on lots of factors, including things like:
- Their level of maturity
- Their behaviour when using other phones/devices
- Whether their peers have phones
- How you feel about it
- What they use it for
- The safety measures you put in place
If your child can responsibly use another device or your phone and respects boundaries like when, where and how they can use it, they may be ready for their own phone.
If you’re not comfortable they will follow the rules when you’re not around, it’s probably not the right time.
Setting up parental controls will offer some protection against inappropriate content for your child, webwise.ie explains how to do this.
Whether they have their own phone or not, they’ll still be exposed to the internet, so, the most important thing is to keep communication open with your child.
