EE partners up with Internet Matters to keep children safe

The operator has produced a list of top tips for parents to keep their children safe on the internet

EE has partnered up with online safety experts Internet Matters to help children stay safe on the mobile devices that may be given as Christmas gifts over the festive period.

Research conducted by EE found that over a third of parents are planning to give a smartphone or tablet to their children this Christmas but 40 per cent of parents consider online safety when making such preparations.

A quarter of those questioned also said that they have never used parental controls with a further quarter of parents unlikely to help set up the child’s new device.

In response to the findings, EE and Internet Matters have teamed up to offer advice over the Christmas period, most notably festive wrapping paper with the following ten tips on the back:

1. Check the basic safety settings are set up and active e.g. location settings and the app store permissions
2. Review their apps – make sure they are age appropriate and privacy settings are on
3. Turn on Google ‘Safe Search’ and ‘Restricted Mode’ on YouTube to help screen out inappropriate content
4. Check they’re connected safely – set parental controls on your broadband and apply a content lock on their mobile network.
5. Ensure your children know the rules:

• Always keep your phone safe and secured with a PIN
• Don’t answer calls from numbers you don’t recognise
• Don’t give your number to strangers
• Never share personal information online
• Never send pictures to people you don’t know

6. Stay engaged – have regular conversations with your children about what they do