Do you know enough about online safety?

This is a message sent via Thames Valley Alert and has been sent on behalf of Thames Valley Police.

Happy New Year from Thames Valley Police. We hope that everyone had a peaceful and enjoyable festive season.

We thought we’d provide some advice for people who gave or received a new smart device for Christmas, and for anyone who’s New Year’s resolution is to get more internet safety aware.

Internet Security advice through Get Safe Online

Did you know that 80% of online crime is easily preventable by taking simple steps to protect computers, smart phones and tablets?

During 2015, Thames Valley Police will be working in partnership with Get Safe Online to provide practical advice to help our communities protect themselves on the internet.

The website covers a wide range of topics, and will be a useful read for parents, businesses and the vulnerable and elderly too.

Visit www.GetSafeOnline.org

Are you a parent or carer of a child aged 8 – 12?

You may have already seen or heard about the new NSPCC online safety campaign, Share Aware which launched today.

Many parents feel out of their depth in understanding what their children are doing online and what the risks might be.

This campaign is aimed at parents and carers of children aged 8-12, and is a good tool to help with understanding what children like to get up to online, that will certainly help parents to have those difficult conversations with children about staying safe.

There is a downloadable Share Aware guide for parents that has three main purposes:

• to provide an overview of sites, apps and games that children and young people use from a user-perspective;
• to give parents the confidence to facilitate balanced and informed conversations about what their children are doing online; and
• to encourage parents to look at social networking platforms themselves and form their own views about the appropriateness of popular sites for their children.

Thames Valley Police supports the campaign, and we encourage you to read the guide, watch the video with your children, and to start having those important conversations about staying safe as a family.

Visit www.NSPCC.org.uk/ShareAware, follow @NSPCC and #ShareAware

Taking a few moments now to familiarise yourself with the best ways to protect yourself, your family and your devices online might be a smart and safe way to start 2015.

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