What support is there to help keep my child safe online?
Online Safety and Digital Awareness
We are committed to helping families understand how to keep children safe online. Below are some trusted resources and links for parents and carers:
- ThinkUKnow (CEOP) – advice and reporting from the National Crime Agency’s CEOP command
-
UK Safer Internet Centre – tips, guides, and reporting tools
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Internet Matters – tailored guides by age and platform
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NSPCC Online Safety – advice on social media, gaming, and parental controls
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Childnet – family resources and safety toolkits
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Ofcom Media Use & Attitudes – the latest information on children’s digital habits
Key Online Safety Laws, Guidance & Age Restrictions
|
Platform / Law |
Minimum Age |
What Parents/Carers Should Know |
Relevant UK Law/Guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
|
TikTok |
13+ |
Public by default for under-16s; family pairing available |
UK Online Safety Act 2023; ICO Age-Appropriate Design Code |
|
|
13+ |
Accounts for under-18s default to private; AI moderation for harmful content |
Online Safety Act 2023; Children’s Code |
|
Snapchat |
13+ |
“Quick Add” can expose young users to strangers; location sharing must be turned off |
Data Protection Act 2018; ICO Guidance |
|
YouTube |
13+ (YouTube Kids for younger users) |
Supervised accounts allow filtered content |
Online Safety Act 2023 |
|
|
16+ |
End-to-end encrypted; unsuitable for younger users due to private messaging |
UK GDPR & Age-Appropriate Design Code |
|
X (Twitter) |
13+ |
Public posts; limited parental control features |
Online Safety Act 2023 |
|
Discord |
13+ |
Private servers can be unmonitored; disable direct messages from strangers |
Online Safety Act 2023 |
|
Roblox |
13+ (younger users allowed with controls) |
Parental controls available; monitor chats and game access |
UK Online Safety Act 2023 |
|
Online Safety Act 2023 |
N/A |
Holds tech companies accountable for harmful content and child safety online |
UK Primary Legislation - NSPCC Overview here |
|
Children’s Code (Age-Appropriate Design Code) |
N/A |
Requires online services to protect children’s data and wellbeing |
Data Protection Act 2018 (Part 2) |
If You’re Worried About a Child Online
If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
If you’re concerned about online grooming, exploitation, or abuse, report directly to CEOP via the CEOP Safety Centre.
