This section contains all of our Cyber Safety Advice Blogs for Parents
Category: Blog
GTA Online launches The Diamond Casino & Resort – Should parents be concerned?
The Diamond Casino and Resort
On 23rd July 2019, Rockstar’s GTA Online launched The Diamond Casino and Resort. Describing itself as, “An exclusive luxury adult playground, with limitless indulgences. Binge and give in to temptation in our VIP casino. Play table games, slot machines, bet on races, spin the lucky wheel to win prizes or a new luxury car. Depraved night life, world class luxury shopping, or relax on the rooftops and swing by the infinity pool. The party doesn’t have to stop. Spend your money sensibly by purchasing a luxury penthouse. Penthouse owners can play high limit tables or chill in the VIP lounge, with other people of a certain calibre. Give in to your whims and desires in an experience you will never forget, until you do”.
Continue reading “GTA Online launches The Diamond Casino & Resort – Should parents be concerned?”
Parental Controls for YouTube
Parental Controls for YouTube are essential if you are going to permit a child to access the platform. There is an incredible amount of content on YouTube, which is entirely unsuitable for children. Channels which promote, self-harm, suicide, pornography, the list is endless. Many parents have also encountered popular children’s cartoons, edited and voiced over with adult content. There are also countless Gaming channels which are popular with children even though they contain very adult content, and quite often, no shortage of bad language.
Smartphones make access to child porn easy
A West Cork Judge has warned of the dangers and journeys into “the dark side of human behaviour”, through the access of child pornography content on smartphones. Judge James McNulty made his comments as he convicted a Martin Hayes, aged 37, from Clonakilty, Co Cork for possession of child pornographic images discovered by authorities on his iPhone. Judge McNulty also issued a stern warning to those tempted to access such content, noting that the societal implications of a conviction were far worse than a prison sentence.
Continue reading “Smartphones make access to child porn easy”
From Addiction to Self-Esteem issues – Teens Social Media Experience
Teens spend a fair part of their day in the online world. There is a vast array of Social Media sites and Apps, to explore and to be part of. This has now become the primary method of staying in contact with friends, a way for them to express and define who they are. Social media has become a platform for teens to develop new friendships and interests. But when you spend so much time online, does it eventually have an effect of you mental health. Or even perhaps on your social skills
Continue reading “From Addiction to Self-Esteem issues – Teens Social Media Experience”
Irish woman a victim of Online Image Abuse after male posts her images on porn sites
Image Abuse
A 21 year old Irish woman, Daire Hickey McGovern, took to the National airwaves yesterday, speaking on RTE’s ‘Live Line’. She described her image abuse experience. Images were harvested without her knowledge, or consent from Facebook, and then uploaded to pornographic websites. Speaking openly she stated, “I was afraid that when people would google me, the first thing that would come up is photos of me on a porn site,”
Images of women taken from Social Media weaponised to create Fake Porn Videos
A new threat has emerged, and it is putting puts both adults and children at risk of appearing in pornographic videos. A number of women found to their horror, images put on their own Social Media profiles, were superimposed, over the faces of porn actress in videos. The seamlessly grafted images in these videos are incredibly authentic looking. This technique is now also used to generate revenge porn featuring ex-partners. The content then circulated online or through message apps.
Continue reading “Images of women taken from Social Media weaponised to create Fake Porn Videos”
A Christmas Message from @COTDAge
A Christmas Message
Since founding Children of the Digital Age, a company with the sole purpose of protecting children online. I have dedicated a very large piece of myself, to identifing the many dangers faced by children and adults in an online enviornment. Then developing ways to protect against it, and bringing this knowledge to adults, parents and children all over the country.
As Faceboook reveals another Privacy Breach we must begin protecting children’s Online Privacy
The Paradox of Online Privacy
Expecting Online Privacy is an entitlement. But do we understand what it means? Have you ever tried to tap the top of your head and rub your tummy at the sometime? Give it a go, you’ll discover it’s quite difficult. This is a little tougher when you try attempt to switch hands. Try change which hand taps and which hand rubs. In some ways, this is what we are doing when we give children access to an online world. We want them to experience the advantages, while preventing access to the enormous amount mature or harmful content.
Social Media Platforms ban Amos Yee for promoting paedophilia – “Look at her, how could you not be a paedophile”
“I defend Paedophiles publicly”
Controversial Vlogger Amos Yee has been removed from WordPress, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube platforms for promoting paedophilia in the last number of weeks. The 20 year old currently granted asylum in the US, referred to himself on Twitter, “I defend Paedophiles publicly on the internet.” Yee is one of a growing number of people who are attempting to normalise an abhorrent and criminal behaviour.
As fatal casualties of Cyberbullying increase, what can parents do to protect their children?
