Community Care Inform: Guide To Technology and Abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse
Guide to technology and abuse Author: Nathalie Noret, Faculty for Health and Life Sciences, York St John University Publication Date: 26 March 2012
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Quick links: Introduction How children and young people use technology Risks associated with the use of ICT
Supporting children and young people in the safe use of technology Summary References
Introduction Technology has transformed the lives of children and young people to the extent that it has become an integral part of their daily lives, for education and establishing and maintaining social relationships. The following guide, drawing upon current research and policy, provides an exploration of: How children and young people use technology. Technology used by children and young people. Risks associated with using technology. Guidance for professionals working with children and young people. Important e-safety messages for children and young people. Useful sources of support.
Throughout this guide, you will be signposted to additional useful sources of information and practical advice.
How children and young people use technology Before exploring the risks associated with using technology it is first important to understand how children and young people use different types of technology in
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their daily lives. A number of large-scale surveys have been conducted exploring the use of technology and have found: 91 per cent of children and young people live in a household where there is an internet connection (Ofcom, 2011). Approximately 90 per cent of children and young people own a mobile phone. In particular the ownership of smartphones has been found to be increasing with 41 per cent of 12-15-year-olds and 12 per cent of 8-11-year-olds reporting owning a smartphone (Ofcom, 2011).
The EU Kids Online project (Livingstone et al., 2011) is a large-scale survey of children and young people from across Europe, exploring their use of technology. Results of this study indicated that the most commonly reported use of technology by children and young people in the month previously, was to use the internet for schoolwork, which was reported by 85 per cent of children and young people. This was followed by using the internet for playing games (83 per cent), watching video clips (76 per cent), using instant messaging (62 per cent), visiting a social networking site profile (62 per cent) and sending/receiving emails (61 per cent) (Livingstone et al., 2011). Brief guide to technology commonly used by children and young people Children and young people use a range of technologies in their daily lives; to understand the risks associated with this technology and be able to advise children and young people on their use, it is important to keep up to date with current popular technologies. The following is a brief overview of some of the most common: Content sites: YouTube allows users to view and share videos, as well as providing comments boards where users can comment on the content they are viewing. Many content sites, such as YouTube, have an age restriction which states users should be over 13 to set up an account on their website. However, this is particularly difficult to monitor and there is no way to restrict the viewing of videos. Gaming sites: Gaming websites include computer games where users can play online. Many gaming sites include an instant chat function, which allows users to chat (through text) to each other.
Instant messaging: Programs can be downloaded onto users programs, computers or smartphones and allow users to chat to other users through text. Popular instant messaging programs include; Microsoft Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and Skype. Many social networking sites also incorporate an instant messaging function. Smartphones: Smartphones are types of mobile phones which offer a range of advanced technologies, including music players, cameras, access to the internet, which allows users quick access to email, social networking sites, online games and video sharing tools. Smartphones also incorporate traditional phone functions such as SMS (text messaging) and MMS (media messaging). Popular smartphones include the iPhone and Blackberry. Social networking: Sites such as Facebook, which allow users to sites: create a profile, share personal information and photographs, comment on other peoples walls and invite people to comment on theirs. Users can also join groups on the basis of common interest, for example groups on popular musicians and sports teams. Many social networking sites include email and instant messenger tools. Popular social networking sites include: Facebook, Twitter and Habbo. Virtual learning environments: Often used by schools and colleges where pupils can gain information about their school and lessons to support their learning. Find out more about how technology is used by children and young people, here: CEOPs Think you know website. Childnet International.
Risks associated with the use of ICT Although the benefits of technology use are outlined by current research and policy (Becta 2006, Valentine et al 2005), the risks associated with the use of technology are also well documented. Exploring the experience of risk online is often methodologically challenging, as asking children and young people about their risky behaviours online, in particular in relation to grooming behaviours experienced, poses a number of ethical challenges. The EU Kids Online project (Hasebrink et al, 2007) and the Byron Review (Byron, 2008) categorise the risks associated with ICT use into four categories: commercial risks; aggressive risks; sexual risks; and values risks. Research and policy developments have focused
predominantly on aggressive and sexual risks in an attempt to provide guidance on e-safety for children and young people. The following provides an overview of this research of the key messages for professionals working with children and young people. Aggressive risks:
Aggressive risks encompass a range of aggressive behaviours and material that children and young people can be exposed to when using the internet. These include being exposed to violent/aggressive and/or hateful content such as images and videos, and being a victim and/or perpetrator of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying has been defined as the wilful and repeated harm inflicted through the medium of electronic text (Patchin & Hinduja, 2006) and includes a variety of different behaviours which can be experienced through a variety of technologies. To date, the majority of studies undertaken to examine cyberbullying have tended to focus on the prevalence of such behaviours, with such research identifying that between 1 and 29.4 per cent of adolescents have been victims of cyberbullying (Li, 2005; Patchin & Hinduja 2006;Kowalski and Limber 2007; Rivers & Noret, 2010; Ybarra and Mitchell, 2004). To date, research on the effects of cyberbullying is limited and is currently based on relatively small-scale survey studies. Kowalski et al (2008) provide an overview of this research, highlighting that on the whole research suggests that victims of cyberbullying react in a similar way to those who are bullied in more traditional ways, such as being called names or being hit or kicked. In the studies reviewed by Kowalski et al, victims of bullying reported feeling sad, confused, hurt and stressed because of their experiences. However, such research is limited as currently studies have employed the use of survey methods and self-report questions on victims reactions to cyberbullying. To date, there is little available data on the long-term effects of such experiences. A variety of behaviours are included in this definition which can be perpetrated through a variety of technologies. Cyberbullying includes a range of behaviours which can be experienced through a number of different types of technologies. Nocentini et al. (2010) proposed that cyberbullying behaviours can be categorised into four typologies of behaviour irrespective of the technology being used. These behaviours include: written or verbal behaviours; visual behaviours; exclusion and impersonation. Table 1, below, provides an overview of these
different types of behaviour. Due to the speed at which technology develops and changes, ways of cyberbullying can also change and develop. One challenge for professionals working with children and young people is keeping up to date with the way technology is developing and therefore how children and young people can cyberbully others. Find out more about types of cyberbullying here: http://old.digizen.org/cyberbullying/fullguidance/understanding/forms.aspx http://www.cyberbullying.info/whatis/types.php http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/HealthAndRelationships/Bullying/D G_070501
Table 1: Types of Cyberbullying Behaviours
Links from table 1: Cybermentors case study Let's fight it together Jamie's story Lauren's story Netsmartz Commercial risks:
Such risks relate to the commercial aspects of the internet, whereby children and young people may receive advertisements, spam and sponsorship information which may encourage them to spend money and share personal information. Users may also engage in risky commercial use, such as potentially illegal behaviours including; illegal downloading, hacking and gambling. Such risks also encompass the misuse of personal data, which can include personal identity theft and having money taken from you. Livingstone et al. (2011) identified that seven per cent of 11-16-year-olds in their sample reported that someone had used their passwords to access their personal information, website or pretended to be them. In addition, four per cent reported that their personal information had been used in a way they did not like and one per cent reported having lost money on the internet. Research has also indicated that commercial companies intentionally target internet sites that are popular with children and young people to encourage users to share personal information. Mayo and Nairn (2009) identified that over 85 per cent of popular websites collected personal information on their users and 35 per cent offered free gifts if users provided personal information about themselves. Websites often use Cookies to track users use of the internet, such as frequently visited websites, so they can target their advertising more effectively. Value risks:
Risks associated with values can be related to the reliability and bias evident in some websites which provide misleading information or advice. Research on this type of risk is currently lacking, but some studies have explored children and young peoples exposure to websites such as websites about suicide and selfharm, pro-anorexia websites, violent and aggressive content such as violent video clips and websites including racist or hateful content.
Livingstone et al. (2011) identified that viewing violent or hateful content online was the third most common risk experienced by children and young people in their sample. Overall, 21 per cent of 11-16-year- olds had viewed such sites, with 12 per cent reporting viewing hate sites, 10 per cent had viewed proanorexia sites and seven per cent had viewed a self-harm site. Although, research data is beginning to be published, there is a lack of evidence exploring children and young peoples exposure to such sites and the impact such viewing can have. Sexual risks:
The sexual risks associated with using technology can take a number of different forms. Such risks can include being sent and/or viewing pornographic or sexual content as well as being a victim of sexual abuse through technology which includes meeting strangers online, being groomed online, sexting, and creating and uploading inappropriate sexual material. In particular, Palmer and Stacey (2004) identified that sexual risks can include ten different types of behaviour: 1. Children who view adult pornography. 2. Children who are sold online for sexual abuse. 3. Children abused through prostitution using the internet and mobile phones to contact their abusers. 4. Adults or young people who engage in cybersex with children. 5. Young people who place images of young people online. 6. Children of adults who download or distribute sexually abusive images of children. 7. Children who download sexually abusive images of children. 8. Children groomed online for sexual abuse offline. 9. Children made the subjects of child abuse images. This category however can be further subcategorised: a. Abusers may show children abusive images of children to normalise the activity. b. Children may be made to view their own abuse images. c. Children may be encouraged to introduce their friends or other children
within their family to the abuser. d. Children may be encouraged to be pro-active in the sexually abusive scenario either with the perpetrator or with other children. e. Children may be encouraged to place photographs of themselves online. Grooming is defined in the Sexual Offences Act (2003) as the course of conduct enacted by a suspected paedophile, which would give a reasonable person cause for concern that any meeting with a child arising from the conduct would be for unlawful purposes. The Child Protection in Sport Unit at the NSPCC outlines the different techniques used to groom children and young people. These methods include: Pretending to be a child or young person and setting up false profiles on instant messenger or social networking sites. Using hobby sites as a means to gather information about a childs/young persons interests. Persistently asking to meet a child/young person offline. Gathering personal information about the child or young person such as their full name, address, telephone number and school details. Offering gifts and other incentives such as music, games, tickets for sport or music events, or the promise of meeting celebrities. The offer of payment to a child or young person in return for them appearing naked or performing sexual acts. Asking questions of a sexual nature for example do you have a boyfriend? Sending sexually themed content such as images and videos. Using threatening or bullying behaviour to coerce a child or young person, for example threatening to tell a childs parents about their online activities, stating that they know where the child lives/goes to school.
Due to the many ethical and methodological issues that must be addressed when conducting research in this area, as well as the difficulty in accessing children and young people who have been sexually abused through ICT, there is a limited research base on how many children have been victim to this type of abuse. As Renold et al. (2003) states: UK data are restricted to small case studies, survivor stories, Home Office statistics and police operations. Renold et al. (2003) also cite a study conducted on behalf of the NSPCC which identified that
less than one per cent of the UK child population has been exploited through child pornography. In their report, Palmer and Stacey (2004), outline a study conducted on behalf of Barnardos to identify the number of children who required a service from Barnardos in relation to their experiences of sexual abuse via technology and identified the most common types of behaviour (from those outlined above) experienced in this sample. In total, data from 83 children were included in the analysis and found that children being made the subjects of sexual abuse images was the most commonly reported reason for seeking support from Barnardos (n=27, 32.5 per cent). This was followed by children who download sexually abusive images of children (n=22, 26.5 per cent) and then by children who are groomed online for sexual abuse offline (n=15, 18.1 per cent). Livingstone et al. (2011) also explored sexual risks in their survey and identified that 14 per cent of 9 to 16 year olds have seen sexual images online, 30 per cent had been in contact with someone online who they had not met offline, nine per cent had met someone offline who they had met online and 15 per cent had received sexual messages online. In addition to sexual risks associated with adult abusers, recent research has begun to explore the issues of sexting in children and young people. Defined as the sending of sexually suggestive or explicit messages (Insafe, 2010) usually by mobile phone, this type of behaviour typically begins with the young person consenting to the images being taken or actively sending messages themselves. The risk associated with this behaviour is that such images and messages can be widely distributed, usually following the breakdown of a relationship. Currently there is a lack of research exploring this behaviour in detail. Find out more about sexting here: http://www.saferinternet.org http://www.netsmartz.org/RealLifeStories/YourPhotoFate
Summary of risks The outline of risks presented highlights some of the common issues explored in current policy and research. As mentioned at the beginning of this report ICT has many benefits for children and young people. Many researchers acknowledge the
benefits of such technology both in terms of the educational and the social benefits and it is important to consider these benefits when attempting to identify the risks involved in ICT use.
Supporting children and young people in the safe use of technology Given the nature of the risks associated with using technology, a wealth of supporting resources and advice material is available to support professionals working with children and young people to help them educate on using technology safely. The following section of this guidance provides an overview of some of the key messages in internet safety as well as useful sources of information. 1. Not everything you read or see online is true and not everyone you meet is who they say they are. One key message in internet safety is understanding that not everything that is published online is true or that people you meet online are not necessarily who they say they are. 2. Never meet someone offline who you have met online. Although many children and young people may chat with people online who they have never met offline, it is important that they understand that such people are still strangers and that sometimes people are not who they say they are online. It is important to stress that children and young people should never meet someone offline who they have met online unless accompanied by a parent or other trusted adult. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre has a dedicated website which includes a wealth of information and guidance for children, young people, parents and professionals working with children and young people. This website includes a number of videos for e-safety training which highlight the dangers of meeting strangers offline. 3. Know what to do if you are being cyberbullied. If you are working with children and young people there are some key messages in responding to an experience of cyberbullying: Do not respond: Although victims of cyberbullying may be tempted to respond to an occurrence of cyberbullying by sending a retaliatory text
message or email, this is not appropriate and could result in the victim being deemed a cyberbully themselves. Keep the evidence: Unlike other types of bullying, victims of cyberbullying have evidence of their experiences. If a child or young person reports being cyberbullied, they should save and print out any conversations or save any images or videos that have been used to cyberbully them. Although a victim may be tempted to delete the material straight away, they should first save the material or take a screen shot and save this image as evidence of the bullying and then report their experiences to an appropriate adult. Block the bully: In cyberbullying the victim has the power to block a bully, this can be done on many social networking sites and on instant messenger programs. In addition, if a child or young person is being cyberbullied by mobile phone, the victim can contact their network provider to change their number or request to have a number blocked. See section 5 for links to guidance on how to block people. Tell someone: As with all experiences of bullying, victims of cyberbullying are encouraged to tell someone, such as an adult or peer about their experiences. Seek support: Telling someone about their experiences is often the first step in getting support, however victims of cyberbullying can also access support from Childline (0800 11 11) or the Beatbullying website.
4. Know what to do if someone you know has been groomed online. Should you suspect that a child or young person is in immediate danger from someone they have met online then you need to contact the police as soon as possible. If a child or young person reports someone online behaving inappropriately towards them or has made them feel uncomfortable online, but where they are not in any immediate danger, they can report their experience to CEOP. Many websites which are popular with children and young people now have this logo incorporated into their site:
Internet users can click on this link and report any negative experiences, for more information on this reporting tool, click here. If a child or young person reports viewing inappropriate material online, that falls into one of the following categories: Child sexual abuse images hosted anywhere in the world. Photographic child sexual abuse images hosted in the UK. Criminally obscene adult content hosted in the UK.
This material can be reported to the Internet Watch Foundation. Should a child or young person require support following their experiences, which is not available through your organisation, they should be advised to contact Childline on 0800 11 11. 5. Know and understand the safety features online. One key message of internet safety is to understand how to use technology safely, this includes understanding the safety measures inbuilt in particular websites and how to block other people so they cannot contact you. Many internet providers, browsers and websites include a number of safety features, it is useful that these are understood to help children and young people use the internet safely. These features include: Content filters. How to block people. How to report inappropriate content. How to save chat logs and text messages so that any inappropriate contact can be saved. Safety features on content sites such as YouTube. For more information: The teachtoday website has a number of user guides focusing on safety settings. The Surfnetkids website also provides a good overview of different privacy issues. CEOP browser safety tools.
A number of the mobile phone providers in the UK have dedicated pages on their websites focused on internet safety, including safety tips when using the internet as well as what to do if you receive spam, nasty, threatening text messages or harassing phone calls. Details for five of the biggest mobile phone providers, and their internet safety advice, are provided below: O2 Orange Tesco Mobile T-Mobile Vodaphone
In addition, some of the main internet service providers also include information on their websites on keeping children and young people safe while using their services: Facebook Microsoft Messenger Youtube
6. Keep your usernames and passwords private. As outlined in the cyberbullying section, anecdotal evidence suggests that children and young people often view the sharing of user names and passwords as a sign of friendship. However, if the friendship was to break down, this can place the child or young person at risk. Therefore, it is important for users to understand the need to keep their details private or as Childnet states treat your password like your toothbrush and dont share. In addition, children and young people must remember to log out of their online accounts before leaving a computer, this is especially the case if they are using a shared computer. 7. Keep your profiles private. In terms of social networking sites, such as Facebook, many of these sites provide users with the opportunity to personalise their profile and limit who can view their information. When an under-18 user signs up to a social networking site most of these sites will set the default profile to private. It is worth checking that this is the case with different sites and ensuring that children and young people do not change this.
It is strongly suggested that children and young people should set their profiles to private, to ensure that strangers cannot view their sites when searching for people. In addition, some sites now enable users to set profiles so that different information can be displayed to different people, for example you can show photographs to only close friends and family or limit what casual acquaintances can see. It is important that children and young people understand these settings and change their settings if required. For more information on how to change privacy settings, the following websites offer some good clear guidance on how to do this: The teachtoday website has a number of user guides focusing on safety settings. Surfnetkids also provides a good overview of different privacy issues specifically exploring Facebook.
8. Never give out personal information online. As well as ensuring that profiles remain private, children and young people should also be informed of how important it is to limit personal information provided on their websites and social networking sites. By limiting personal information, this can reduce the risk of children and young people being identified and/or contacted by people they do not know and have never met offline. Such personal information includes: Full name: Instead users should use a nick name or a shortened version of their name. Photos: Users should be careful that they cannot be identified by their photos. For example, they should not include photos of themselves in their school uniform. Or if users want to share such photos, ensure only their close friends and family (who they know offline) can view these images. Contact details: Postal addresses, email addresses, home and mobile telephone numbers should not be included online. School details: The name and address of schools should not be included on sites, in addition it is important that information that can be used to identify a school is also not included, for example photographs of a user in their school uniform.
9. Have an Acceptable Use Policy for your organisation. An Acceptable Use policy (AUP) is: A document outlining the way in which new and emerging technologies may and may not be used and listing sanctions for misuse. (BECTA, 2009) An AUP is a valuable document in e-safety as the document will outline how technology should be used in a particular setting. BECTA published a guide to developing AUPs which can be accessed here. 10. Keep up to date. With the rapidly developing nature of technology, it is often difficult to keep upto-date on how children and young people use technology. The following websites provide a valuable insight into current research findings, policy developments and training for professionals working with children and young people: CEOP. Childnet. The UK Safer Internet Centre. UK Council for Child and Internet Safety.
Summary This guidance provides a brief overview of key messages in internet safety, more information and further guidance can be found in the UKCCIS Advice on child internet safety 1.0 document. In addition, Plymouth Council provides a good overview of the topic. The use of technology changes and develops at a fast rate, CEOP and Childnet all provide invaluable, balanced resources for addressing the risks associated with ICT, whilst celebrating the benefits of technology for children and young people.
References Bullies move beyond the schoolyard JW Patchin and S Hinduja Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 2006, Volume 4, Number 2, pp148-169
Children and parents: media use and attitudes report Ofcom, 2011 Children and young peoples home use of ICT for educational purposes: the impact on attainment at key stages 1-4 G Valentine; J Marsh and C Pattie Research Report 672, DfES, 2005 Consumer Kids: How big business is grooming our children for profit E Mayo and A Nairn Constable & Robinson, 2009 Cyberbullying: Labels, Behaviours and Definition in Three European Countries A Nocentini; J Calmaestra; A Schultze-Krumbholz; H Scheithauer; R Ortega and E Menesini Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 2010, Volume 20, Number 2, pp129-142 Cyberbullying RM Kowalski; SP Limber and PW Agatson Oxford: Blackwell, 2008 Cyberbullying. Safer Children in a Digital World: The Report of the Byron Review Department for Children, Family and Skills (DCFS now DfES) Nottingham: DCFS Publications, 2008 Cyberbullying. Safe to Learn: Embedding Anti-Bullying Work in Schools Department for Children, Family and Skills (DCFS now DfES) Nottingham: DCFS Publications, 2007 EU Kids Online S Livingstone; L Haddon; A Grzig and K lafsson London: LSE Research, 2011 EU Kids Go Online: Comparing Childrens Online Activities and Risks across Europe U Hasebrink; S Livingstone; L Haddon; L Kirwil and C Ponte 2007 Electronic Bullying Among Middle School Students RM Kowalski and SP Limber Journal of Adolescent Health, 2007, Volume 41, Number 6, pp22-30.
Gender and CMC: A Review on Conflict and Harassment Q Li Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2005, Volume 21, Number 3, pp382-406 I h 8 u: findings from a five-year study of text and email bullying I Rivers and N Noret British Educational Research Journal, 2010, Volume 36, Number 4, pp643-671 Images of Abuse: A Review of the evidence on child pornography. Summary of Research and Findings E Renold; SJ Creighton; C Atkinson and J Carr London: NSPCC, 2003 Just One Click: Sexual Abuse of children and young people through the internet and mobile telephone technology T Palmer and L Stacey Basildon: Barnardos, 2004 Online aggressor/targets, aggressors, and targets: a comparison of associated youth characteristics ML Ybarra and KJ Mitchell Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2004, Volume 45, Number 7, pp13081316 The Becta review 2006: evidence of the progress of ICT in education Becta Becta ICT Research, 2006

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Guide to: Technology and abuse

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Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Table 1: Types of Cyberbullying Behaviours

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

Guide to: Technology and abuse

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