What is livestreaming?
Livestreaming is broadcasting to an audience in ‘real time’. The audience can leave comments, give likes to the person who is streaming and, in some cases, ‘gift’ the streamer. Some platforms let several people livestream at the same time.
Children and teenagers are likely to have spent more time on livestreaming and video apps in the last few years. While many children will be using these apps to talk to friends or family, some children may be talking to people they don’t know, or sharing personal information without realising.
What can make live streaming risky?
There are several factors that can make watching or creating live streams risky for children and young people.
- Content. If they’re watching other people’s live streams, children could be exposed to age inappropriate content, including sexual or violent content.
- Offensive comments. If a young person’s live stream is open to the public, viewers may be able to leave negative or inappropriate comments on feeds.
- Live streaming is ‘in the moment’. Live streaming is ‘in the moment’ which increases the risk of children and young people acting on impulse.
- Do things they wouldn’t do offline. Children, like adults, can feel more confident when they are online as they feel protected by the screen. This can result in them saying or doing something they’d be less likely to do offline.
- Digital footprints. If a live streamer makes a mistake, shares personal details, or broadcasts offensive or inappropriate material, they are doing so in public. It’s possible for viewers to record a livestream, and it could be posted online or shared more widely.
- Inappropriate contact. There can be hundreds, potentially thousands, of people watching a live stream, including people who might be looking to hurt or exploit children and young people.
How you can help your child stay safe while live streaming
There are some practical steps you can take to help keep your child safe if they are using an app or website with a live streaming function.
- Talk to them. The best way you can protect your child is to talk to them. Not just once, but have ongoing conversations as part of your family life. Having these discussions little and often is more effective than one big chat.
- Use devices in public spaces.Â
- Practice and prepare. Advise them to practice and prepare before they go live. This will minimise the risk of errors, or off-script activity.
- Privacy and safety settings. Go through the privacy and safety settings with your child. With younger children make sure only trusted friends and family they know offline  can view their online profiles and videos.
- Be wary of requests to chat in private.Â
- Support and Reporting. It’s really important to make sure your child knows where to go for support if they need it, and how to report concerns. Talk to them about how they can report using the CEOP tool.
If you need more support or guidance with online safety please contact a staff member or send us an email newdale.primary@taw.org.uk