Smart TVs have become more affordable in recent years, making them readily available to most consumers. These more advanced systems offer numerous features beyond those of a normal television set – chiefly, the ability to access the internet and interface with popular streaming services without the need for a set-top box or other intermediary device.

This increased functionality, however, also brings additional threats to privacy, security and more – as you’d perhaps expect from any device capable of going online. As TV is such a cornerstone of our home lives, these dangers can be uniquely difficult to manage. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide breaks down the major risks, with tips on helping children to enjoy TV … stress free.

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They might not be able to pinpoint its location on a map, and they might not fully grasp the historical and political drivers behind the conflict – but in this age where news, images and video can cross continents in seconds, many children are now aware of the terrible recent events in Israel. It’s a situation, of course, that could cause youngsters extreme distress and worry.

Our #WakeUpWednesday guide contains some valuable pointers for supporting children to deal with upsetting content they’ve encountered online – whether that’s the attacks in Israel, ongoing worries over the environment, or something else entirely. Our tips will assist trusted adults in helping young people to process any negative emotions that they may be feeling.

Grab our new guide below!National Online Safety

In 2021, the NCA cited that 42% of parents in the UK share pictures of their children online – half of them doing so at least once a month 👶 Why would they not? Parenthood – and the magical memories we create with our children – is something to be celebrated and chronicled: in an ideal world, at least.

In reality, the topic has become increasingly complex – with respect for other people’s children who might also be in the photos and our own child’s future feelings among the considerations. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide assesses the potential pitfalls of publicly posting our pics.

Grab our new guide below!National Online Safety

With the school summer holidays only a matter of days away, many parents and carers will already be planning outings and activities to keep their young ones entertained. In between those special summer moments, though, there are also likely to be occasions when children happily invest a whole afternoon in Among Us or spend most of their Monday on Minecraft.

As young people’s screen time almost inevitably increases over the holidays, parents like to feel confident that their child will stay safe while they’re exploring the digital world. So we’ve produced a #WakeUpWednesday poster with some simple solutions to help children avoid frequent online pitfalls and enjoy a more positive experience when they go online this summer.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety

Artificial intelligence is probably the hot topic in technology circles right now, with questions being raised worldwide about how AI might conceivably affect the very future of the human race. In the short term, however – definitely as far as its impact on young people is concerned – the clearest risk is almost certainly the AI-powered ‘virtual friends’ which are springing up all over the internet.

There’s Replika and Kuki, for instance, while Snapchat has recently got in on the act with My AI – and search engines like Bing and Google have developed their own versions. Are these machine intelligences suitable online companions for young people? What are their limitations and weak spots? Our #WakeUpWednesday guide profiles the emergence of AI ‘virtual friends’.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety

In this modern age, we’re privileged to be able to experience art from other cultures at the press of a button. A popular example of this is the Japanese animation style known as anime – a creative, unique style that you might recognise from classic 90s animations such as Ghost in the Shell. With recent releases like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners dominating online discussion for months, anime is bigger now than ever.

Although anime appeals to all generations in the West, its largest demographic by far is that of children and young people. However, as our #WakeUpWednesday guide explores, this doesn’t mean that all anime is age-appropriate, and parents and carers are heartily encouraged to make themselves aware of the kind of content their children could be exposed to.

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Not only is an “influencer” an increasingly powerful role in the digital age, but it’s also become a desirable career goal for many young people – an enjoyable way to gain international fame and a gateway to financial success. A survey of Instagram influencers, for instance, found that those with over a million followers make an average of £12,000 (around $15,000) per month.

Much of this wealth, of course, is unlocked by entering into partnerships with various brands – which then raises all manner of questions about some influencers’ authenticity. Is their praise for certain products genuine, or simply because they’ve been paid for their endorsement? This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide peels back the filters for a closer look at influencers.

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Theoretically, digital technology and the online world should improve and simplify our lives – and, a lot of the time, they do. All too often, however, something we see or someone’s behaviour on the internet can cause distress or worry; especially for younger people, who may not yet have quite developed the resilience or emotional maturity to deal with such setbacks.

Indeed, some aspects of daily digital life can have a profoundly negative impact on how young people feel about themselves, their friendships and relationships, and the world in general. To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, today’s #WakeUpWednesday poster is a collection of quick but effective tips to help children prioritise their own wellbeing online.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety

Controversial changes to WhatsApp’s privacy policy back in 2021 was a major shot in the arm for Telegram, as millions of users began searching for a more secure messaging platform. Indeed, Telegram is so confident in its resistance to hacks that it’s previously set challenges (with a prize of up to $300,000) to any user who’s able to crack its encryption.

With protected ‘secret chats’ and self-deleting messages, however, Telegram’s security advantage has also been subverted by criminals using the app to trade stolen data, share child sexual exploitation material and arrange drug deals. As Telegram’s popularity continues to grow, our #WakeUpWednesday guide tells trusted adults what they need to be aware of.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety

Health – our ability to monitor it, and motivation to improve it – is a major selling point for smartwatches. A recent survey found, for example, that smartwatch owners tend to exercise at least one day more every week than people who don’t have a smartwatch. It’s unlikely that the device causes this increase, but it almost unquestionably encourages the additional workouts.

Factor in the facility to store potentially life-saving medical information and to contact emergency services instantly, and it’s clear that smartwatches have plenty to recommend them. As our #WakeUpWednesday guide discovers, however, possible hazards including hidden costs and night-time use interfering with sleep mean that it’s not universally good news for parents.

Read on to access your free guide…National Online Safety