Dear Parent/ Guardian,
I would like to bring to your attention an article published in March ’24 by Ofcom (the communications regulator), reporting on the violent content children are exposed to mostly, but not exclusively through social media, video-sharing and messaging sites and apps.
Alarmingly it reports that children first see violent online content while still in Primary School.
A summary of the main findings are:
- Children describe violent content as ‘unavoidable’ online
- Teenage boys more likely to share violent material to ‘fit in’ with peers
- Recommender algorithms and group messaging fuel exposure
- Children’s willingness to report harmful content is undermined by a lack of trust in the process
I would encourage you to read the full article at the link below.
P Mulkerns
Designated Teacher