Safer Internet Day is set to be held on Tuesday 8th February and to mark the occasion; Cumbria Constabulary is hosting an online web chat for concerned parents, guardians, and teachers - or for children themselves - to talk about online safety.
By logging onto the live web chat via www.cumbria.police.uk/safetyonline between 7pm and 8:30pm on Tuesday 8 February, visitors can fire questions at Cumbria’s expert ‘ePanel’ – consisting of Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde, who is renowned as one of the UK’s leading lights in cybercrime within his role as President of the Society for the Policing of Cyberspace (POLCYB), and Cumbria Children’s Services E-safety Advisor Jeff Haslam.
They plan to take questions and provide safety advice on topics such as keeping safe online, cyber bullying, Facebook / chat room safety and how young people can make responsible choices when using the Internet.
The international awareness day, organised by Insafe, is designed to promote the safer and more responsible use of the internet and mobile phones, especially amongst young people across the world.
“The Internet is a fantastic tool that provides so much opportunity but it is important that youngsters, their parents, teachers and friends, all understand the dangers that are out there.
“In support of the national awareness day, we are hosting a web chat from 7pm – 8.30pm so that the people of Cumbria can have the chance to discuss issues, ask questions and talk about concerns in a live, open forum. I hope that this sparks some debate and that parents, guardians and teachers take the opportunity to log on to share their experiences and gain valuable advice.”
Jeff Haslam from Cumbria County Council said: “Many parents don’t realise the games their children are playing or that their actions on social networking sites can lead to them being contacted by strangers who are not who they say they are. This and the problem of addiction, bullying, exposure to violent and sexual material and playing online late into the night makes it very important that parents take an interest in what their children are doing online.”
Cumbria Constabulary will also be working with a selection of secondary schools across the county throughout the day and will be posting Internet Safety advice tips and video links on their social networking sites every hour – a first for a Constabulary campaign.
Radio Cumbria will be presenting their breakfast show live from Cockermouth School from 6.30am – 9.30am where they will run regular Internet safety features. This will include an opportunity for schools and parents to ask questions to a panel of experts - including representatives from Cumbria police.
At lunchtime, a web chat will take place in Dowdales School in Dalton from 12.30pm – 1.30pm, hosted by the North West Evening Mail. The webchat will invite questions from pupils at Dowdales School, the local feeder primary schools, parents, teachers and carers about topics such as online gaming, chat sites, texting and internet use on mobile phones as well as ways in which to improve online safety.
Questions will be directed at the panel that will consist of local police officers, some pupils and teachers from Dowdales School, and Jeff Haslam.
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