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May’s email covers webcams and how they are used by young people.

‘Webcam’ is short for web camera. It is a small video camera that is plugged into a PC or laptop and allows live video communication via an internet connection. New laptops may even have webcams built into their screens. Some webcams come with a microphone already built in to allow voice as well as video conversations. It is a fantastic way of keeping in touch with friends and family, especially those who are living abroad.

The most common way of using webcams is through instant messaging (IM) applications such as - Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo!. Users log into their IM account and can activate the webcam facility to begin a live feed. When using a webcam to communicate via IM, only two people can be involved in the conversation (although there are some software’s emerging where streaming can allow multiple users to communicate). The images that webcams provide are not as clear as that from a digital camera but they are good enough to identify who is communicating with whom.

Another common use of webcams allows people to set up a camera and feed a constant stream of images to a webpage for other users to view. This can be explained as similar to the ‘Big Brother’ television programme where people who log onto a site have access to watch other people’s lives.

Webcams can also be used as a security provision. They can be set up to allow home owners to check their houses whilst on holiday for example or to trigger a photo of an intruder when a sensor is activated, and with new and emerging software that is readily available, an internet connection is not always required for this.

But what are the risks associated with using webcams? And how can we protect our children when using them……..

·       Children and young people are using webcams more and more to communicate with friends and family.  Webcams can be used by young people when exploring their sexuality from the comparative ‘safety’ of their own homes.

1       Unfortunately child sex offenders also use webcams to engage with young people as part of the grooming process.  For example, once contact has been established, offenders may encourage children to carry out sexual acts in front of the webcam for them to see.

2       Technology is now available to capture the footage from webcams and once an offender has this footage or image, they can use this against the child or another child.  For example, they can:

·       use the images to blackmail the child to meet up in real life or to provide further footage.

1       use the images to play back to other young people to engage with them - posing as a child themselves; and / or
2       pass the images on to other offenders.

·       Children and young people often don’t realise that webcam images - once on the internet - can be there forever

It is important to speak to your children with regards to the use of webcams and set some ground rules. Some that we would recommend are:
The computer should always be kept in a family room rather than a bedroom. This will also mean that a webcam will be in a family room, allowing you to see what your children are doing online and also who they are talking to.
Children should only use a webcam to communicate with people they know in the real world. Even if they have been talking to someone using IM and think they have become friends they should not engage in webcam conversations- images can be recorded and may be used elsewhere on the internet.
Children should be encouraged to tell a trusted adult if they are worried about someone they are talking to online via a webcam, or if someone they don’t know approaches them to begin a conversation.

Did you know……..

48% of 11-16 year olds within the UK use a webcam
(source: CEOP survey of 8000 11-16 year olds, 2007)

For more information on how to keep your children safe whilst using webcams and the internet, visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents

Dive into Hector’s World……..

This month saw the launch of CEOP’s new internet safety resource for children as young as five. ‘Hector’s World’- supported by Becta and developed in association with Netsafe in New Zealand - has been developed by CEOP for the UK primary education sector. It is free to use for all primary school teachers and can be used either in the classroom or at home with parents and carers.

Hector’s World comprises of five state of the art cartoon episodes that take children on a journey with Hector and his friends, where they learn about trustworthiness, how to make positive choices online, what personal information is and how to be open with a trusted adult when they use the internet.

Each episode is approximately five minutes long and come with supporting lesson plans for use in the classroom and downloadable resources for use at home. You can access these from www.thinkuknow.co.uk/hectorsworld

Find out more…..
You can now register to receive our bi-monthly e-bulletin which provides information to subscribers on all areas of the work of CEOP. Visit www.ceop.gov.uk/  to find out more.

Help us in the fight to locate missing child sex offenders- register to receive updates when more details are released or new offenders are posted on the site. Visit www.ceop.gov.uk/wanted

What is CEOP again……?
CEOP is the police agency specifically set up to tackle the sexual abuse of children in the UK. Find out more about our work at www.ceop.gov.uk and register for updates on all areas of our activity.

Can you help……?
Next week (04/06) we are launching an online survey to gather information for the International Youth Advisory Congress (IYAC).  We are asking children and young people under the age of 17 to answer a few questions on online safety and how they use the internet. The aim is to use the information gathered at the congress this summer. So if you can ask your children or family members to fill in the survey we would be very grateful.

The survey will be accessible via the young peoples site  - www.iyac.net/children/index.htm

For more information about IYAC visit the website - www.iyac.net

And finally- did you find this email useful?
If so, please forward it onto friends and family and they can register to receive these emails too.
If you are not registered to receive these emails, register here www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/register.aspx