FACEBOOK
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MINIMUM AGE: 13+
WHAT IS IT? Facebook is a social media platform that allows people to connect, share, and communicate with friends, family, and communities and organisations. Users create profiles to post updates, photos, videos, and stories about their lives, follow pages, join groups, and chat via messaging. It also features a news feed that shows updates from friends and pages users follow. WHAT WE SAY: Treat with caution. 🔞 Exposure to Inappropriate Content Despite moderation efforts, Facebook can expose children to violent videos, adult content, misinformation, and extremist material, particularly through Groups, Reels, or shared links. Even with privacy settings, unfiltered content can appear via friends or group posts. 🔐 Privacy Concerns Facebook collects large amounts of personal data, including location, browsing habits, and device use. Users may accidentally share sensitive information through public posts or by not configuring their privacy settings correctly. Facebook profiles are often indexed by search engines, and real names are typically required. 📍Location Sharing Facebook allows users to tag their location in posts, Stories, and Reels. This can expose real-time whereabouts and frequent locations like home, school, or clubs — even to strangers. Children may unintentionally reveal patterns or personal details that could be misused. Even with a private account, location tags are clickable and can link to public posts from the same place. 📢 Lack of Accountability in Groups & Comments Facebook groups, especially public ones, are often used to spread conspiracies, hate speech, and harmful content with minimal moderation. Comments can be toxic, and it is easy for trolls or fake accounts to bully or provoke users without being easily identified. 📱 Cyberbullying and Harassment While Facebook offers tools to block or report users, harassment can occur via Messenger, comments, friend requests, or tagging. Fake accounts are also used to impersonate or target children, and bullying may continue across Facebook and other Meta platforms like Instagram or WhatsApp. 💬 Direct Messaging Facebook Messenger allows users to send private messages. However, this feature poses risks, such as cyberbullying, harassment, and grooming by predators. Although Facebook provides privacy settings, many users do not adjust them, potentially exposing their messages to unwanted access. 🚨 Sexual Harassment & Grooming Risks There are documented cases of Facebook being used for online grooming, particularly via Messenger or friend suggestions. Predators may pose as teens, build trust, and ask for personal photos or private conversations. Facebook Marketplace has also been misused for inappropriate contact. 🧑💻 Online Predators & Scams Facebook’s large user base and relatively open messaging system make it a target for scammers and predators. Users may be tricked into clicking dangerous links, sharing private photos, or engaging in unsafe conversations. 🚨 Misinformation & Extremism Facebook has been a hub for fake news, conspiracy theories, and political manipulation. Young users exposed to false or hateful content may become confused, misinformed, or emotionally affected, particularly during global events or crises. |
SAFETY TIPS:
📲Understand the app: Familiarise yourself with Steam's features and how they work. Knowing how the app works will help you guide your child effectively. 👨👧Parental supervision: Check their interactions and adjust privacy settings accordingly. Try to stay up-to-date on Internet trends and best practices. 📢Underage Accounts: Steam might have an age restriction but it lacks a proper age verification process. Therefore, there’s little stopping users from faking their dates of birth or creating bogus profiles and targetting children and young people. 👥Manage friend requests: Teach your child only to accept friend requests from people they know in real life. 📷 Cover the Webcam When Not in Use Physically cover your camera when you're not ready to go live. Always be mindful of what’s visible in your background—it can reveal location clues. 🧠 Trust Your Instincts If something feels uncomfortable, it is uncomfortable. Leave the chat immediately and don’t engage with users who seem suspicious, aggressive, or inappropriate. 🖥️ Place Devices in Shared Spaces Keep internet-connected devices in living rooms or kitchens, not bedrooms. This makes risky behavior less likely and easier to notice. 🙋♀️Conversations: Have open discussions with children and young people about the topics associated with online use - bullying, grooming, sexual and criminal exploitation, body image, as well as accessing support and how to report. 🚨 Know the Signs of Trouble Watch for behaviour changes—like anxiety, secrecy, mood swings, or suddenly deleting apps. These can signal something inappropriate happened online. 💬Conversations: Have open discussions with children and young people about the topics associated with online use - bullying, grooming, sexual and criminal exploitation, body image, as well as accessing support and how to report. FURTHER SUPPORT: For parents/ carers If you're worried about your child or need support call NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. If you discover criminal content when online then report it directly to the police or the Internet Watch Foundation. If you're worried about online grooming or sexual behaviour online then report directly to the police or contact CEOP. For Children & young people if they're worried or want to talk, encourage them to contact Childline Online or call 0800 1111. Check out our Resource Centre for further information and useful online safety tips. 
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