Online Safety Newsletter - November

Please find this month's Online Safety Newsletter below

November Online Safety Newsletter

Online Grooming

What is Online Grooming?

Online Grooming is when an adult builds a

relationship online with a child to manipulate,

exploit, or abuse them.

How does Grooming take place?

Groomers often use fake profiles to pretend they

are someone they are not, for example they may

claim to be younger than they really are or pretend

to be a person of influence. They will use flattery

and attention to build trust and friendship. They

may use online games or social media to initiate

contact but then encourage your child to switch to a

different app to chat with privately - usually on an

app that offers limited or no parental controls and/or encrypts messages.

What can I do?

 Use appropriate parental controls.

 Set privacy settings.

 Show them how to use any blocking or reporting tools.

 Chat to your child regularly about what they do online and who they

communicate with. Remind them that people online may not always be

who they say they are.

What are the signs that my child is being groomed?

 Being secretive about who they are talking to.

 They become withdrawn from family and friends.

 Appearing anxious or upset after receiving messages.

 Receiving unexpected gifts.

Find out more here: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-

protection/offender-gaining-trust

What should I do if my child is being groomed?

 If you think your child is in immediate danger, contact the police.

 Stay calm and reassure your child that they are not to blame.

 If you are worried about online abuse or the way somebody has

been communicating with your child online, report it to CEOP:

(https://www.ceop.police.uk).

Further information

 https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/11_18/lets-talk-about/sexual-

abuse/online-grooming/

WhatsApp Channels

and Parental Controls

Users must be at least 13 years old to

use WhatsApp. Children under 13 can

access WhatsApp through a parent-

managed account.

Nov 2026

Online Safety Newsletter

Would you like to read

this newsletter in a

different language? You

can use the translation

tool on our web version:

https://www.knowsleyc

lcs.org.uk/november-20

26-primary/

Spotify Parental

Controls

Spotify is a music streaming service.

You must be aged over 13 to access it.

If under 18, parent/guardian consent

is required. However, under-13s can

access Spotify through a managed

account set up by a parent or legal

guardian.

Since July 2026, Spotify has provided

parental controls for managed

accounts on both free and premium

plans. These controls:

 turn messaging off.

 turn explicit content off.

 turn videos and canvas off.

 allow you to block specific

artists or tracks.

Further information

Read the news announcement here:

https://newsroom.spotify.com/2026-

05-13/managed-accounts-free-tier-

expansion/

Spotify have produced this Parental

Guide to assist you with further

information:

https://www.spotify.com/us/safetyan

dprivacy/parental-guide

COM Networks are online communities where harmful and deeply

disturbing behaviour occurs, including child sexual abuse, cybercrime and

extremism. These networks operate on mainstream messaging apps,

gaming platforms and through social media. It is important to be aware

that such networks exist and understand the risks they can pose to

children. Introductions to COM Networks can begin with harmless

conversations on a game or social media platform, but then as trust builds,

groups will gradually introduce harmful content, extreme challenges and

pressure to prove loyalty. Some groups use threats, humiliation or the

threat of exposing private information to control members. Images,

messages or personal details may be used to blackmail victims.

What should I look out for?

 Increased secrecy

 Emotional or behavioural changes

 Unfamiliar language: using new expressions or discussing extreme

content, opinions or beliefs.

 Unexpected gifts

Sky News investigation into COM Networks (and links on popular

sites such as Roblox and Discord)

You may have seen Sky News’ investigation into COM networks. The report

highlights findings from a six-month investigation that found self-harm-

themed avatars, clothing and related content available on the gaming

platform Roblox, including items that could be accessed by children as

young as five years old. The report can be viewed here, please be aware

that it contains upsetting content:

https://news.sky.com/video/inside-robloxs-dark-side-sky-news-finds-self-

harm-avatars-available-to-young-children-13592551

How can I protect my child?

 Have regular and open conversations with your child. Ask your

child what they do online and who they communicate with.

 Reassure them that they can always ask for help, even if they have

shared something personal or broken a family rule.

 It is important to remember that threatening to confiscate their

devices may make them less likely to talk to you when something

goes wrong.

 Regularly review privacy settings and set up appropriate parental

controls on all devices your child is using.

 Ensure your child understands the risks of sharing personal

information or intimate images online.

Further information

 https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/gscp/professional-

resources/sadistic-online-exploitation/

 https://saferschoolsni.co.uk/understanding-com-networks/

WhatsApp Channels

and Parental Controls

Users must be at least 13 years old to

use WhatsApp. Children under 13 can

access WhatsApp through a parent-

managed account.

WhatsApp Channels

WhatsApp Channels are a one-way

broadcast tool to send updates to

followers. Channels can be found in the

Updates tab. From here you can view a

whole host of channels, including

channels that will not be age

appropriate and may include adult

content. If your child has their own

WhatsApp channel, then you need to be

aware that they are public. Anyone can

view and follow a channel and

anything you share on your channel is

public. We would recommend that

parental controls are used to prevent

children creating and accessing

WhatsApp channels.

Parent Managed accounts

Parent managed accounts are required

for those under 13. These accounts

have additional safety restrictions and

do not allow access to features such as

Channels, Meta AI and location sharing.

You also have control over which groups

they can join.

Parental Controls for Teenagers

For users aged 13 to 17, WhatsApp

offers parental control settings to limit

access to certain features such as

Channels.

For more information, visit:

https://www.whatsapp.com/parentalco

ntrols

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Rage Bait

Have you heard of this term? Rage bait

is when somebody deliberately posts

online content to make people feel

angry or frustrated to generate views

and engagement. Find out more here:

https://findmykids.org/blog/en/rage-

baiting

COM Networks

Users of this guide do so at their own discretion. No liability is entered into. Current as of the

date released 01.11.26. The inclusion of any links does not imply any affiliation with or

endorsement of the linked websites, documents, or videos, nor are we claiming any ownership

or copyright in the content of the linked materials.