By Linewize Team
Keeping children safe online in today’s climate requires more than just a basic filter. Advanced solutions are essential to protect students from rapidly evolving threats without compromising their education or creativity.
The Increasing Importance of Digital Safeguarding
The safety and wellbeing of young New Zealanders have become top priorities for schools as we navigate an increasingly digital landscape. Reports from The New Zealand Herald have highlighted a concerning rise in online threats, making it more crucial than ever for schools to reinforce their digital safeguarding strategies.
The Reality of Inadequate Filtering Systems
While many schools believe they have robust digital safety measures in place, the reality can be alarming. What you consider a ‘safe’ internet filtering platform may allow inappropriate websites or content to slip through. This was recently illustrated in New Zealand, where harmful content was accessed on a primary school iPad despite an existing filtering system. A parent discovered explicit material, including pornography, self-harm content, and suicide videos, easily accessible on these devices. Even with government funding for internet safety measures, many educators remain unaware of the actual risks, as current filtering systems are often not sufficiently robust.
Watch the interview for yourself here.
What Action Can Schools Take?
You’re not alone if you’re concerned that your filtering system might be enough to keep your students safe online. However, digital monitoring tools can complement existing systems and make a real difference in ensuring student safety.
Watch our short video on how digital monitoring works here.
Regularly updating policies and reviewing the latest features is essential to mitigate risks. By staying informed, you can better shield students from harmful content and ensure a safe learning environment.
Addressing Modern Challenges
Schools' unique challenges in today’s online environment call for proactive solutions. Here are some key areas to focus on:
Advanced Filtering
Implement filtering systems that block harmful content while allowing access to valuable educational resources. Ideally, your filtering platform should include measures that alert schools to high-risk searches to enable proactive intervention.
Watch our short video on advanced filtering here.
Human-Moderated Threat Detection
Monitoring students’ online activity goes beyond simple keyword filtering. Human moderation can identify concerning actions or communications across platforms like emails and documents and go beyond web browsers alone, helping to catch vulnerabilities early.
Parental Controls
Engaging parents in the conversation about digital safety is vital. Parental control tools are widely available and should include features that empower parents to manage screen time on personal devices, creating a cohesive approach to online safety beyond the school.
Watch our short video on how parental control tools can empower your school community here.
Conclusion
In an era where digital threats are evolving rapidly, prioritising the online safety of students is essential. By staying informed and adopting comprehensive digital safeguarding measures, schools can create a secure, supportive learning environment. If you would like to learn more about
Want to Dive Deeper into Digital Safeguarding?
Explore our comprehensive guide ‘Everything you need to know about Digital Safeguarding’ here. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our digital safeguarding solutions, email us at enquiries@linewize.co.nz. We’re here to support you.
