Holy Trinity Church Of England Primary School

Dear All,

We have received information today with regards to an App that some children may be using or accessing.

OMEGLE

Last year schools across the UK were warned about a well-known chat room, Omegle. We did issue a warning to parents and carers urging them to talk to their children about these types of platforms at the time. However, new information around content has been shared and we felt it best to re-issue the information so that you may share with you children.

Content from Omegle is now being shared by popular influencers which could encourage young people to visit this platform. We are aware of instances where popular influencers are livestreaming reaction videos of them using the platform.

Young people are likely to use these chat rooms and chat room apps because they seem fun, and the randomisation of people can be exciting. As young people spend so much more time online due to ongoing restrictions there is an increased chance that they will come across these sites.

The risks are:-

· Young people are at risk of seeing distressing or highly sexualised imagery without warning

· They may be asked or pressured to remove clothing or reveal personal information

· They may be asked to have private conversations on other apps or platforms

· They may be sent malicious links or spam

Top tips:-

· Keep on engaging young people in a conversation about keeping safe online and who they would talk to if someone made them feel uncomfortable

· When talking to a child or young person it is best not to mention the website or app by name as it may increase the risk of them checking out the platform

Many Thanks

Stay Safe

Holy Trinity Safeguarding Team