Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
PARENTS SHOULD BE regularly checking their children’s social media accounts to ensure they’re not in contact with people they don’t know in real-life.
This warning is coming from CyberSafeIreland, the children’s internet safety charity, in light of this week’s new Snapchat update which sees looser privacy settings within the app.
The introduction of ‘Snap Maps’ puts users and their photos onto a new interactive in-app map where friends and other Snapchat users can track where they are at any given time.
Users who have chosen to share their location with their in-app friends can be seen on the map that’s precise enough to show a person’s exact location on a street, in real-time.
Snapchat isn’t the only app that uses location tracking – it’s a common feature on the majority of social media apps including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and Twitter.
A spokesperson for Snapchat told TheJournal.ie:
The safety of our community is very important to us and we want to make sure that all Snapchatters, parents and educators have accurate information about how the Snap Map works.
Warning to parents
Programme Director of CyberSafeIreland Cliona Curley told TheJournal.ie that it’s important for parents to be aware of the settings surrounding location-sharing in apps because children are at high risk of communicating with strangers online.
“Generally, children who are sharing information online could be more vulnerable to pedophiles, online grooming or extortion – where someone who has had contact with them online might try to have further contact with them in real life,” Curley said.
“Children are too young to be left on their own on social media. It’s an environment where they can have a lot of positives out of it but it’s also an environment that adults have to be part of the picture.”
Curley used Instagram as an example to emphasise how easy it is for people to track children online.
Advertisement
She said that if a person is walking through a park and sees someone taking a selfie and uploading it to Instagram, that person can do a location search on the app and find the photo if they had their location settings turned on.
How can parents keep their children safe?
Curley advised parents on how to keep their children safe while using social media apps.
She said that it’s important for parents to research all the apps that are installed on their child’s devices and find out how they can make their children’s social media accounts more private.
“Get to know the apps. Sit down with your kids and look at [the apps] and look at what safeguards are in place,” she said.
She suggested that parents review the settings in the apps and make rules around their use.
You might create a rule that they can only have people they know in real life on their friend lists.
People they know in real life are going to be in their class in school, in their after school activities or sports activities. A lot of time children are befriending others because they’re on their friends’ friend list and they’re assuming that they know that person.
“You need to sit down regularly with your children and review their privacy settings, review their friend list and ask them ‘who is this child, how do you know them?’. Make sure they know everybody in real life,” she said.
CyberSafeIreland’s 2016 annual report found that 28% of children surveyed are in contact with a stranger either occasionally or every day through online gaming or accepting social media requests from strangers.
Whilst many connections are harmless, there are cases where the contact with strangers is of significant concern, particularly for the 5% of children who are in contact with a stranger on a daily basis.
The survey also found that whilst 84% of primary school teachers do cover internet safety in one form or another, the majority of them (64%) said that they did not feel sufficiently resourced to effectively deliver educational messages on internet safety.
“More needs to be done and everybody has a part to play in this. There needs to be a lot more done by technology providers, some of them are doing a lot more than others but it needs to be standardised across the board,” Curley said.
“There also needs to be a lot more investment in education in Ireland. Sometimes there’s a focus on prohibition and banning children from technology but that’s not practical.
“The reality is that technology is very much part of everyday life and children will be dealing with it.”
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
The Tory Party and the BBC had no problem when Lineker criticised the Human rights record of Qatar which hosted the World Cup. Lineker now faces the Director General of the BBC Douglas Davie who was politically appointed by the Tory Party as he was a major financial donor to the Conservative Party. Seems free speech is a one way street at the BBB and the Tory government. Well done Gary Lineker.
something is wrong somewhere if a football pundit’s comment about an issue, is getting more coverage and reaction than that of the actual issue.
Bear in mind the issue involves men, women and children’s lives.
I suppose the DUP will now add this demand of a Salary reduction for Lineker, as the 8th test to be met for accepting the new Windsor Protocol Agreement
@Owen G Mc Ginley: They are complaining about Lineker and his salary and the same person sits on his … and receives a salary for doing nothing! Unbelievable the way they preach what about, “Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you”?
On the other sides, does this mean that the DUP will be moving back to Scotland via Rwanda?
Champaign communist if ever, some might say. Not I, as I couldn’t care less about this milky minded individual locked tight within his guilded cage far away from reality of the normal hardworking joe.
@Tom Hogarty: I think calling my comments inane and uninteresting are a tad strong. Same comments grabbed your attention. As for negativity…I’d rather reflect the realities of life and build upon sound ground than be an idealistic dreamer building upon Sand. But I thank you for your interest in my bland comments.
The Tory “Stop the boats” slogan and the associated BS are carbon copies of the trick used in Australia by the Aussie Tories. Braverman’s “We will decide who comes to this country” is exactly what John Howard said. The attacks on Labour along the lines of ‘you won’t protect our borders’ is the same. It won a few elections for the Aussie Tories. I think this won’t be enough to save them in the next election but it might. It is outrageous.
For a nano second i thought there might be something worth reporting here / something something the DUP / Immigration policies in the UK / Christ how lazy / bad are Irish media becoming / it’s not like there aren’t an enormous amount of very important issues facing Ireland daily / this is just lazy / go thru the motions posting of UK click bait nonsense
I would say that as Gary Lineker is a BBC sports and not a news commentator, he can say what he likes about other matters, even if what he says is a bit OTT like in this instance.
Pope Francis had 'peaceful' night in hospital, Vatican says
1 hr ago
4.2k
7 deadly reads
Sitdown Sunday: 'How f**king twisted is that?' - James Murdoch on his relationship with his father
16 mins ago
476
0
Mulhouse
One dead and several police officers wounded in 'Islamist' knife attack in France
Updated
15 hrs ago
35.9k
Your Cookies. Your Choice.
Cookies help provide our news service while also enabling the advertising needed to fund this work.
We categorise cookies as Necessary, Performance (used to analyse the site performance) and Targeting (used to target advertising which helps us keep this service free).
We and our 152 partners store and access personal data, like browsing data or unique identifiers, on your device. Selecting Accept All enables tracking technologies to support the purposes shown under we and our partners process data to provide. If trackers are disabled, some content and ads you see may not be as relevant to you. You can resurface this menu to change your choices or withdraw consent at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences link on the bottom of the webpage .Your choices will have effect within our Website. For more details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
We and our vendors process data for the following purposes:
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
Cookies Preference Centre
We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent. You may exercise your right to consent, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. Some vendors may process your data based on their legitimate interests, which does not require your consent. You cannot object to tracking technologies placed to ensure security, prevent fraud, fix errors, or deliver and present advertising and content, and precise geolocation data and active scanning of device characteristics for identification may be used to support this purpose. This exception does not apply to targeted advertising. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework.
Manage Consent Preferences
Necessary Cookies
Always Active
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Store and/or access information on a device 104 partners can use this purpose
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development 136 partners can use this purpose
Use limited data to select advertising 106 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Create profiles for personalised advertising 78 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Use profiles to select personalised advertising 77 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Create profiles to personalise content 37 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Use profiles to select personalised content 33 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Measure advertising performance 127 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Measure content performance 60 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources 75 partners can use this purpose
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Develop and improve services 82 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Use limited data to select content 38 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
Use precise geolocation data 43 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification 25 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors 86 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Deliver and present advertising and content 96 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Match and combine data from other data sources 68 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Link different devices 50 partners can use this feature
Always Active
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically 84 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
Save and communicate privacy choices 64 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say