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Snapchat/Youtube

Do you know how to protect your child on social media apps?

Concerns over children’s safety online were raised this week following Snapchat’s latest update.

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.

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.”

Instagram have been contacted by TheJournal.ie. 

Read: Warning for Irish parents over Snapchat update that shows user’s exact locations

More: The advertising watchdog has handled its first complaint about a Snapchat influencer

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18 Comments
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    Mute John Fagan
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:45 AM

    If the DUP are criticising you then you know you are doing something right.

    962
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    Mute A Well Known Comical Stereotype
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:33 AM

    Gary Lineker – my new favourite English footballer.

    598
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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:39 PM

    @A Well Known Comical Stereotype: Thought the DUP were very busy looking through the Windsor Framework Agreement. Obviously not.

    247
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    Mute Darren Lynch
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    Mar 9th 2023, 2:37 PM

    @A Well Known Comical Stereotype: na, he scored against us in the 1990 world cup. Cant forgive him!!!

    11
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    Mute Bri Lyons
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:57 AM

    Pity the DUPs ancestors didn’t follow their own anti immigrant stance and not cross on boats to Ireland

    669
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    Mute Con Cussed
    Favourite Con Cussed
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:42 AM

    Easy for the DUP to call him a lefty. Attila, the Hun is left of the DUP thinking.

    He’s on a free salary for not adhering to democratic principles and forming an Assembly.

    382
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    Mute SquideyeMagpie
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:34 AM

    Wasn’t sure but now I know he was right

    365
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    Mute Michael Garvey
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:41 AM

    @SquideyeMagpie: yup. Good old Gregory. Scandalous apparently to treat people in dire circumstances with basic compassion.

    256
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:14 PM

    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.

    312
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    Mute ConPhoto
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:44 AM

    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.

    301
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    Mute Owen G Mc Ginley
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:13 PM

    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

    174
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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Mar 9th 2023, 2:00 PM

    @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?

    112
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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    Mar 9th 2023, 6:45 PM

    @Owen G Mc Ginley: At lest Gary Lineker goes to work, unlike the DUP who refuses.

    41
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    Mute Brian Boru
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:37 AM

    It’s not often I agree with the DUP!

    168
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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:43 AM

    @Brian Boru: Well says a lot about you!

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    Mute Ciaran Forde
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    Mar 9th 2023, 2:06 PM

    @Brian Boru: another boring comment from Brian Boru.

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    Mute Brian Boru
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    Mar 9th 2023, 4:38 PM

    @Ciaran Forde: You want everyone to have the same opinion, how boring is that.

    15
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    Mute JustBEERbarry
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:37 AM

    Imagine the dup aren’t happy with something or someone. SEACHT

    159
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    Mute A$AP ETH
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:49 PM

    Showing any bit of empathy these days is dismissed as ‘lefty’ behaviour. Sad.

    116
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    Mute Karl Phillips
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:38 PM

    The DUP, squatters in another country. We are getting very near the F word folks.

    135
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    Mute Leonard Barry
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:51 PM

    DUP and Braverman two of a kind!!!

    95
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    Mute Eugene O Doherty
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:58 PM

    @Leonard Barry: agree, immigrants to another country

    70
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    Mute John Mcmahon
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    Mar 9th 2023, 1:34 PM

    Always liked Gary Lineker being a Spurs fan
    But like him more now
    A nice human being

    81
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    Mute Keth Warsaw
    Favourite Keth Warsaw
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:53 AM

    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.

    92
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    Mute Tom Hogarty
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:25 PM

    @Keth Warsaw: what would it take for you to care less enough to hold off on the inane, uninteresting, bland and negative comments?

    136
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    Mute Keth Warsaw
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    Mar 9th 2023, 1:35 PM

    @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.

    27
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    Mute Calvin James
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:01 PM

    Waiting patiently for the free speech brigade to rally behind Gary

    48
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    Mute Brian Dunne
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:14 PM

    @Calvin James: you mean the free speech brigade who are trying to tell him to shut up because they don’t agree with him?

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    Mute Jen Mc
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:26 PM

    @Calvin James: I think you’re confused as to who the free speech brigade are pal.

    55
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    Mute A Well Known Comical Stereotype
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:45 PM

    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.

    53
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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:37 AM

    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

    66
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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Mar 9th 2023, 11:46 AM

    @Dave Hammond: Welcome, in case you’re wondering the toilet is all around you.

    23
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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Mar 9th 2023, 12:58 PM

    @thesaltyurchin: cheers it’s the exit doors I’m looking for …

    10
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    Mute A$AP ETH
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    Mar 9th 2023, 1:42 PM

    @Dave Hammond: tell you what, exit doors are on the way out.

    8
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    Mute Keth Warsaw
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    Mar 9th 2023, 1:49 PM

    If he was an intellectual, I might take his comments seriously, and reflect upon them. But this is a former footballer who advertised crisps.

    24
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    Mute Dick Barrett
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    Mar 9th 2023, 2:15 PM

    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.

    13
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    Mute Liam
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    Mar 9th 2023, 5:37 PM

    The DUP should help sprinkle the football pitches for the weekend matches with their tears.

    10
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    Mute Michael Powell
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    Mar 9th 2023, 3:24 PM

    It will be interesting to see just how Foxy BBC is prepared to be about this.

    7
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