Throughout the violence in recent days in Israel and Gaza, social media has been a large source of information and support, but has also seen the hosting and resharing of graphic videos and photos of death and bloodshed.
Young people may be worried or confused about what is happening, but also may feel pressure to post an opinion of their own online. Parents and carers can support their young people with what to do if something worries or upsets them online.
Talk about the events happening in an age-appropriate way
Before starting a conversation about what is happening in Israel and Gaza, it can be helpful to discover what your child’s base level of knowledge is, and see what questions or concerns they have.
Whatever age your child is, it is important to talk about what is happening in an age appropriate way, and to show content and information that is suitable for your child.
Newsround have created a roundup for young people, which can be a good way to start conversation with your child if they are seeing content online. https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/67051424
Talk about what to do if they see something that worries or confuses them online
There are several ways that young people may see worrying content online; they may stumble upon it whilst scrolling on social media, being sent it directly, by following links, downloading unknown files, or even by knowingly looking for it.
Encourage your child to remove themselves immediately if they feel overwhelmed or worried, they could do this by closing a laptop lid, turning over a tablet or phone, or turning the monitor off on a PC.
Encourage your children to always come talk to them if something they see online worries or upsets them.
Talk about steps to report upsetting content online
If you or your child have seen or encountered something online that is harmful, visit Report Harmful Content to get advice on how best to report content. With specific links to industry, Report Harmful Content can help guide anyone over the age of 13 towards the correct reporting route and review and escalate content if it has already been reported but not taken down.
If you are looking to respond to a specific concern such as Hate Crime, you can access specific guidance on their advice pages.
Talk about the pressure to post (or re-post)
Within conflict or global events, young people can sometimes feel a pressure to post, or re-post, content online in order to join a cause or be part of discussions.
It is important to remind your child that they do not need to rush to post content before they have taken time to do their own research and form their own opinions, and they do not have to post if they do not feel comfortable doing so. It is also key to remind them to think about the impact of what you are posting on others, and to not share things which are upsetting to others, for example, re-sharing things which you found distressing is likely to cause upset to others..
Know who your child can go to for help
There are lots of ways your child can get support if they see something upsetting online and it’s important to make them aware of the different avenues of support. In addition to family and school support, children can contact helplines for advice:
