[AD] National Online Safety App Review

The pandemic that has swept across the globe has without doubt changed the way we live our lives. We have become more isolated and there is now much less social interaction between people which is of course totally understandable with the way Covid-19 is still spreading. Our children have become home educated and many university students had their lessons via Zoom or some other online teaching method. Many people worked from home and every part of life was using technology and going online to live their lives.

The biggest impact of the pandemic was definitely felt by our children. They were not in school and of course they were missing their friends. When they were not doing their schoolwork then the chances are they were online, spending many hours in the ever growing digital world, but how many children were online where their parents were not monitoring what websites they were visiting and how safe their children are online.

I have teamed up with National Online Safety to tell you all about their new app that will help parents and schools navigate the risks and dangers that exist online for children and keep them safe whilst they are online.

The app will give you access to interactive online training courses, webinars and award winning online safety guides. It’s available to download for free for parents and educators. The app provides instant access to age specific parent courses hosted by Myleene Klass: it also has hundreds of guides on the latest apps, games and devices that are used by our children. The app will help parents to keep their children safe online and protect them from any harm or abuse.

Why do parents need to know about online safety?

I’m a dad of eight-year-old twin girls, and during the Covid-19 pandemic they started to go online more than they have ever before. Fortunately, we were both at home and we were able to keep a close eye on what websites or apps they were visiting. Of course that is going to change as the girls get older. I’m not naive to think that they won’t want their own smartphone in the next few years and of course that’s where, as a responsible parent, I need to make sure that whatever they are doing online they are safe.

The girls currently go online via an iPad or laptop and they have a certain amount of freedom when playing games. I like to think we have made sure that they can’t wander to websites or apps that would be totally unsuitable for them, but in truth that will change dramatically when they have a smartphone of their own. This is where National Online Safety’s app will be invaluable for me as a parent. It will enable me to learn about the latest social platforms, games and what risks they will possibly pose to my twins. The app will help me identify any issues quickly and easily and it’s all available at the touch of a fingertip. I can also sit down with the girls and explain to them all about online safety using the app.

One problem that I come across on a regular basis as I’m sure many parents experience is keeping up with the latest apps or games that our children are using and how to control their use of social media platforms. There is also a lack of resources that are easy to access to check out particular apps or games being used by our children. This is where the National Online Safety app will be very useful. I will be able to take my children through online safety guides and complete an age -specific parent’s course. This is all possible because the National Online Safety app has some brilliant key features.

App Features 

It is the world’s most comprehensive online safety app, with hundreds of guides on the latest devices, platforms, apps and games. Notifications arrive to your smartphone when new content is added. This is very useful, because experts pass on their knowledge and you will instantly know the dangers to your children of any particular online game, app or social media platform. You can check out the experts page here.

The app is very user friendly and has a very powerful search feature which makes it easier and quicker to find what I want and more importantly when I want it. I can also personalise all my content and I can favourite key resources, and as I have already mentioned there is the online safety course for parents presented by Myleene Klass. I have started the online safety course for parents of 7-11 year old children and I have already learnt so much. Myleene Klass is particularly good in getting the message across which is most likely because she is mum of three children, so completely to identifies the problem of keeping our children safe online.

Parents with children at National Online Safety Certified Schools also get to additional content through the app. This additional content includes a range of short explainer videos, some of which are also hosted by Myleene Klass. This version of the app is still free for parents, but is paid for through the school’s subscription to National Online Safety – any schools who are interested in joining can find out more here. 

As my twin girls start going online more it’s my responsibility as their dad to ensure that they are safe online and I have started using the app showing the girls how to stay safe online. In particular the children devices safety online guide was a good start to show the girls that yes, being online has many benefits and can be a very enjoyable experience, but unfortunately it can have a downside too.

There will come a time soon when the girls will be online more and more, and it’s vital for me as a parent that I keep open the line of communication between us so that if they encounter a problem while being online they won’t hesitate in coming to me and tell me, and that’s how the National Online Safety app will be perfect, because if I don’t understand or I’m not sure what to do, I can go on the app and find the answers. The information and advice is first class.

The National Online Safety app is the first app to truly tackle online safety in a very comprehensive way. It will help parents and children to have a positive experience when being online – and, most importantly, keep them safe while they do so. If you are a parent, I would highly recommend you download the app. It’s available and free to download on Google Play or the App Store.

This is a paid collaboration. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.