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The main risk of streaming and video platforms is consuming and the potential harms are inappropriate content or misinformation and disinformation (fake news).
Twitch, TikTok and YouTube are the most popular apps for viewing streams and videos.
Main features
Platforms like Twitch, TikTok and YouTube offer a way to connect with, and view content, from people across the world. Increasingly these are for brands or individual ‘influencers’.
These platforms also offer direct messaging and the ability to ‘tag’ other people in the posts or comments – usually with @username.
It might be useful to think of these services in the context of their main media:
- Twitch – live videos, often play-alongs on games or watch-alongs of other videos
- YouTube – longer user-created videos
- TikTok – shorter user-created videos
Risk and potential harms
Ofcom data suggests that the most common potential harms on these types of platforms are:
- viewing inappropriate content
- disinformation and misinformation
- unwanted contact from other users
The presence of brands and ‘influencers’ adds the potential harms of scams and influenced or pressurised spending.
Because they offer direct messaging and the ability to ‘tag’ other people in the posts or content there is also a potential harm of abusive or bullying messages.
How to set up an account
Almost any app will require the same details to create an account and access its content:
- username (usually an email or the phone’s linked Google or Apple account)
- password
There may be requests for additional information, such as name, address or phone number – these are not always required.
These links explain how to register for and set up an account on the most popular platforms:
Using platform settings to manage risk
Each platform will have a setting for security and privacy – this can be used to control a number of aspects, including:
- who can see your posts or media
- the media and posts shown in your feed
- who can contact or follow you
These links explain how to use settings to reduce the potential risks of unwanted contact, being tagged in abusive or bullying content, or seeing inappropriate or unwanted content on the most popular platforms:
How to report harmful conduct
If a user thinks they have been potentially harmed on the platform they should be aware of how to report this to the platform and potentially the police and trusted adults.
ABUSIVE OR THREATENING MESSAGES SHOULD BE REPORTED TO POLICE SCOTLAND
Online Reporting Form | Police Scotland
These links explain how to report users and content on the most popular platforms:
Resources and activities
Although not specifically teaching resources, these guides from Shore (The Lucy Faithfull Foundation) can support discussions and are useful to point learners to for information on harmful sexual behaviour, such as unwanted contact or unwanted sexual messages:
What to do if…
Thinkuknow by CEOP is the national website for learning about child exploitation and online protection (CEOP). Their learning resources site offers information and resources for learners, families and educators.
These are a selection of the resources for different ages:
