Teachers should focus on understanding how learners are using online platforms – do they consume, create or communicate?
This section focuses on the risks of using online platforms to consume content. Content that is consumed is created by others and shared online by individuals or organisations and can be any form of media, including video, photos, text or games.
Go to Create or Communicate
Misinformation, sometimes called ‘fake news’, is content created to deliberately mislead or misinform audiences and the single biggest risk to UK internet users (22% of UK users encountering potential harms, Ofcom 2022). This may be done to further a cause or goal, such as in politics, or to cause harm or alarm, such as scaring people off medicines and vaccines.
Inappropriate content is any form of media that may be harmful to the person consuming it and is the biggest combined threat to UK internet users (40%* of UK users encountering potential harms, Ofcom 2022). What is considered inappropriate differs between the people viewing it. Some content may be deemed inappropriate for the age of the person consuming it, such as swearing, or more generally harmful, such as racist language or imagery.
More of our money is spent online than ever before, however, this can be problematic when money is being scammed or stolen, or the individual loses control of their spending, such as with problematic gambling. Scams, fraud and phishing are the most commonly experienced potential financial harms, encountered by 27% of UK online users (Ofcom, 2022)
Fast Forward is the gambling support charity for Scotland and have in-depth guides and advice on gambling support – go to Fast Forward page.
