Dear Parents/Carers,

Internet Safety

You may have seen in the press today articles regarding something called the “Momo Challenge.” This is an app that makes a scary character pop up whilst people are accessing other apps such as You Tube, Whatsapp and Facebook. The character persuades children to have dangerous thoughts and sets dangerous tasks for them to complete such as turning on the oven or harming themselves.

Whist school are not seeking to cause concern, and there is no evidence that any child from St. Luke’s has accessed the site, we must make you aware of these safety concerns.

When we hear of things like this it is vital that we remind parents and carers to constantly monitor what software/sites/apps their children are accessing. All computers/laptops/ipads/tablets should have the necessary age appropriate restrictions on to limit what your child can access. Please note that these restrictions are not always 100% reliable so you must regularly monitor what your child is doing.

Fortnite is another game that can result in children being exposed to content that is not appropriate, it is classed as containing “mild violence”.

• Fortnite is an online video game where players compete to be the last person standing in a post-apocalyptic world. The most popular version is Fortnite: Battle Royale, which sees up to 100 players pitted against each other to stay alive on an island. Players can build and demolish structures, and collect weapons, supplies and armour to help them along the way
• Players shoot each other using a range of lethal weapons, but the brightly-coloured, cartoon-style graphics and lack of bloodshed mean it doesn’t feel too gory or graphic

It is recommended that no child under the age of 12 should play on Fortnite for a number of reasons including the following risks:

• Communication between players: a chat function allows players to talk to each other either over a headset and microphone, or using messaging. Children could use it to speak to strangers, or it could put them at risk of cyberbullying
• In-app purchases: players can build up large bills on their parents’ accounts by buying cosmetic items like outfits for your character and better-looking weapons (otherwise known as ‘skins’)
• Addictive nature of the game: anecdotal stories tell of children staying up all night to play, or falling asleep in lessons after playing for too long. Some commentators attribute this to the communal feel of the game – you can play with your friends – and the game is different every time you play, keeping it fresh