Internet access is a double-edged sword. It is a source of information, entertainment and a vehicle for communication. However, as reported in the Guardian, a study by Internet Matters, an online safety body, the most vulnerable children in the UK are up to “seven times more likely to come to harm online than their peers”. This report “called for parents, schools and technology firms to find ways of protecting children, without removing their access”. With 40% of children with three or more vulnerabilities (e.g. in care, autistic or with an eating disorder) experiencing cyberbullying/racist/homophobic comments, compared with 11% of peers, and being x3 more likely to be a victim of a scam or come across harmful content (pro-anorexia, self-harm or suicide) something needs to be done. Yet “86% of autistic teenagers in the survey and 82% with learning difficulties said that the internet opened up lots of possibilities for them”, so a balance is needed. Stopping the internet altogether is not a solution. Escudo Web software filters content using black and white list words (built into the browser) so inappropriate content is blocked, protecting children. This can be managed by a school (in school time) and by the parent (outside of school hours).

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jan/31/vulnerable-children-most-at-risk-from-online-harm-report-finds