Online Safety Glossary
Almost 100 online safety and UK safeguarding terms, written in plain English for parents, carers, schools, and teens. Skim the headings or jump straight to a category.
UK safeguarding
Roles, plans, and processes used in UK child safeguarding and child protection.
Child criminal exploitation (CCE)
Where children are coerced, controlled, or manipulated into criminal activity, including drug supply (county lines), theft, or violence.
Child in need plan
A multi-agency plan under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989, providing services to a child whose health or development would suffer without support.
Child protection
A part of safeguarding focused specifically on protecting children who are suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm. It triggers more formal interventions including child protection plans.
Child protection plan
A plan made for a child judged to be at risk of significant harm. Reviewed at child protection conferences. The local authority leads the plan.
Child sexual exploitation (CSE)
A form of child sexual abuse where a child is manipulated, coerced, or forced into sexual activity in exchange for something: money, gifts, status, drugs, or affection.
County lines
A model of drug supply that exploits children to move and sell drugs from urban areas to other parts of the UK. Children involved are victims of criminal exploitation.
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
A senior member of staff trained to act in the role of the DSL when they are unavailable. Every English school must have at least one deputy DSL.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
The named member of senior school staff responsible for safeguarding and child protection. Every school must have a DSL and at least one deputy.
Early help
Support provided to families as soon as problems emerge, before concerns escalate to statutory intervention. Schools, GPs, and other professionals can lead or refer to early help services.
Harmful sexual behaviour
Sexual behaviour by children that is developmentally inappropriate or may be harmful to themselves or others. The Brook Traffic Light Tool helps professionals assess what is concerning.
LADO
Local Authority Designated Officer. The person who manages allegations against adults who work with children, such as teachers, coaches, or care workers.
Local safeguarding partnership
Multi-agency arrangements (replacing former Local Safeguarding Children Boards) that bring together the local authority, police, and health bodies to safeguard children in their area.
Looked-after children
Children in the care of a local authority, including those in foster care, residential homes, or placed with relatives under a court order.
MASH
Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub. A team in each local authority that receives safeguarding referrals and decides what response is needed.
Modern slavery
The exploitation of people, including children, for forced labour, sexual exploitation, or criminal activity. Covered by the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Peer-on-peer abuse
Abuse between children, including bullying, sexual violence and harassment, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and image-based abuse. A required focus under KCSIE.
Radicalisation
The process by which a person comes to support or adopt extreme views, often through online exposure to propaganda, hate groups, or charismatic individuals.
Safeguarding
The action taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. In the UK, safeguarding includes prevention of harm, supporting good outcomes, and taking action when concerns arise.
Screen time
The amount of time spent using a device with a screen, including phones, tablets, computers, and televisions.
Law and policy
UK laws, statutory guidance, and regulators that shape online and offline safety.
Age verification
Technology or processes used to confirm a user\'s age before allowing access to content or services. The UK Online Safety Act requires platforms to keep children away from harmful content.
DBS check
Disclosure and Barring Service check. A background check used in the UK to determine whether someone is suitable to work with children or vulnerable adults.
Illegal vs harmful content
Illegal content breaks UK law (for example, child sexual abuse imagery or incitement to terrorism). Harmful content is legal but can damage a child, such as some self-harm or pro-eating-disorder material.
KCSIE
Keeping Children Safe in Education: statutory guidance for schools and colleges in England on safeguarding. Updated annually. All school staff must read at least Part 1.
Mandatory reporting
A legal duty to report specific types of child abuse to authorities. In the UK, mandatory reporting of FGM exists.
Online Safety Act
UK legislation (2023) that places legal duties on tech companies to protect users, especially children, from harmful content online. Ofcom is the regulator.
Regulated activity
Defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. Roles involving regular contact with children where an enhanced DBS check with barred-list information is required.
Significant harm
A threshold in UK law (Children Act 1989) at which compulsory state intervention into family life is justified. Defined as ill-treatment or impairment of health or development.
Risks and behaviours
Behaviours and threats children may face online or offline.
Catfishing
When someone creates a fake online identity to deceive others, often using someone else\'s photos and a made-up name.
Cyberbullying
Repeated, deliberate harmful behaviour carried out through digital devices such as phones, tablets, and computers. It can include mean messages, exclusion, and sharing embarrassing content.
Cyberstalking
Using the internet to repeatedly harass, monitor, or threaten someone. This can include tracking someone\'s location, monitoring their social media, or sending unwanted messages.
Doxing
Publicly sharing someone\'s private information, such as their home address, phone number, or workplace, without their consent, usually with malicious intent.
Doxxing
Another spelling of doxing. Publicly sharing someone\'s private information without consent, often to invite harassment or harm.
Grooming
When someone builds a relationship with a child in order to exploit or abuse them. Online grooming often involves flattery, gifts, secrecy, and gradually pushing boundaries.
Hate speech
Language that attacks, demeans, or incites violence against a person or group based on their race, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, or other protected characteristic.
Image-based abuse
The non-consensual taking, sharing, or threatening to share of intimate images. Includes upskirting, revenge porn, and deepfake intimate images.
Money mule
Someone who allows their bank account to be used to transfer illegally obtained money. Teenagers are increasingly recruited for this through social media. It is a criminal offence.
Online scam
A fraudulent scheme carried out via the internet, designed to trick people into giving away money, personal information, or access to their accounts.
Parasocial relationship
A one-sided emotional connection with a public figure, influencer, or online personality. Children may feel they know a creator personally, making them more trusting.
Revenge porn
The non-consensual sharing of intimate images, usually by a former partner. In the UK, this is a criminal offence. The Revenge Porn Helpline (0345 6000 459) can help with removal.
Sexting
The sending or receiving of sexually explicit messages, photos, or videos, typically via a smartphone. When involving under-18s, sexting can have serious legal consequences.
Sextortion
A form of blackmail where someone threatens to share intimate images of a person unless they comply with demands, often for money or more images.
Trolling
Deliberately posting provocative, offensive, or disruptive content online to upset others or cause arguments. Trolling can range from mild annoyance to targeted harassment.
Tech and online
How online tools work, plus the technology behind common risks and protections.
Account hacking
Gaining unauthorised access to someone\'s online account, often through guessing passwords, phishing, or exploiting security weaknesses.
Algorithm
A set of rules used by apps and websites to decide what content to show you. Social media algorithms learn what keeps you scrolling and show you more of it.
Content filtering
Technology that blocks access to certain types of websites or online content. It can be applied at the network level (on your router) or on individual devices.
Cookies
Small files stored on your device by websites to remember your preferences, login details, and browsing habits. Some cookies track your activity across multiple sites.
Dark patterns
Design tricks used by apps and websites to push people into choices they would not otherwise make, such as buying more, sharing more data, or staying online longer.
Dark web
A part of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and requires special software to access. It is often associated with illegal activity.
Deepfake
AI-generated video, audio, or images that convincingly show a real person saying or doing something they never actually did.
Digital footprint
The trail of data you leave behind when you use the internet, including posts, comments, searches, and data collected by websites. Some of it is permanent.
DNS filtering
A method of blocking harmful websites by changing the Domain Name System settings on your router. It protects all devices on your network without installing software on each one.
Encryption
The process of scrambling data so that only the intended recipient can read it. End-to-end encryption means even the platform itself cannot see the content of your messages.
Family Link / Screen Time
Built-in parental control tools on Android (Family Link) and Apple (Screen Time) devices. They allow parents to manage app access, screen time, and content restrictions.
Filtering and monitoring
Technology used by schools to block harmful content and to monitor for risky activity on school networks and devices. A statutory expectation under KCSIE.
Generative AI
AI tools that create text, images, audio, or video, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or image generators. Their output is predicted, not researched.
Hallucination (AI)
When an AI chatbot generates information that sounds confident and plausible but is entirely fabricated. AI tools do not verify facts, they predict likely-sounding words.
IP address
Internet Protocol address. A unique number assigned to every device connected to the internet. It can reveal your approximate location and be used to identify you online.
Malware
Malicious software designed to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorised access to a device. Types include viruses, worms, ransomware, and spyware.
Metadata
Data about data. For example, a photo\'s metadata can include the date, time, and GPS location where it was taken, information that may be shared unknowingly.
Parental controls
Settings and tools that allow parents to manage what their children can access on devices, apps, and networks. They include content filters, screen time limits, and communication restrictions.
Phishing
A type of scam where someone sends a message designed to trick you into sharing personal information, clicking a malicious link, or downloading harmful software.
SafeSearch
A setting built into search engines like Google and Bing that filters explicit content from search results. It should be enabled on all devices children use.
Sharenting
The practice of parents regularly sharing photos, videos, and details about their children on social media. This can create a digital footprint for a child before they can consent.
Social engineering
Psychological manipulation used to trick people into revealing confidential information or taking actions that compromise their security.
Spyware
Software that secretly monitors what you do on your device, including keystrokes, browsing history, and messages. It can be installed without knowledge.
Two-factor authentication (2FA)
A security feature that requires two forms of verification to access an account, typically a password plus a code sent to your phone. Significantly reduces the risk of account hacking.
VPN
Virtual Private Network. Software that encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a server elsewhere. Can be used for privacy, but children may also use VPNs to bypass content filters.
Platforms and features
Features and settings inside apps, games, and devices.
Block
A feature on most apps that stops a specific person from contacting you or seeing your content. Blocking someone is always okay if they are making you uncomfortable.
Gacha
A game mechanic where players pay or grind for a randomised draw of characters or items, named after Japanese capsule-toy machines. A type of loot box.
In-app purchases
Purchases made within an app, often for virtual items, extra features, or game currency. Children can spend real money without realising it if purchases are not restricted.
Livestreaming
Broadcasting video in real time to an audience. Unlike pre-recorded content, livestreams cannot be moderated before they are seen.
Loot box
A feature in some games where players pay for a randomised selection of virtual items. Considered by many to be a form of gambling aimed at children.
PEGI rating
Pan European Game Information rating. The age classification system used for video games in the UK and Europe, ranging from PEGI 3 to PEGI 18.
Help and reporting
Helplines, reporting routes, and organisations that help.
CEOP
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection command, part of the National Crime Agency. You can report concerns about online child exploitation at ceop.police.uk.
IWF
Internet Watch Foundation. UK charity that identifies and removes online child sexual abuse imagery. Anyone can report indecent images of children anonymously.
Report / reporting
The process of notifying a platform, organisation, or authority about harmful content or behaviour. Most apps have a built-in reporting feature accessible from the offending content.