Halloween Online Safety Guide
Staying safe online during Halloween — from scary content to trick-or-treat coordination apps.
Halloween brings themed content across social media and gaming platforms. Some of this content can be genuinely frightening for younger children, while older children may encounter age-inappropriate horror content through challenges and trends.
Content filtering for younger children
Increase content filtering temporarily during Halloween. Platforms often see a surge in graphic or frightening content that bypasses normal age filters.
Talk about scary content
Ask your child if they've seen anything that scared them online. Normalise the conversation — it's okay to be scared and okay to talk about it.
Trick-or-treat coordination apps
If using apps to coordinate trick-or-treating, review their location sharing and privacy settings. Disable real-time location sharing with strangers.
Online challenges and dares
Halloween often brings risky online challenges. Discuss that not all challenges are safe and it's okay to say no.
Related safety topics
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.