Switched On Families is about giving parents clear, honest, useful (and sometimes even fun) support to make sure your family gets the best from the web. You know your kids best, but here at Virgin Media, we know a thing or two about the web and want to help you make informed and confident choices.
The web is packed with brilliant stuff to supercharge life for your whole family. But just like in the real world, there are some things that as a parent or guardian you need to watch out for. How you manage the web at home is becoming more important for families everywhere.
Last year, we spoke to thousands of UK parents and families about their everyday internet concerns through a project called Our Digital Future. What we heard was clear: everyone loves the web, but some people want better technology and guidance from internet service providers like us to help keep kids safe online.
We learned that four out of five parents with children under the age of 18 say that most of the responsibility for keeping their kids safe online lies with them. But just two in five parents have taken action to shape their children’s online behaviour. Many parents told us they would like to do more, but need support and guidance about the best steps to take.
We want to help parents make the best choices about how they manage their home internet use. That’s why alongside our parental control tools – powered by F-Secure and Web Safe - we’re also launching Switched On Families. We’re working with F-Secure on this because they’re experts, offering families award-winning protection.
But it’s important to remember that no technology can provide 100% protection from all the potential issues kids face online. That’s why we’ve also worked with parenting specialists at The Parent Zone on how to handle your kids’ online use.
We’re not claiming to have all the answers. But we can provide clear, honest and useful support to help. Switched On Families includes:
To get in touch, email switchedonfamilies@virginmedia.co.uk.
For media enquiries about Switched on Families, email press@virginmedia.co.uk.
We know for parents everywhere, staying informed about the ins and outs of using the web in today’s increasingly connected world has never been more important. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Sky, BT and TalkTalk to create Internet Matters. It’s got information and resources to help parents and carers make informed and timely decisions on what kids get up to online, at every stage of development. The aim is to help families get the most out of being online – to connect, communicate, learn and share – while spreading awareness about the best ways to stay safe.
Want to know more? Visit Internet Matters now.
The web’s packed with fun and knowledge for your kids to explore. But just like in the real world, there are things we all need to watch out for.
To help you keep up with the what’s happening online including the latest apps and crazes, we’re asking the people who are best placed to give you the lowdown – kids.