It has been brought to our attention this week that several fake TikTok accounts have been set up using the Spa Academy name and its Logo. These accounts have been reported to TikTok and have now been taken down, However, many of our pupils (particularly those in Year 6) had already responded to friend requests from these unknown users and had conversations with them through the chat feature.
Since being notified of the accounts, we have carried out a thorough investigation regarding the Tik Tok accounts, which have now been taken down. We have spoken to several pupils, who had followed the accounts and commented online, as many were easily recognisable through their username or profile photograph.
Some of our main concerns were:
Please do the following if you suspect your child may have a TikTok account:
Our curriculum already includes lessons specific to online safety and social media, however, follow up work will expand this further in order to ensure our pupils are fully informed of the importance of being both safe and kind online. We will be continuing our work around e-safety in school, and reiterating to children the age restrictions of social media platforms, Tik Tok being 13 years old.
The Safer Schools Website has lots of useful resources to support staying safe online, including how to safely use APPs such as TikTok and Snapchat.
Visit the Safer Schools advice page here: Home Page - Our Safety Centre
This video gives useful tips on how to stay safe on TikTok #BeSafer on TikTok (youtube.com)
Our website also features some useful advice on staying safe on a range of devices including Xbox and Playstation and on many social media Apps: Spa Academy Askern - Online Safety