Online Safety in 2026 – Emerging Threats and Practical Safeguarding Solutions

2025-12-17 11:56

Online Safety in 2026 – Emerging Threats and Practical Safeguarding Solutions

Online harm is evolving fast: AI-generated content, deepfakes, anonymous accounts, and always-on group chats are changing how children experience risk. This article gives practical safeguarding actions for schools, clubs, and child-facing organisations: understanding emerging threats, strengthening reporting routes, reducing image-sharing risk, improving parental engagement, and teaching digital resilience.

Online safety is safeguarding (not an IT issue)

Online incidents are rarely just online. They show up as anxiety, attendance issues, peer conflict, self-harm risk, coercion, or exploitation. That's why online safety needs the same discipline as any other safeguarding concern:

Notice early
Record clearly
Escalate consistently
Follow up and review

1) The 2026 risk landscape: what's changed?

Online safety guidance isn't new, but the threat profile is.

AI-generated content and impersonation

AI tools can now generate convincing:

Fake images and videos
Voice notes that sound like a real person
Screenshots and evidence designed to manipulate

Safeguarding impact: children can be coerced, shamed, or blackmailed using content that looks realeven when it isn't.

Deepfakes and sexualised image harm

Deepfake-style image manipulation increases the risk of:

Peer-on-peer abuse
Image-based bullying
Non-consensual sexual content

Safeguarding impact: rapid escalation, intense shame, and increased mental health risk.

Gaming platforms andsocial spaces

Gaming is no longer just gamesit's voice chat, DMs, communities, and live streaming.

Safeguarding impact: grooming pathways, exposure to adult content, and normalisation of harmful language.

Always-on group chats

Group chats can amplify:

Bullying and exclusion
Sexual harassment
Pressure to share images
Coordinated targeting of a child

Safeguarding impact: harm can be constant, not confined to school hours.

2) Practical safeguarding controls that actually work

You don't need a 40-page policy to reduce risk. You need a few controls done consistently.

Strengthen reporting routes (for children and adults)

Make reporting simple:Tell a trusted adult + Use this form/email
Rehearse what happens after a report (so children trust the process)
Ensure staff know what to do with screenshots, devices, and disclosures

Reduce image-sharing risk

Clear rules on photos at clubs/events (who can take them, where they're stored)
Staff boundaries: no personal messaging with children
Remind families about privacy settings and location sharing

Teach digital resilience (not just don't do it)

Children need scripts, not lectures:

How to exit a chat safely
How to block/report
What to do if someone asks for images
How to ask for help without fear of punishment

Keep parental engagement practical

Parents are often overwhelmed. Make it usable:

A one-pageTop 5 risks right now
A short checklist for device settings
Clear language on what to do if something happens

3) Handling an online incident: a safeguarding-first approach

When an incident happens, speed and clarity matter.

A simple response flow

Immediate safety: is the child safe right now?
Preserve information: screenshots, URLs, usernames (without sharing widely)
Record the concern: facts only, no assumptions
Escalate: follow DSL/safeguarding lead routes
Support: pastoral support, safety planning, parent/carer engagement
Review: patterns, repeat issues, supervision gaps, training needs

This is where digital safeguarding records are criticalthey help you build a chronology and spot repeat harm.

4) Staff, volunteers, and online safety: don't skip the basics

Online safety risk increases when teams are seasonal or dispersed.

Minimum controls:

Online safety included in induction (not optional)
Clear boundaries on phones, photos, and messaging
Consistent supervision expectations
Visibility of staff compliance

Using safeguarding software helps keep these checks and training records centralised, especially across multiple sites.

5) Turning trends into action: what to review this term

If you want a practical starting point, review:

Your reporting routes: do children actually use them?
Your image-sharing rules: are they clear and enforced?
Your staff induction: does it include real scenarios?
Your recording: are online concerns logged consistently?

How safeguarding software supports online safety

Online safety generates lots of small signals. The danger is missing the pattern.

Safeguarding software supports you by:

Centralising concerns into consistent digital safeguarding records
Making it easier to track repeat names, locations, themes, and timelines
Improving handovers between staff and safeguarding leads
Supporting evidence for audits and inspections

A quick online safety safeguarding checklist

Reporting routes are clear, rehearsed, and trusted
Image-sharing and staff boundaries are explicit
Online safety is built into induction and supervision
Concerns are logged promptly into digital safeguarding records
Teams use safeguarding software to track patterns and evidence action

Online safety in 2026 isn't about banning devices. It's about building safer systems, faster responses, and confident children who know how to get help.