AN online safety expert is urging local parents to understand the iPads, tablets and smartphones they may be buying their children this Christmas to protect them from paedophiles.

Jennifer Smith, a barrister from Bolton, specialised in criminal law and spent 10 years working for the Crown Prosecution Service as a rape and sexual offences and child protection specialist prosecutor.

She says: “Even before parents wrap those presents, they should take them out of the box, understand how they work and install parental controls,” advised Jennifer Smith.

Jennifer now runs her own business teaching safeguarding to a variety of organisations.

She feels strongly that many parents do not understand the dangers in the latest hi-tech presents given with so much love, or that children are at genuine risk from online paedophiles waiting to pounce.

She offers this advice to all parents to help keep children safe online:

1. PARENTAL CONTROLS

Smart phones – There are two ways of accessing the internet, by WiFi or by network (3G/4G). Phone network providers vary in their parental controls. Vodaphone and Three – The internet content filter is automatically turned on in new phones.

BT and EE – They have a three-tiered system, allowing more access to older children and adults.

WiFi Hotspots may not have content filters.

Gaming Devices - Look at age-appropriate devices and be aware that there are more devices out there than X-Box and Playstation. Go to www.internetmatters for a full guide to devices.

Tablets – Ask yourself “What purpose is it for?” To browse the internet you need a tablet, if you need a keyboard you need a laptop.

You need to ensure that it is password, pin or fingerprint security enabled.

Smart TV – They can allow access to the internet and download apps.

Look at the user guide for parental controls before giving children unsupervised access.

2. APPS AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Watch out for risky apps that allow strangers to be anonymous and talk to a child, see their photos and videos and send messages without their consent.

Ones to watch out for that children and young people may access include Omegle, Kik, Oovoo, Yellow (Tinder for young people) and MyLOL.

Encourage children on Snapchat to change settings from Everyone to My Friends so only friends can send messages; the same applies to what is uploaded.

To safeguard children, go onto social media first.

Log in, have a look at the site, at the parent zones and the safety centres, and make sure the security settings are in place.

3. SEXTING

The legal definition of sexting is not actually words but making, producing or distributing an indecent image of a child under 18.

Children and young people need to know the dangers of sexting – and the fact that the image is not their property once they press “send.”

4. TEXT SPEAK

Young people use a completely different language when they speak on chatrooms, so parents need to watch out for certain acronyms their child may use or receive.

For example, WYRN – What is your real name? I & I – Intercourse and inebriation. TDTM – Talk dirty to me. IWSN – I want sex now. 182 – I hate you. 420 – Marijuana.

5. COMMUNICATION

Jennifer stresses that communication is key: “Groomers are extremely clever, “ she stated. “And recent research suggests that it can take 20 seconds to groom a child online.

“My advice would be to parent online as you would in the real world.

“I know Christmas is a very busy time, children will want to play with their new gadgets for long periods of time while parents are cooking and socialising.

“But it’s vital to keep to the digital rules and place all the necessary child-friendly locks, parental passwords and internet use limitations before children even open their gifts.”