Talk to Virgin Media about your internet habits and internet safety for your DCs - you could win an iPad Air! NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

Virgin Media have asked us to find out out about Mumsnetters' internet habits, as well as internet safety for your DCs.

Virgin Media say "At Virgin Media we know that the online world offers loads of opportunities for kids to have fun, explore and learn new things. But there might also be some things that you’d rather your child didn’t see or do. The web's packed with fun and informative stuff for your kids to explore but, just like in the real world, there are things we all need to watch out for. Experts say that much of what you know about parenting in the real world also applies online, and at the end of the day, you know your kids best! So, we'd love to hear about how you and your children use the internet"

Below are a few points to get you started, but feel free to add any other comments you have:

• How do you help your DC(s) be responsible and stay safe in the real world? Can this be applied online?
• How do you help your DC(s) make the most of the online world, and become a safe and responsible user(s) of the internet?
• Last time you were choosing your broadband and TV services, how did you make your decision? Was it based on things like recommendations from friends or family, or reviews? Did you buy online, over the phone or go into a store?
• How important is the speed of internet in your household? Do you know what your broadband speeds allows you? What do you know about fibre optic broadband?

Please note, Virgin Media may use your comments on social media and elsewhere, so please only comment if you're happy with this.

Everyone who adds a comment to this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win an iPad Air (Space Grey, 16GB and Wi-Fi enabled).

Thanks, and good luck!
MNHQ

PS - Check out Virgin Media's exclusive offers for Mumsnetters here.

This terrifies me, dont feel prepared at all. BAsically they have very limited screen time and always in room with us.

• How do you help your DC(s) be responsible and stay safe in the real world? Can this be applied online?

My DD is only 20 months but already I'm teaching her about safety such as stopping and looking for cars before you cross the road, not to eat the berries on the bush outside the front door because they'll make her poorly. We've put a lock on our iPad so she can't access it without us as she's a huge Peppa Pig fan and would access it via YouTube if she could!

• How do you help your DC(s) make the most of the online world, and become a safe and responsible user(s) of the internet?

We use the iPad to view Peppa Pig videos and also videos of horses and dogs (her favourite animals) We make sure the video doesn't have any bad language or dangerous behaviour so as not to give her ideas!

• Last time you were choosing your broadband and TV services, how did you make your decision? Was it based on things like recommendations from friends or family, or reviews? Did you buy online, over the phone or go into a store?

My DH loves sport so we went with the best sports package provider and the cheapest broadband for the speed we can get in our village. There's no point paying for 25mbps when we can only get 1.8!

• How important is the speed of internet in your household? Do you know what your broadband speeds allows you? What do you know about fibre optic broadband?

We could get fibre optic now it's come to our village but it's £40 a month and our broadband is only £11 including line rental so I can't justify the fourfold increase even though we do only get 1.8mpbs. It's enough to do what we need to do and we haven't got the financial wiggle room to upgrade. Downloading on demand programmes is a joke so I think eventually we'll upgrade but I'm waiting for it to go down in price.

• How do you help your DC(s) be responsible and stay safe in the real world? Can this be applied online?

Dd is now 11. She actually is remarkably responsible and sensible, although given to dizzy moments! She knows to only talk to people she knows or who are in authority eg police, teacher, organiser of an event etc. She usually sticks with us when we're out and about but we always arrange a rendezvous point incase any of us get lost. She has a mobile phone to call us for help and to tell us her movements/ clubs finishing late/homework at a friends house. Online - again she only talks to people she actually knows, no friends of friends. Computer is downstairs, always accessible, we check frequently where she has been and who with. Parental locks are in place. No phones/tablets/laptops upstairs.

• How do you help your DC(s) make the most of the online world, and become a safe and responsible user(s) of the internet?

Dd doesn't use her real name or any info to identify her eg school, address, email address etc. We explore the internet together and talk about what other people are doing and whether it's a good idea. We have recently got an Instagram account for dd but on my phone - I am quite horrified at what other 11 year olds are posting! Dd knows not to say anything she wouldn't say to someone's face, and that her headteacher might be reading it or her Granny!

• Last time you were choosing your broadband and TV services, how did you make your decision? Was it based on things like recommendations from friends or family, or reviews? Did you buy online, over the phone or go into a store?

Dh is more aware of what's what and tends to do most of the research. We tend to buy online, but might go into stores to look at products. We do sometimes go on friends recommendations and online reviews.

• How important is the speed of internet in your household? Do you know what your broadband speeds allows you? What do you know about fibre optic broadband?

Speed is quite important, it's annoying when going online drags. We seem to be quite slow in our area - think we're the last house on the line!

- How do you help your DC(s) be responsible and stay safe in the real world? Can this be applied online?

Our DCs are still fairly young (under 8) so we've given them talks on Strangers and what to do if they were ever lost and things like that. They're not yet interested in Social media but the oldest is starting to want to go on Youtube. He's only allowed to when supervised by me or DH.

- How do you help your DC(s) make the most of the online world, and become a safe and responsible user(s) of the internet?

They have to show us everything they are doing; they are not allowed into chat rooms and all add-on things are disabled. We have passwords for everything. They love playing games and things on the iPad but they have to ask us first so we can see what they're playing. They always use these things in the same room as us.

- Last time you were choosing your broadband and TV services, how did you make your decision? Was it based on things like recommendations from friends or family, or reviews? Did you buy online, over the phone or go into a store?

We got Netflix based on reviews from friends saying they have a nice kids' section. We bought it online. We don't have Sky or Virgin Media.

- How important is the speed of internet in your household? Do you know what your broadband speeds allows you? What do you know about fibre optic broadband?

It's quite important; I work from home so I need a good connection. I know a little about fibre optic broadband but the connection I have now is adequate.

We have "tech time": a certain amount of time each day that can be spent on the internet.
My DDs have to tell me which sites they are using (moshi monsters, stampylongnose videos) and then I let them get on with it to an extent, they know to tell me if anything unexpected pops up. As they get older I have to learn to trust them (and teach them how to use search bars etc responsibly). Their School also cover "internet safety" from year 3 which I think is very sensible.

Talk, share, explore, show interest, talk, discuss, explain, ask questions, talk. Internetting needs to be open, not secretive. Shared, not private. The dc need to understand the difference between RL and the virtual world. They must not fear their parents or thei parents' involvement.

When ds made a silly mistake and revealed personal info online, he got worried and came and told dh and me. Instead of telling him off, we praised him for facing up to the situation and telling us, and all three of us discussed what should be done about it together. Hopefully, ds will not make the same safety mistake again, but, also, if something does go wrong for him online, he will not fear the consequences of turning to us, and will, therefore, be safer.

How do you help your DC(s) be responsible and stay safe in the real world? Can this be applied online?

My kids are 12, 14, 16 and 18, and don't really see any difference between their 'real life' lives and their online lives - trying make a distinction between the two would be like the distinction for us between talking on the phone or face to face. The advice is about not getting into situations where they are vulnerable, it doesn't really matter where or how.

Last time you were choosing your broadband and TV services, how did you make your decision? Was it based on things like recommendations from friends or family, or reviews? Did you buy online, over the phone or go into a store?

We went for Virgin, based on value and online reviews.

How important is the speed of internet in your household?

Very! 6 people needing reliable internet for work/study, wanting to watch Netflix etc.

Do you know what your broadband speeds allows you? What do you know about fibre optic broadband?

No (but I know a man who does, and I could find out myself if necessary), and nothing.

My DS only uses the iPad or laptop in the lounge with me. At 6 he is really happy only visiting sites/apps such as CBBC, Cbeebies, iPlayer, Moshie Monster world etc. He likes search for subjects and pictures from Google that relate to what he's learning about at school, ie WW1, Bonfire Night, Harvest Festivals and I tend to be around to supervise this.

Time on the internet/laptop/iPad etc is limited, surprisingly little arguments about this. I'm sure this may change!

I used to have Broadband though O2 which was taken over by Sky, and I was offered free Sky TV for a year if I transferred over to them for a year so that swayed my last decision. I've stuck with Sky despite the broadband speed not being amazing and i've given up the telly as it's not free anymore. My area doesn't get a good speed despite the provider or so i've been led to believe and i'm pretty sure we don't get fibre optic in our part of the country.

• How do you help your DC(s) be responsible and stay safe in the real world? Can this be applied online? My DD is 4 but the classic, don't talk to strangers can be applied to the online environment too. She should not talk/write to, accept anyone who she does not know. If in doubt she should come and ask. This applies to the real world and the internet.

• How do you help your DC(s) make the most of the online world, and become a safe and responsible user(s) of the internet? I look for suitable apps and download them for DD and also download programmes from BBC I-Player. I then let her use my iPad with Wifi turned off. she is 4.

• Last time you were choosing your broadband and TV services, how did you make your decision? Was it based on things like recommendations from friends or family, or reviews? Did you buy online, over the phone or go into a store? I chose based on area coverage

• How important is the speed of internet in your household? Do you know what your broadband speeds allows you? What do you know about fibre optic broadband? Swift internet is important but we rarely stream.

Our DC are 7 and 4 so they have very limited access online to a small selection of pre selected tabs - Nick Jr., CBeebies, mathletics, a few others. These are on their profile and they can access on the desktop or iPad but I have to enter code first.

Any other internet access, we can look things up on Wikipedia or YouTube together on my profile for example. They are much too Young for social media right now but we will take it very slowly when it comes around.

We are teaching them that there are safe sites and not so safe sites, unfortunately, it's not always that easy to tell them apart. My five year old knows to shout up about pop ups on screen. He's allowed to be left on cebeebies or bbc bitesize ks1 whilst I'm preparing and cooking dinner. He also knows why we have a piece of electrical tape over the webcam. He removes it for some games but always puts it back as he knows people write programs to turn webcams on.
My 3 year old isn't allowed unsupervised....because she has no patience and presses every button!

We do have parental controls in place - which my husband has set up. I also keep an eye on what they're doing on the computer which isn't too hard as the only computer is in the dining room. More often than not they are on reasonably safe sites eg Minecraft.

As to the other questions, we live in a rural area and broadband is sloooow. BT have the only cables coming in and the phoneline is not brilliant/likewise the broadband. Don't think another provider would fare any better as the hardware is just not there right now!

Thanks for all your comments!

The winner of the prize draw is wavesandsmiles - congratulations! I will PM you shortly for your details.