Understands the risks of communicating online and follows appropriate guidelines
On this page you'll find links to resources to help you understand the risks of communicating online and follow appropriate guidelines.
Select your current capability level to jump to aligned resources:
When you open the links included on this page, you may be presented with messages about cookies. To find out more about what cookies are and how you can manage them safely, have a look at this guidance: Digital Unite - What is a Cookie?
Not at Level 1
Understands the risks of communicating online and follows appropriate guidelines
Not at Level 1 - I'm not sure about the risks of communicating online and need to look further into my organisation's rules and policies.
This short e-learning module highlights the importance of being safe online and offers guidance on identifying risks: Lloyds Bank Academy - Introduction to Online Safety
Learn about the risks and how to stay safe when using social media by working through this online lesson: Lloyds Bank Academy - Using Social Media Safely
If you're not sure about your organisation's rules and policies, you should speak to your line manager about how to access these and familiarise yourself with the contents. You may also want to look for relevant information on your organisation's intranet or by speaking to information governance colleagues, if these are available.
For further resources, visit the Communication page of the Digital and Data Resource Hub.
Level 1
Understands the risks of communicating online and follows appropriate guidelines
Level 1 - I know that communicating online has risks for myself, my organisation and the people we support. I always follow my organisation's rules and policies so I don’t feel worried about communicating online.
Work through the tips in this e-learning module to find out more about practical steps you can take to deal with risk and keep yourself and others safe when communicating online: Lloyds Bank Academy - Ten Tips for Staying Safe Online
Spam and phishing are linked to common risks when using email. This online guide will show you how to identify and avoid potentially dangerous content in your inbox: GCF Global - Avoiding Spam and Phishing
If you have a Facebook account, use this information from the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to ensure you are using it safely and appropriately. This is part of their 23 Things Digital List. Work through the introduction and instructions a-c: Thing 8: Facebook
Ensure that you know where to find your organisation's rules and policies relating to communicating safely online. Test your familiarity by seeing if you can explain the key points to a colleague.
For further resources, visit the Communication page of the Digital and Data Resource Hub.
Level 2
Understands the risks of communicating online and follows appropriate guidelines
Level 2 - I take responsibility for all my online communications (work and personal), fully understand my organisation's online communication rules and policies, and support others to communicate safely online.
For more detailed information about the risks involved in using a range of online communication tools, along with guidance on staying safe, have a look at this collection of online guides: Get Safe Online - Communication & Social Networking
This online guide is intended to help people with a specific qualification, however the information is useful for understanding the risks involved in online communication. The example answers further down the page describe scenarios that are particularly relevant for people working in this sector: Care Learning - Reducing Online Risks
Ensure that your colleagues are familiar with and can follow your organisation's rules and policies.
For further resources, visit the Communication page of the Digital and Data Resource Hub.
Level 3
Understands the risks of communicating online and follows appropriate guidelines
Level 3 - I am able to assess, manage and mitigate risks associated with online communication, and guide others to do the same.
This online article has useful guidance on assessing, managing and mitigating risks when communicating online: LinkedIn - How can you mitigate risks when using digital communication channels?
For further resources, visit the Communication page of the Digital and Data Resource Hub.
