Millions of children across the UK have access to the internet. It is now central to how they stay in touch with their friends and family.
However, the internet is also a public place and while bringing many benefits and opportunities, it also opens up new risks and challenges.
That's why the FA, Football League, and Colchester United Football Club have teamed up with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.
CEOP is part of the UK police, set up to tackle the sexual exploitation of children. The CEOP Centre aims to educate children, young people, their parents, carers and fans to understand the risks they may face online and what they can do to empower themselves to stay safe. They also track, locate and hold child sexual offenders to account.
Football uses the internet to communicate to coaches, welfare officers, players, parents/carers and fans. We all need to understand how to make use of this technology appropriately and working with the CEOP Centre's education programme 'Thinkuknow' will help do this.
Thinkuknow is an excellent education programme developed by the CEOP Centre, which delivers online safety messages to young people, their parents and the public.
The Thinkuknow programme uses innovative materials, aimed at empowering young people and their parents, to make the right choices when using the internet.
The materials include films, leaflets, posters and a website, which focus on three key themes; how to have fun online, how to stay in control online and how to report.
We recommend that you take time to visit the Thinkuknow website - click HERE to take a look.
If you have a concern about the way someone is behaving online, click HERE to visit the FA website and report that behaviour. Users can gain immediate access to advice and guidance on issues they may have concerns about, as well as the actual reporting form.