Who's behind FamilyShield Online

I'm Gary Thomas. I work in IT Operations, where I'm responsible for the helpdesk, our IT infrastructure, and IT security and cyber security.

Doing that job, I kept running into the same problem: a lot of adults, including people in full-time work, don't have anywhere near enough security knowledge, and what they do know, they don't always apply. That gap doesn't stay with the adults. It gets passed straight down to their kids.

That's what worries me most. Parents losing money to scammers happens plenty, but what really gets to me is how many ways bad actors have to get a hold on kids once they're online: games consoles, the PC at home, phones handed over at a younger and younger age. Every one of those is a way in.

I put this site together because I believe kids can be prepared for that, without scaring them and without making them feel judged for getting something wrong. It's meant to help you spot the scams, talk to your kids about them, and cut off the situations where a stranger can reach a child and hurt them, mentally or physically.

I hope it's useful. If you've got feedback, good or bad, I'd like to hear it: [email protected].