Stay safe online
Learn how to manage content blockers to protect yourself and your family when using the internet.
Filtering Internet content
We provide filters you can apply for anyone using our network who’s under the age of 18. They've been developed in line with the content self-regulation code of practice that we worked with other UK networks to create, and are based on an independent framework produced by the British Board of Film Classification.
The BBFC classifies online adult content as anything that can be described as violent, gory, sexually explicit or drug-related in the same way that 18+ film and video content is classified. You can find out more about the classification of adult content on the BBFC site.
In support of the UK government's drive to improve internet safety, all new Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go services have our internet content filter switched on by default. As long as you're over 18, you can switch this filter off whenever you like.
Even with content filters in place, bear in mind that children might still be exposed to adult content by:
- Think about where you let your child use the computer so you can keep an eye on their usage
- Talk to your child about the different types of websites they might visit – which ones you think are safe and what they should or shouldn't share with other people online
- Talk about online safety basics like not revealing personal details to people they only know online
- Talk to them about being cautious when meeting people online
- Learn how to use the parental controls available on most internet browsers
- Encourage them to create strong passwords and change them frequently
There are many resources available to help you educate and protect young people whenever they're online.
The Internet Watch Foundation has lots of useful information on protecting your family from issues like cyberbullying, grooming, and more. You can also check out the Internet Matters website for more info.
If you think we're blocking a site when we shouldn't be, or you think something's not blocked when it should be, email us at content@three.co.uk and we'll get in touch within 3 working days. The team who monitor this inbox has no access to customer accounts and won't be able to turn your filter off. If you're having problems, call us or drop in to a Three store for help.
Staying safe on social media
We want you to feel safe and secure when sharing content on social media. To help with this, we’ve put together these simple rules:
- Use privacy settings. Social networking sites let you control your privacy settings, enabling you to limit who can see your personal information. Before using social media, it’s worth browsing these settings and tailoring them to suit your needs.
- Learn how sites use your information. Social networks collect information about you. If you’re unsure whether your information is being shared with external companies, review the site’s privacy and cookie policies and consider personalising your privacy settings.
When browsing social media, beware of entering any information you consider private:
- Never disclose security details, such as your card PIN or banking password
- Don't share information over chat services you don't recognise
- Don't be rushed into entering private information
For more advice, see get safe online.
Top tips for protecting yourself online
- Use security software on your computer from a mainstream brand you can trust like as McAfee and Norton.
- Use a firewall to create a barrier between your computer and the internet to protect it from attacks by hackers and malicious programs. Windows computers come with a basic personal firewall that’s active by default.
- Make sure you keep your computer software up to date so it's protected against new threats.
- Be careful with unexpected email attachments – if you’re not sure what an attachment is in an email or on a website, don’t open it.
- Don’t download pirated software – it’s often used to get hidden viruses onto your computer.
Find out more about protecting your data online by visiting Take Five .