The headteacher of a primary school in Holybourne has issued a caution to parents regarding a significant online safety issue affecting children who use the gaming platform Roblox. Gemma Gundry, headteacher of Andrews’ Endowed CE Primary School, reported that a malicious pop-up is luring children to download an external application known as Pollybuzz, sometimes referred to as Pollyfuzz.
This application begins as a seemingly harmless question-and-answer tool that generates an artificial intelligence ‘friend.’ However, the interactions can quickly devolve, exposing users to extreme and potentially harmful content, including references to self-harm, suicide, and pornography.
To combat this issue, Mrs. Gundry has outlined critical online safety guidelines for parents and guardians to discuss with their children. She emphasized the importance of instructing young users not to engage with unexpected advertisements or app download links that may appear during gameplay. It is crucial for children to understand the necessity of reporting anything concerning or inappropriate to a trusted adult immediately.
Mrs. Gundry also stressed the importance of utilizing parental controls found on children’s devices. She noted, “While we understand that managing online safety can be challenging, leveraging available platform tools is vital.” According to her, Roblox provides robust parental controls that can help manage and restrict a child’s in-app experience.
Detailed instructions for setting up and customizing these controls can be found on the official Roblox support page at https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/30428310121620-Parental-Controls-Overview.
Even with these controls in place, Mrs. Gundry warned that vigilance is necessary. She stated, “While parental controls are highly effective in blocking certain content and pop-ups, they are not a guaranteed solution for all external threats.” She urged parents to remain actively engaged in their children’s online activities and maintain an ongoing dialogue about internet safety.
The warning from Mrs. Gundry highlights a growing concern among educators and parents regarding the safety of children in digital spaces. As online gaming continues to rise in popularity, awareness and proactive measures are essential to protect young users from potential dangers.
