Library
You’re now at our full Library quick access page.
Here you will find our complete suite of resources – to download directly – as well as an option to be directed to each main topic page.
Primary School Resources
An Introducton to Advertising
An Introduction to Advertising
For 7-11 yrs | Across the curriculum
These materials use real examples of advertising.
The aim of this resource is to:
- Teach advertising and media literacy skills
- Give children a much greater understanding of advertising, its purpose and methods
- Develop pupils’ ability to identify advertising across different media
Included within the materials are:
- Detailed ready-made lesson plans
- Activity sheets
- Teacher notes
Digital Advertising
Digital Advertising
For 9-11 yrs | Key stage 2 & 3
These teaching materials explore digital and social media advertising. This includes anything online or on websites, including gaming.
This one-hour lesson supports both the computing and personal development curriculum.
Digital advertising – is promotional adverts and messages that we see online.
Examples of where we can find digital adverts include:
- Social media
- Gaming
- Video
- Celebrities and influencers
- Vloggers
- Paid search advertising.
It’s not always obvious what an advert is, and these resources will help you identify them when online.
Included within the materials are:
- Teacher notes
- A presentation suitable for a class or for a whole-school assembly.
- Two pupil worksheets with activities.
There is also an accompanying parent and guardian guide – so pupils can discuss this subject at home.
These resources were originally PSHE Association-accredited
Body Image & Advertising
Body Image & Advertising
For 9-11 yrs | Key stage 2 & 3
These lesson plans support the PSHE Curriculum. Research shows that over half of girls and a quarter of boys think their peers have body image problems.
Supported by the Government Equalities Office, these resources can help to build pupils’ emotional resilience.
Created by leading independent experts they will support you in teaching engaging and interactive lessons with key curriculum links to PSHE.
Teachers can illustrate the lesson with our suggested case studies, or (using our guidance) they can choose their own.
Included within the materials are:
- A short engaging film
- Teacher notes
There are also accompanying body image and advertising parent and guardian guides – so pupils can discuss this subject at home too.
The video resource referenced in the Teacher notes can be downloaded below.
Secondary School Resources
TikTok: Teens, Social Media & You
TikTok: Teens, Social Media & You
For 13+ yrs
Helping parents and guardians better understand their young person’s online world and support them through conversation and participation.
As your teenager begins to go online, they could choose from any number of social media platforms. Striking a balance between a teen’s expectation of privacy and ensuring they are protected is no easy task.
That’s why Media Smart, in partnership with TikTok, has created ‘Teens, Social Media & You’
What You’ll Find
‘Teens, Social Media & You’ includes engaging films and a practical guide to help you to talk to your teen in a fun and open way without judgement.
1: Downloadable Guide: Practical Tips
Our comprehensive guide provides expert-backed advice on key areas such as:
- How to start a positive conversation about social media
- Encouraging healthier online habits
- Understanding filters, effects, and digital self-esteem
- Recognising and preventing scams
- Identifying influencer advertising and paid content
- Setting up safety features like Family Pairing and Restricted Mode
Download the guide to access all these insights and more.
2: Campaign Film: Watch and Share
Discover key insights from young people about their expectations of online support from trusted adults. Watch the film here and share it with fellow parents, educators, and guardians. It’s also a nice one to watch with your teen together to kick off discussion.
3: School-to-Parent Letter: Spread the Message
We encourage schools to take an active role in supporting parents as part of their internet safety programmes. Our ready to use text for inclusion in a school’s newsletter will help communicate the importance of this subject, offering guidance on starting conversations at home.
School Newsletter Text to Copy
Supporting Your Teen on Social Media
As your teen steps into the digital world, knowing how to guide and support them can feel overwhelming. That’s why Media Smart, in partnership with TikTok, has created ‘Teens, Social Media and You’ a new film-led campaign with free resources to help parents and careers navigate discussion about online safety, digital wellbeing, and responsible social media use.
Download the free guide and watch the films today here
4: Content Creator Films: Engaging and Informative
To bring these critical topics to life, we’ve partnered with six content creators from across the EU to produce engaging films tackling social media safety, digital wellbeing, and online responsibility creatively. These short films will be shared across social media to spark conversations and provide practical advice in a relatable format. You can watch these videos below.
Why This Matters
Young people want ongoing discussions with trusted adults about their online experiences. This campaign provides you with the tools to have those conversations in an informed, supportive, and positive way.
Get Involved
- Watch & Share the Campaign and Social Media Film
- Download & Read the Parent Guide
- Ask Your Teen’s School to Spread The Message To Parents
- Follow & Engage with the Creator Films on Social Media
- Start Meaningful Conversations with Your Teen
Social media platforms are often designed with safety in mind to ensure users receive an age-appropriate experience. That’s why TikTok is strictly for those aged 13+.
Scam Flags Add up to a Scam
Scam Flags add up to a 
Our ‘Scam Flags add up to a SCAM’ campaign enables young people (and adults!) to identify possible scams and how to avoid them, because when learning what scam flags are you can protect yourself.
Our resources include a film + guide, which also tell you how to report scams, and where to go for support if you’ve been affected by them.
And for parents or carers, and teachers, these can also be used at home, in the classroom, or in assembly which is sure to create healthy debate.
What are scam flags?
Learn more about scams
This incredibly useful Stop! Think Fraud site – supporting the UK Government’s National Campaign Against Fraud – gives lots of handy advice on how to spot a fraud, protect yourself, and much more.
Take Five
Take Five is run by the banking and finance industry body and contains advice on how to prevent scams, including details of the most common types of scam you should look out for.
Victim Support
Victim Support is a national charity that offers independent, free and confidential advice and support to victims of crime, including scams. You can find out more about their services via their regional websites: England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice offers a lot of guidance online, as well as a helpline for support on scams, including how to check if you think something might be a scam.
Report to Action Fraud
If you’ve been scammed, defrauded, or experienced cyber-crime, report it to Action Fraud, the police reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime in England, Wales and Northen Ireland, online, or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, all reports of fraud and any other financial crime should be reported to Police Scotland by calling 101.
Tell your bank
If you’ve lost money or you think a fraudster has access to your bank account, tell your bank or payment service provider as soon as possible. Always contact them directly using a known email or phone number, such as the ones shown on their website, or call 159.
Report on social media platforms
If you’ve experienced a scam across any social media platform, you can report it directly to the platform, by visiting the platform’s ‘Help’ or ‘Support’ section, and searching ‘report’ – all sites have easy to find ways to report scams. You can use these direct platform links to report scams:
Report it to the ASA
If you’ve seen or been affected by online scam ads newspaper websites, paid-for search engine ads, or ads appearing on social media, you can report the site to the Advertising Standards Authority.
Political Advertising
What’s the Deal with Political Advertising?
For 16+ yrs
Off the back of new research showing that people are significantly less likely to trust political advertising than commercial advertising, Media Smart, in partnership with the Advertising Association, has published “What’s the deal with political advertising?”.
Our new 10-point guide aims to help people – especially young people preparing to vote for the first time – understand ads they may see ahead of all the local, mayoral and general elections in 2024.
The guide answers questions on election advertising rules, how platforms respond to digital and AI-generated content, steps to tackle misinformation and fact-checking, and how young people can improve their political literacy – all backed up with a wide range of resources. Our guide also highlights how commercial advertising, subject to rules enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), differs from political advertising campaigns.
Please download if you would like to read the full guide. It can also be used in classrooms, lecture rooms, and at home, for educational sessions and stimulating conversation!
Career Workshops
Careers Workshop
An Introduction to the Advertising & Media Industry
Media Smart and Omnicom Media Group UK are excited to share a new interactive and educational workshop about the Advertising and Media Industry for ages 13+. The session will teach students about the kind of roles that exist, to experiencing first-hand what it’s like to work in an agency, through to thinking about their own relationship with ads.
By the end of the workshop, students should understand and appreciate:
• The scale of their exposure to advertising on a daily basis
• What agencies within the advertising and media industry do
• Some of the most common roles that can be found
• What ‘AdChoices’ is and how to activate it
• What kind of brief a media agency might expect to receive from a client
• The issue of greenwashing in advertising
• Tips to help them pursue a career in the advertising and media industry
It’s our hope that by engaging young people in the workshop, we can inspire them to consider the advertising and media industry as a potential and exciting career opportunity that is available and accessible to everyone.
The detailed resources will provide you with everything you need to facilitate the workshop yourself in the classroom.
And, if you represent an advertising or media agency, please get in touch with us, here, if you are interested in setting up your own school workshop programme to help educate – and recruit – the agency stars of the future!
How to Spot Greenwashing
How to Spot Greenwashing
For 11-17 yrs | Key stage 3, 4 & 5
Did you know that 52% of teenagers are concerned about the lack of action on climate change? And that it’s contributing to 56% of them feeling anxious.
One of Media Smart’s goals this year was to raise awareness of greenwashing and support the fantastic work the Advertising Standards Authority is doing in this area.
Greenwashing is when companies use marketing to appear more environmentally friendly than they are. And according to the UK Government, 40% of ‘green’ claims made online could be misleading.
With our unique focus on advertising literacy, we have invaluable insights from young people on this topic and Media Smart is delighted to announce that we’ve created a simple five-point guide and short film which can be shared in the classroom, assembly or at home explaining what greenwashing is… so young people can spot it, report it and ultimately help to stop it.
TikTok: Adverts, Creators and You
TikTok: Adverts, Creators and You
For 13-17 yrs | Key stage 3, 4 & 5 – PSHE and Media Studies
This exciting, film-based educational resource, featuring successful TikTok Creators, will empower 13-17 year olds with the tools they need to navigate TikTok’s commercial side, ensuring they have the most positive online experience possible. It should also assist teachers, parents and carers who want to supplement their own knowledge to help young people confidently and securely use the platform.
Today’s young people are the first true digital natives. Born into a world of constant-connectivity and ever-evolving technology, navigating the internet has been a necessity for them. As familiar as walking or talking, it’s part and parcel of growing up. As a result, this is a generation that’s highly capable and extremely confident online: they know how to manoeuvre the digital universe better than any that have gone before them.
Within this ‘world’, social media is their base and one of the most popular platforms is TikTok. Home to seemingly endless sources of creativity, connection and information, TikTok is an inspiring and entertaining place. But it is important to remember that it also has a commercial purpose. Brands can advertise their products in all kinds of new and exciting ways on TikTok, so it is vital that young people have a strong understanding of the branded messaging they’re consuming daily.
This exciting, film-based educational resource, featuring successful TikTok Creators, will empower 13-17 year olds with the tools they need to navigate TikTok’s commercial side, ensuring they have the most positive online experience possible. It should also assist teachers, parents and carers who want to supplement their own knowledge to help young people confidently and securely use the platform.
This version of the resource is made up of two 45 minute lessons specifically designed to educate young people with SEND – both those who already use the platform and those who do not.
Today’s young people are the first true digital natives. Born into a world of constant-connectivity and ever-evolving technology, navigating the internet has been a necessity for them. As familiar as walking or talking, it’s part and parcel of growing up. As a result, this is a generation that’s highly capable and extremely confident online: they know how to manoeuvre the digital universe better than any that have gone before them.
Within this ‘world’, social media is their base and one of the most popular platforms is TikTok. Home to seemingly endless sources of creativity, connection and information, TikTok is an inspiring and entertaining place. But it is important to remember that it also has a commercial purpose. Brands can advertise their products in all kinds of new and exciting ways on TikTok, so it is vital that young people have a strong understanding of the branded messaging they’re consuming daily.
Piracy: What’s the Big Deal?
Piracy: What’s the Big Deal?
For 11-14 yrs | Key stage 3
Did you know one in four over 12s have illegally downloaded film content in the last three months? That’s the highest rate of piracy in the UK in the last five years. At Media Smart, we have teamed up with Sky, The Industry Trust, The Intellectual Property Office and MPA to develop a new secondary school resource ‘Piracy: What’s the Big Deal?’
These resources include a short film with TV presenter, content creator and YouTuber, Luke Franks, and TV presenter and producer, Jacqueline Shepherd, who help explain what piracy and copyright means and why it matters to young people. Our research has shown that, whilst it’s important to flag to students that piracy is illegal, they really sit up and take note when they realise the risk piracy brings to their own personal content. Downloading illegal content can allow viruses access to their own technology and could mean they lose valuable assets like homework and coursework. The resources also explore the principle of copyright, highlighting the fact that so many young people today are already content creators themselves and may need to protect their own intellectual property.
This resource has been developed to support the PSHE curriculum for living in the wider world with media literacy and digital resilience. More specifically, it builds on the PSHE programme of study to create learning opportunities:
Manage Your Online Advert Experience
Manage Your Online Advert Experience
For 13-16 yrs | Key stage 3 & 4
In this resource ‘Manage Your Online Advert Experience’, we feature a three minute animated film and classroom resources to support pupil discussions around what is interest-based advertising, why it exists and how can young people best manage it. Your pupils may be surprised to learn that it’s this sort of advertising that funds so many of the free platforms they use every day, from apps and websites to search engines.
This resource can support your PSHE curriculum for living in the wider world with media literacy and digital resilience. More specifically, it builds on the PSHE programme of study to support ‘how data may be used with the aim of influencing decisions, including targeted advertising and other forms of personalisation online; strategies to manage this’. It will also be useful stimulus for Media Studies classes and form time.
Interest-based advertising can be enormously relevant and helpful to all of us – helping us to find something we’ve been looking for online or showing us new things relevant to our personal interests. Yet it can also be frustrating, for young people and adults alike, if we keep being served ads we no longer – or never – want to see. This resource helps to put young people in the driving seat of what advertising they choose to see and don’t. It will introduce them to the AdChoices tool which can help them navigate ‘personalised’ advertising, as it is more sometimes known.
Creating an Advert
Creating an Advert
For 11-16 yrs | Key stage 3 & 4
This resource aims to raise young people’s interest in creative careers by challenging them to design their own advert.
Students will be taken behind the scenes at adam&eveDDB, one of the UK’s leading communications agencies. It features interviews with the team that created Eat Them to Defeat Them, a successful advertising campaign encouraging younger children to eat more vegetables. Students will take on the role of advertising agencies, pitching against each other to win the account from charity, Veg Power. Following a creative brief set by NHS Doctor and television presenter Dr. Ranj Singh, they will be challenged to design an entertaining and persuasive public health campaign to encourage their peers to eat more vegetables.
Creating an Advert offers cross-curricular resources that could be run as part of a PSHE lesson on healthy eating, a Media Studies or English lesson, or a Careers enhancement day.
Because the resource is film-based it lends itself to remote teaching or home schooling.
Included within the materials are:
- A presentation suitable for a class or for a whole-school assembly
- A film
- Teacher notes
- WorksheetsI
Influencer Marketing
Influencer Marketing
For 11-14 yrs | Key stage 3
This resource is aimed at helping children understand the commercial link between social influencers and the brands they may be promoting. The rising number of social influencers in young peoples’ lives has prompted us to create a film-based PSHE teaching resource for 11-14 year olds, the first of its kind to tackle this area of marketing.
It features popular youth influencers like Nayna Florence and Hannah Witton, who feature in short films talking about what influencer marketing is, why brands use it and its regulations. Other topics in the short films, where influencers talk directly to young people, include how to critically evaluate social media content, how to identify paid for promotions/adverts, the use of airbrushing/ filters in content and a specific film on Instagram.
The films are supported by teacher guidance and a presentation for use in assemblies or the classroom. Students will explore and evaluate the purpose and techniques of influencer marketing, with the aim of building digital and media literacy and emotional resilience.
Instagram, Influencers and Branded Content – new film resource
Social Media & Advertising
Social Media & Advertising
For 11-16 yrs | Key stage 3 & 4
Social media enables young people to communicate, discover and share with friends. They can also join global networks with mutual interests and concerns.
The more informed our young people are, the safer they will be, as they enjoy the ever-growing number of online opportunities.
This resource will encourage students to think more about:
- The types of social media available to them
- The advertising they are seeing on these platforms, and how to manage it
- Their relationship with social media sites, their sponsors and advertisers
- The business models that allow them to access social media services for free, or at very low cost
Body Image & Advertising
Body Image & Advertising
For 11-14 yrs | Key stage 3
These lesson plans support the PSHE Curriculum
This lesson focuses on the representation of the male body in the media. Designed for students aged 11–14 years of both genders, it will help them understand how this issue can affect everyone’s body confidence.
Credos (the Advertising industry’s think tank) conducted research which highlighted the need to create educational materials with a focus on this area.
We have also created a 15 minute film to use alongside these resources, called “The Boys’ Biggest Conversation”, which was produced with First News and stars TV medic, Dr Ranj Singh.
The films sees secondary school boys being interviewed, inviting them to share how they feel about their appearance, and exploring why they feel that way.
Included within the materials are:
- A presentation suitable for a class or for a whole-school assembly
- The film
- Teacher notes
- Worksheets
There is also an accompanying body image and advertising parent/guardian guide – so pupils can discuss this subject at home too.
Young Adults Resources
Scam Flags Add up to a Scam
Scam Flags add up to a
Our ‘Scam Flags add up to a SCAM’ campaign enables young people (and adults!) to identify possible scams and how to avoid them, because when learning what scam flags are you can protect yourself.
Our resources include a film + guide, which also tell you how to report scams, and where to go for support if you’ve been affected by them.
And for parents or carers, and teachers, these can also be used at home, in the classroom, or in assembly which is sure to create healthy debate.
What are scam flags?
Learn more about scams
This incredibly useful Stop! Think Fraud site – supporting the UK Government’s National Campaign Against Fraud – gives lots of handy advice on how to spot a fraud, protect yourself, and much more.
Take Five
Take Five is run by the banking and finance industry body and contains advice on how to prevent scams, including details of the most common types of scam you should look out for.
Victim Support
Victim Support is a national charity that offers independent, free and confidential advice and support to victims of crime, including scams. You can find out more about their services via their regional websites: England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice offers a lot of guidance online, as well as a helpline for support on scams, including how to check if you think something might be a scam.
Report to Action Fraud
If you’ve been scammed, defrauded, or experienced cyber-crime, report it to Action Fraud, the police reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime in England, Wales and Northen Ireland, online, or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, all reports of fraud and any other financial crime should be reported to Police Scotland by calling 101.
Tell your bank
If you’ve lost money or you think a fraudster has access to your bank account, tell your bank or payment service provider as soon as possible. Always contact them directly using a known email or phone number, such as the ones shown on their website, or call 159.
Report on social media platforms
If you’ve experienced a scam across any social media platform, you can report it directly to the platform, by visiting the platform’s ‘Help’ or ‘Support’ section, and searching ‘report’ – all sites have easy to find ways to report scams. You can use these direct platform links to report scams:
Report it to the ASA
If you’ve seen or been affected by online scam ads newspaper websites, paid-for search engine ads, or ads appearing on social media, you can report the site to the Advertising Standards Authority.
Political Advertising
What’s the Deal with Political Advertising?
For 16+ yrs
Off the back of new research showing that people are significantly less likely to trust political advertising than commercial advertising, Media Smart, in partnership with the Advertising Association, has published “What’s the deal with political advertising?”.
Our new 10-point guide aims to help people – especially young people preparing to vote for the first time – understand ads they may see ahead of all the local, mayoral and general elections in 2024.
The guide answers questions on election advertising rules, how platforms respond to digital and AI-generated content, steps to tackle misinformation and fact-checking, and how young people can improve their political literacy – all backed up with a wide range of resources. Our guide also highlights how commercial advertising, subject to rules enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), differs from political advertising campaigns.
Please download if you would like to read the full guide. It can also be used in classrooms, lecture rooms, and at home, for educational sessions and stimulating conversation!
Career Workshops
Careers Workshop
An Introduction to the Advertising & Media Industry
Media Smart and Omnicom Media Group UK are excited to share a new interactive and educational workshop about the Advertising and Media Industry for ages 13+. The session will teach students about the kind of roles that exist, to experiencing first-hand what it’s like to work in an agency, through to thinking about their own relationship with ads.
By the end of the workshop, students should understand and appreciate:
• The scale of their exposure to advertising on a daily basis
• What agencies within the advertising and media industry do
• Some of the most common roles that can be found
• What ‘AdChoices’ is and how to activate it
• What kind of brief a media agency might expect to receive from a client
• The issue of greenwashing in advertising
• Tips to help them pursue a career in the advertising and media industry
It’s our hope that by engaging young people in the workshop, we can inspire them to consider the advertising and media industry as a potential and exciting career opportunity that is available and accessible to everyone.
The detailed resources will provide you with everything you need to facilitate the workshop yourself in the classroom.
And, if you represent an advertising or media agency, please get in touch with us, here, if you are interested in setting up your own school workshop programme to help educate – and recruit – the agency stars of the future!
Parents / Guardians
Digital Advertising
Digital Advertising
For 9-11 yrs | Key stage 2 & 3
These teaching materials explore digital and social media advertising. This includes anything online or on websites, including gaming.
This one-hour lesson supports both the computing and personal development curriculum.
Digital advertising – is promotional adverts and messages that we see online.
Examples of where we can find digital adverts include:
- Social media
- Gaming
- Video
- Celebrities and influencers
- Vloggers
- Paid search advertising.
It’s not always obvious what an advert is, and these resources will help you identify them when online.
Included within the materials are:
- Teacher notes
- A presentation suitable for a class or for a whole-school assembly.
- Two pupil worksheets with activities.
There is also an accompanying parent and guardian guide – so pupils can discuss this subject at home.
These resources were originally PSHE Association-accredited
Body Image & Advertising
Body Image & Advertising
For 9-11 yrs | Key stage 2 & 3
These lesson plans support the PSHE Curriculum. Research shows that over half of girls and a quarter of boys think their peers have body image problems.
Supported by the Government Equalities Office, these resources can help to build pupils’ emotional resilience.
Created by leading independent experts they will support you in teaching engaging and interactive lessons with key curriculum links to PSHE.
Teachers can illustrate the lesson with our suggested case studies, or (using our guidance) they can choose their own.
Included within the materials are:
- A short engaging film
- Teacher notes
There are also accompanying body image and advertising parent and guardian guides – so pupils can discuss this subject at home too.
The video resource referenced in the Teacher notes can be downloaded below.
TikTok: Teens, Social Media & You
TikTok: Teens, Social Media & You
For 13+ yrs
Helping parents and guardians better understand their young person’s online world and support them through conversation and participation.
As your teenager begins to go online, they could choose from any number of social media platforms. Striking a balance between a teen’s expectation of privacy and ensuring they are protected is no easy task.
That’s why Media Smart, in partnership with TikTok, has created ‘Teens, Social Media & You’
What You’ll Find
‘Teens, Social Media & You’ includes engaging films and a practical guide to help you to talk to your teen in a fun and open way without judgement.
1: Downloadable Guide: Practical Tips
Our comprehensive guide provides expert-backed advice on key areas such as:
- How to start a positive conversation about social media
- Encouraging healthier online habits
- Understanding filters, effects, and digital self-esteem
- Recognising and preventing scams
- Identifying influencer advertising and paid content
- Setting up safety features like Family Pairing and Restricted Mode
Download the guide to access all these insights and more.
2: Campaign Film: Watch and Share
Discover key insights from young people about their expectations of online support from trusted adults. Watch the film here and share it with fellow parents, educators, and guardians. It’s also a nice one to watch with your teen together to kick off discussion.
3: School-to-Parent Letter: Spread the Message
We encourage schools to take an active role in supporting parents as part of their internet safety programmes. Our ready to use text for inclusion in a school’s newsletter will help communicate the importance of this subject, offering guidance on starting conversations at home.
School Newsletter Text to Copy
Supporting Your Teen on Social Media
As your teen steps into the digital world, knowing how to guide and support them can feel overwhelming. That’s why Media Smart, in partnership with TikTok, has created ‘Teens, Social Media and You’ a new film-led campaign with free resources to help parents and careers navigate discussion about online safety, digital wellbeing, and responsible social media use.
Download the free guide and watch the films today here
4: Content Creator Films: Engaging and Informative
To bring these critical topics to life, we’ve partnered with six content creators from across the EU to produce engaging films tackling social media safety, digital wellbeing, and online responsibility creatively. These short films will be shared across social media to spark conversations and provide practical advice in a relatable format. You can watch these videos below.
Why This Matters
Young people want ongoing discussions with trusted adults about their online experiences. This campaign provides you with the tools to have those conversations in an informed, supportive, and positive way.
Get Involved
- Watch & Share the Campaign and Social Media Film
- Download & Read the Parent Guide
- Ask Your Teen’s School to Spread The Message To Parents
- Follow & Engage with the Creator Films on Social Media
- Start Meaningful Conversations with Your Teen
Social media platforms are often designed with safety in mind to ensure users receive an age-appropriate experience. That’s why TikTok is strictly for those aged 13+.
Scam Flags Add up to a Scam
Scam Flags add up to a
Our ‘Scam Flags add up to a SCAM’ campaign enables young people (and adults!) to identify possible scams and how to avoid them, because when learning what scam flags are you can protect yourself.
Our resources include a film + guide, which also tell you how to report scams, and where to go for support if you’ve been affected by them.
And for parents or carers, and teachers, these can also be used at home, in the classroom, or in assembly which is sure to create healthy debate.
What are scam flags?
Learn more about scams
This incredibly useful Stop! Think Fraud site – supporting the UK Government’s National Campaign Against Fraud – gives lots of handy advice on how to spot a fraud, protect yourself, and much more.
Take Five
Take Five is run by the banking and finance industry body and contains advice on how to prevent scams, including details of the most common types of scam you should look out for.
Victim Support
Victim Support is a national charity that offers independent, free and confidential advice and support to victims of crime, including scams. You can find out more about their services via their regional websites: England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice offers a lot of guidance online, as well as a helpline for support on scams, including how to check if you think something might be a scam.
Report to Action Fraud
If you’ve been scammed, defrauded, or experienced cyber-crime, report it to Action Fraud, the police reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime in England, Wales and Northen Ireland, online, or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, all reports of fraud and any other financial crime should be reported to Police Scotland by calling 101.
Tell your bank
If you’ve lost money or you think a fraudster has access to your bank account, tell your bank or payment service provider as soon as possible. Always contact them directly using a known email or phone number, such as the ones shown on their website, or call 159.
Report on social media platforms
If you’ve experienced a scam across any social media platform, you can report it directly to the platform, by visiting the platform’s ‘Help’ or ‘Support’ section, and searching ‘report’ – all sites have easy to find ways to report scams. You can use these direct platform links to report scams:
Report it to the ASA
If you’ve seen or been affected by online scam ads newspaper websites, paid-for search engine ads, or ads appearing on social media, you can report the site to the Advertising Standards Authority.
Political Advertising
What’s the Deal with Political Advertising?
For 16+ yrs
Off the back of new research showing that people are significantly less likely to trust political advertising than commercial advertising, Media Smart, in partnership with the Advertising Association, has published “What’s the deal with political advertising?”.
Our new 10-point guide aims to help people – especially young people preparing to vote for the first time – understand ads they may see ahead of all the local, mayoral and general elections in 2024.
The guide answers questions on election advertising rules, how platforms respond to digital and AI-generated content, steps to tackle misinformation and fact-checking, and how young people can improve their political literacy – all backed up with a wide range of resources. Our guide also highlights how commercial advertising, subject to rules enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), differs from political advertising campaigns.
Please download if you would like to read the full guide. It can also be used in classrooms, lecture rooms, and at home, for educational sessions and stimulating conversation!
Career Workshops
Careers Workshop
An Introduction to the Advertising & Media Industry
Media Smart and Omnicom Media Group UK are excited to share a new interactive and educational workshop about the Advertising and Media Industry for ages 13+. The session will teach students about the kind of roles that exist, to experiencing first-hand what it’s like to work in an agency, through to thinking about their own relationship with ads.
By the end of the workshop, students should understand and appreciate:
• The scale of their exposure to advertising on a daily basis
• What agencies within the advertising and media industry do
• Some of the most common roles that can be found
• What ‘AdChoices’ is and how to activate it
• What kind of brief a media agency might expect to receive from a client
• The issue of greenwashing in advertising
• Tips to help them pursue a career in the advertising and media industry
It’s our hope that by engaging young people in the workshop, we can inspire them to consider the advertising and media industry as a potential and exciting career opportunity that is available and accessible to everyone.
The detailed resources will provide you with everything you need to facilitate the workshop yourself in the classroom.
And, if you represent an advertising or media agency, please get in touch with us, here, if you are interested in setting up your own school workshop programme to help educate – and recruit – the agency stars of the future!
