FAQ

What is the Friendly WiFi certification?

An agreement was made collaboratively with UK Government (UK Council for Child Internet Safety) and the UK's main WiFi Providers (ISP's) which sets out a minimum standard of filtering that must be achieved in order to become Friendly WiFi certified in the provision of providing WiFi services. The Friendly WiFi certification has been set up and licenses the use of its Friendly WiFi Approved symbol to brands, venues and locations (including the Education Sector) who provide internet access and meet these standards of content filtering.

Does Friendly WiFi certification support my obligations under the latest DfE guidelines?

The Department for Education statutory guidance (Keeping children Safe in Education 2023) advises that schools and colleges should ensure they have appropriate filtering and monitoring systems in place. A new update to the guidance includes clarification around the roles and responsibilities of education staff in relation to filtering and monitoring, in particular:

• identify and assign roles and responsibilities to manage filtering and monitoring systems
• review filtering and monitoring provision at least annually

Friendly WiFi can support this through independant certification. We carry out an initial check on your web filtering systems and then review this on an annual basis, which includes any support required in relation to the use of appropriate filtering systems. We also provide access to online tests to check your filters are present.

I already have filters on my WiFi service, how does Friendly WiFi certification benefit my organisation?

Meeting the standard and becoming certified allows organisations to take control of the quality of the WiFi service they provide. Certification enhances your reputation by giving visual peace of mind (through use of the Friendly WiFi symbol) to staff, pupils and visitors using your WiFi service. We often compare it to venues displaying signage for physical safety, why not let your WiFi users know your WiFi is also safe and join many other organisations in supporting the protection of children and young people online. Ongoing certification makes sure the filtering solutions that you are required to maintain to protect your WiFi users, are present and kept up to date - we inform you of new and upcoming changes that help to improve your levels of protection.

Is Friendly WiFi a hardware or software product that I need to purchase and add to my current WiFi setup?

No, Friendly WiFi is a certification standard, which means we are not selling you any hardware or software product. We work with you to certify your exisiting WiFi solution, which includes checks and validations to ensure it is meeting the minimum filtering standard.

What is the minimum standard of filtering my organsiation must achieve in order to become certified and use the Friendly WiFi Approved symbol?

Wherever you see the Friendly WiFi symbol, this means the WiFi service has been checked and is filtered to meet the two levels of protection as specified below:

1. 1. The standard WiFi offering will automatically filter Child Sexual Abuse Material using an approved block list (most WiFi providers have access to these lists, or we can advise)
2. 2. The standard WiFi offering will also include filters to block Pornography

What if my WiFi setup does not meet the minimum standard of filtering required for the certification?

As part of our initial checks, we ask you to provide details of your filtering solution, which will include details of your WiFi solution, or the WiFi provider you use. If we identify that you are not compliant, we are able to guide or assist you, or your WiFi provider, to achieve the required standard. In some instances this may just be a case of activating additional levels of filtering in your current solution.

Is there a fee to become Friendly WiFi Certified?

Yes, to join you pay an annual licence fee. The fees are £50 per year for a Primary School and £100 per year for a Secondary school. For colleges, universities or other venues in the education sector, please contact us for pricing.

Why would my organisation want to be Friendly WiFi certified?

The education sector (such as schools, colleges, academies and universities) have the ability to register for the Friendly WiFi certification and to display the colourful 'approved' symbol. The Department for Education statutory guidance (Keeping children Safe in Education) advises that schools and colleges should ensure they have appropriate filtering and monitoring systems in place. Becoming Friendly WiFi certified means that after adopting these measures, schools can be independently checked to prove their service blocks access to harmful and inapropriate material.

Can I join over a longer term?

Yes, many of our larger clients join for 3 or 5 years.