4 Internet Safety Tips for Kids & Teens
Online safety is paramount for kids today, as most interaction is conducted through a computer screen or mobile device. As a parent, you can’t protect your kids from the world. But, you can have an arsenal of ideas to ensure they’re safe and have hacks if they find themselves in uncomfortable online situations.
Discover the best ways to safeguard teens, tweens, and “in-betweens” who like to be online consistently.
1. Don’t Let Your Child or Teen Post Personal Pictures/Information
Social media has made it challenging to keep your personal life out of the public eye. Without even realizing it, kids share images of themselves at home or in public places and tell the world exactly when and where they are. Pictures taken with a GPS-enabled smart device usually include metadata—extra information embedded in an image—that can be used to track people easily. According to a survey by Common Sense Media, over 53% of American children age 11 and 84% of American teens own a smartphone. Strangers online take advantage of this information to access and locate minors using image tracking.
To remedy this, CNET recommends that Apple iOS and Android users disable location settings for their cameras to eliminate metadata. Computer-saved images can be uploaded to data-stripping free software for Windows, Mac, and Linux users.
2. Don’t Let Your Little One or Young Adult Share Their Passwords
Internet security is important to protect your personal information and keep you from being hacked. When your child shares their passwords with friends online, they open themselves (and you) up to data breaches that could have dire consequences. Even if your child shares this information with trusted family members online, everything leaves a digital trail. Information transmitted in email or messaging systems is there forever—regardless of how hard you try to erase them. Seemingly deleted data can be retrieved and used without your knowledge.
Another issue that experts warn about when it comes to passwords is using the same one on multiple websites and accounts. Professionals in the field call this password repetition, and it’s one of the causes of identity theft. The Center of Internet Security recommends protecting your and your loved ones’ passwords by keeping them securely in a notebook away from the computer if you have difficulty remembering different ones. And never use personal information when creating a password or share the password with anyone outside your household.
3. Know Who Your Kids Are Chatting with Online
It can seem almost impossible to keep track of every person your children talk to. However, to properly protect them online, you must be diligent about being involved in their online lives. Several free and paid apps on the market allow you to secretly monitor your kids’ online activity, including Bark, Pocket Guardian, and VISR.
If you’re concerned with invading your older child’s or teenager’s privacy, keep communication open and honest. It’s important for kids surfing the internet to know that not everyone they encounter is who they say they are or has benevolent intent. Start these vital conversations as soon as you know your child has an online presence. Normalizing conversations about online safety is a sure-fire way to mitigate any potential problems from occurring.
4. Make Sure Your Children Ask Before Downloading Games and Apps
Internet games are staples in online interaction. As a result, some websites will use ads that encourage you to download unknown games or programs related to past searches. If your child downloads unauthorized data, it may infect your computer with malicious spyware or malware that can open you up to cyber-attacks.
Reputable app downloading sites like Google Play and Apple’s App Store will have parental controls that allow you to stop unauthorized app downloads. Additionally, apps like Boomerang encourage your children to ask permission before downloading anything, as you have to approve it first. If you’re all about multiple layers of security, you can’t go wrong with options that help you monitor and block apps you’re unsure about.
Extra Pro Tips for Parents
- Keep the computer or laptop in a central and public location
- Inform your children that the internet and computer keep a lasting record of online activity.
- Tell your kids that how they act online should be no different than how they act in person. If they wouldn’t walk up to a stranger and hold a conversation, they shouldn’t do so online either.
Remember, the internet and social networking sites aren’t inherently bad. Still, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and stay in the know about your children’s internet activity.
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