It might be fun, but the internet is far from being child’s play. Many dangers lurk in the virtual world, such as computer viruses, cyberbullies, etc. For parents, it’s crucial to keep their kids safe online.
The crucial task lies in explaining potential dangers and how to prevent or deal with them. This guide offers key internet safety tips for children. Check them out and help your kid stay secure online!
Never Share Personal Information
Whether you are a child or an adult, this is the primary rule on the web. There’s no sharing personal information with strangers. If your kid is playing games over the web, share some tips on staying anonymous. They can use a false name for their nickname, and there’s no need to reveal their city, let alone the address.
Keep Social Media Profiles Private
Some parents allow their children to have a social media profile. While that’s valid, make sure they understand how to behave on these platforms. For starters, setting all profiles to private is imperative. They also shouldn’t share sensitive information, such as vacation plans, home addresses, etc.
Not Everyone Is Your Friend
The FBI warned that there are over 500,000 predators active each day. They have multiple online profiles and often pose as children. Kids should be aware they should only accept people they know for friends on social media.
Share some tips on how to recognize a fake profile, such as that “person” doesn’t have any more friends, you have no mutual friends, there’s no valid photo, etc. Also, ensure your child understands they shouldn’t talk to strangers online or schedule offline meetups.
Choose Strong Passwords and Watch Where You Log In
Another thing kids should be aware of is keeping their accounts safe. That means using a strong password for each profile. These passwords include numbers, upper and lowercase letters, and special symbols.
Also, kids should be aware of where they log into their accounts. For example, if they use a public computer, it’s vital to log out after the session. It also helps to use incognito mode or erase browsing history. Otherwise, they risk someone else gaining access to their accounts.
What Can You Do to Keep Kids Safe Online?
As a parent, you can help children stay secure on the web. Here is what you can do to maximize their safety!
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Installing Antivirus Software
Clicking a wrong link or installing an unwanted program can fill your computer with viruses in seconds. Children are often unaware of their moves on the web.
Therefore, installing antivirus software is imperative on computers and smartphones they use to surf the internet. These tools can help warn about pages or programs that are potentially dangerous. And if a virus gets into the device, it can assist in its removal.
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Using a Parental Control App
These tools add another layer that helps keep your children safe in today’s tech era. If you install a parental control app for online safety, you’ll have these features available:
- Message monitoring. You can track messages on social media and other messaging apps, even if your child deletes them.
- Web filtering. You can block certain websites with sensitive content or filter the pages your child can visit.
- Limit screen time and block apps. You can pick times to restrict phone access, such as in the evening. It’s possible to make some apps inaccessible, too.
The experts advise talking to your children before installing these apps on their phones.
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Ensuring Your Children Trust You
It’s not about keeping your kid under control, but about keeping them safe. Talk to your child frequently and establish trust. Avoid criticizing too much, but offer support and understanding. It increases the mutual bond and boosts the chances your child will share any risky online situation if they encounter it.
Final Thoughts
The internet allows children to chat and play games with their friends. The virtual world also has an educational component, so you don’t want your kids away from it.
But if you want them safe while online, it’s imperative to understand how things work on the web. That includes talking about potential dangers, knowing how to recognize secure websites, etc. Make sure to stay in the loop and develop a bond with your child. Even if a potential problem appears, that increases the odds of learning about it on time!
