Parents have a right to be nervous about their child going online. The internet opens doors to research and information, but it also opens doors to disinformation, strangers, and potential harm. Horror stories abound about screen addiction, online predators, and exposure to explicit images and other inappropriate content. As if parenting wasn鈥檛 hard enough already, parenting in the age of the internet means keeping kids safe online is a whole new pillar of the job.
A and published in the journal Child Development reveals the average age when children get their first cellphone is 11.6. Not yet teenagers, they鈥檙e just older children, awkward tweens battling the first signs of puberty, body and hormonal changes, and acne. And now they鈥檙e also figuring out online safety with a phone.
Sure, many kids just check out their favorite shows on YouTube or play games, so it might seem a bit silly to predict catastrophic dangers. But it鈥檚 better to be cautious and prepare your child for potential problems, before they dive deeply into the universe of emails, texts, social media, chats, gaming, and the internet.
Here are 9 tips to keep your child safe online:
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Be aware and involved
It鈥檚 important to be clear and direct when teaching your kids how to use the internet safely and responsibly. You need to explain exactly what is and isn鈥檛 OK. And yes, you should definitely explain in detail all the potential dangers. Just as we teach our kids how to eat properly and cross the street safely, parents need to instruct children on how to be responsible, attentive, and careful online.
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Do your homework
Ask your child what they want to do online, and then check out those websites. Investigate ratings and reviews on , and explore tech-based parental-control tools and their features. YouTube has , for example, that detail issues every parent should be familiar with, such as scams, hate speech, nudity, violence, and cyberbullying.
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Talk openly with your child about online safety
Ask your child questions about what they鈥檙e looking at online and who their buddies are. Encourage open communication so your child is relaxed and enjoys the conversation. From time to time, sit with your child when they go online to get a sense of what they鈥檙e doing and talk about it. This also shows your child that being online is not a private thing — your child should never be afraid to show you what they鈥檙e doing online.
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Teach online safety
Tell your child they must never share personal information like their name, school, or address with strangers online. Be very clear that your child should NEVER provide anyone with photos or share passwords. Tell your child to never open an email from a stranger or click on attachments from people they don’t know (this is how many people get computer viruses or malware). Explain that people they meet online may not be who or what they seem, because is a disturbingly frequent criminal activity. You don鈥檛 need to scare your child, but parents should realize that an estimated are active daily seeking to groom and manipulate victims who are often between the ages of 12 and 15 years old.
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Make house rules for the internet
Keep computers with internet access in a central room in the house. Set firm time limits for how long your child can use it and during what hours. Many families establish a rule that says kids can鈥檛 go online until all their homework is done. Other parents say only one hour a day online. It鈥檚 up to you to figure out what works for your family.
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Use parent controls
Many search engines have parent controls that let you establish the type of content that can be returned in a search. Google, for example, provides information on . There are many apps that also allow parents to control the content. is a top filter for families, followed by , such as Net Nanny, Family Time Premium, and Norton Family. You can also get monitoring apps that allow you to read your child鈥檚 text and emails. Bark is again a favorite among Android users, with BrightCanary preferred for iPhones.
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Report suspicious activity
Tell your kid to let you know if something creepy happens to them online. Let your internet service provider and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (1-800-THE-LOST) know immediately. Even if your child is safe, your report may help countless other children before any harm comes their way.
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Take another look at your own online habits
Our kids watch everything we do. If you don鈥檛 want your kid to follow your example, you might want to think twice about your own habits. Remember to limit your own screen time, filter out strangers, and be wary of emails from unknown email addresses. If you act obsessed and addicted to your phone and the internet, your children will likely — and unfortunately — mimic you.
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Embrace the online world
The best way to keep your child safe online is to guide them to emotionally healthy and mentally interesting places on the Internet. Take advantage of the many educational and entertaining activities — download music, play an online game at sites like NationalGeographic.com, visit Nasa.gov, or explore a topic together that your child is curious about, via a documentary film or a YouTube video. Your kid will appreciate it, and you might learn something new, too!
