A few decades ago, kids lived on the streets. They played basketball, hide and seek, baseball,
and other games all day and all night. The internet has changed things. Now, kids are playing the
NBA video game alongside going out and shooting some hoops. That means kids need to understand how to stay safe inside and out – but why is internet safety important for kids to understand in particular?
This is a collaborative post.
Of course, the internet is a wonderful place. We’re all using it to talk to our friends, shop, learn,
and play games from time to time. Children are using it for the same things too. But the internet
is not a place that’s safe from hackers, identity thieves, and predators. In order to ensure your kids are
safe online, we need to teach them about cyber threats and online safety from an early age.
Sometimes, like in the case of Blue Whale, kids become targeted by predators and are caused
to do actual harm to themselves or others. Being a parent means you’ll have to teach them
about the dangers they could experience and learn more about security yourself.
Why is internet safety important: a few guidelines to follow
Now that every kid has a smartphone monitoring what they’re doing is challenging. Kids,
especially teens, will definitely encounter obscene words and even pornography online. If
they’re not careful in their behavior, they might become targets of cyberbullying and even get
harassed in school. Of course, this doesn’t mean that your child will see everything that’s on the
web, but it’s essential to keep it into consideration and make better decisions.
One of the first things you could do is set some standards. Telling them what you expect and
placing some rules is essential. Kids always want to test the limits. If you don’t put any
restraints, they will probably do something wrong either because they are curious or because
they don’t know better.
Teaching them about personal information should also be on the top of your list. People talk
about everything in-game lobbies. A stranger may try to get an address, credit card, or phone
number by sparking a basic conversation. Apart from game lobbies, it’s easy for a criminal to
create a fake Facebook or Instagram profile. They will be able to see everything that gets
posted. For that reason, you need to teach your young ones to only post images and videos that
the entire world can see.
Lastly, you want to be the person they come to if they ever encounter a problem. Hiding it only
makes it worse. Even if your kid is doing everything, you ask of them, an ad or a pop-up from a
random site could lead them to adult content. That doesn’t mean it’s their fault. Instead, teach
them why that happens and how they can avoid it later.
How can you minimize the risks?
No matter how hard you try, your kids will be exposed to nudity and obscene language online. If
that doesn’t happen at home, some friend at school will show them, or they can use another
computer or device.
One great tactic when they’re still little is to put their console or laptop in the living room. That
way, you can glance at what they’re doing from time to time. When they grow up to be
teenagers, they’ll probably have learned how to distinguish right from wrong.
Though PCs in the living room can help – there are so many ways to get on to the internet this, isn’t foolproof by any means. So we need to get as savvy as the kids…!
Installing a VPN and an antivirus is a great combo to reduce risks when there are so many options for our kids to connect in our home. VPN meaning is simple – it is a virtual private network. Since most children know nothing about malware and IP addresses, they can fall for scams, viruses, and phishing links. Ensure they’re not using your main computer filled with your personal information. The VPN will make them invisible online while the antivirus scans the device for potential malware files.
You can also try using parental controls. Modern operating systems like Windows and Mac have
the option to set up website restrictions and time limits. That way, you will have more control
over which apps they’re using.
Finally, remember that you can’t protect them from the world as it is. The internet is like a
double-edged sword. It could be used for good or bad. Instead of restricting every website they
encounter, teach them how to be mindful, and foster critical thinking. These skills will help them
navigate the world better.
We hope you find this article useful – why not sign up to our newsletter?
If you are interested in other content on eSafety, do check these articles out from the site as well:
KiddyCharts internet safety resources
More internet safety ideas and resources from the site. Why not come and check them out and see if they help?
eSafety: 5 apps you didn't know let your kids talk to strangers
Check out these apps, as you probably don't realise that they let your kids talk to strangers.
Meet the four key nasties that might be lurking in your kids computer NOW! #SaferInternetDay
Here are some of the key things that you need to know about your kids' computer today.
One thing you must do now to help your kids stay safe when online gaming
Think about this one things to help your kids stay safer when they are gaming online.
There are also other relevant articles here too:
Internet safety tips from the wider web
Here are some more ideas for helping your kids to navigate themselves online safely.
11 TIPS FOR PARENTS TO ENSURE KIDS’ ONLINE SAFETY!
A list of a few tips and ideas for having those conversations with the kids - obviously this is a really important part of them staying safe. Being about to talk to them opening about what they are doing.
Talking About Online Safety With My Preschooler
There is a lot about talking to kids generally - but what about starting early? Here are some tips for younger kids.
Online safety tips for parents
Finally, some more thoughts and ideas for parents, to help you get it right; but don't beat yourself up if you don't all the time. We learn from our mistakes
Thanks so much for coming by to see us, and we hope you come back again soon.
Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine!Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time.KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10.It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania.Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on.Get in touch TODAY!