Key takeaways
- The Internet can be a wonderful resource for kids, providing access to information, educational pages, and opportunities for socialization and entertainment. However, the information superhighway is a very public space, requiring users to be aware of Internet security concerns.
- How to keep your family safe online? It is an important topic especially today, as scammer, hackers and predators can easily access sophisticated AI-powered tools.
- Children face online risks such as cyberbullying, online predators, scammers, and even hackers. It’s critical for parents to proactively teach their kids about cybersecurity and how to leverage the best tools and strategies to secure their online privacy.
- There are several ways parents can boost online safety for kids. Including monitoring their activity online, teaching them about cybersecurity and investing in a reputable protection software.
- Of course, as a parent, you must find the right balance between shielding your kids from online dangers and preserving their freedom. The most ideal protective measures should safeguard user safety and security without stifling a child’s appetite for knowledge or creativity.
10 Internet safety tips for kids and teens
1: Pick screen names carefully
You should pick your screen names carefully. Choose anonymous screen names and avoid using their actual names, phone numbers, or other confidential information in their screen names. A good screen name will protect a child’s privacy from online predators, hackers, and other abusers. It also protects their reputation.
2: Do not post personal information anywhere online
Don’t share your real name, address, family information, school name or things like you gym club or a dance studio details. These can be easily accessed by stalkers and consequences might be dangerous.
3: Do not post or message someone any photos or videos of you that you will regret seeing in public later
Remember: anything you share privately online or via text – can become public very unexpectedly and very quickly. You should avoid compromising their digital footprint with spontaneous image exchange. A good rule of thumb: before sending a photo or a video to anyone, ask yourself if you’d be okay seeing this video or photo on a large billboard in the center of your town.
4: Update your passwords and use strong passwords
Don’t set up your passwords as 12345678. Make sure to use a variety of lower-case and upper-case characters, numbers and special symbols. Update passwords regularly and use a password manager to store your passwords safely. Share your passwords with your parents.
5: Netiquette: treat people with kindness online
When communicating online, remember “netiquette” – online etiquette. A good rule of thumb: don’t say something to another person online what you wouldn’t say to that person’s face.
Parents should explain the potential impact of being unkind on the Internet. Once something is posted online, it can’t always be taken back. Additionally, the consequences of cyberbullying can be severe for others.
6: Don’t click on links in emails and text messages
Sometimes a link can look safe, when it’s not. Scammers use different tactics to make you click on a dangerous link to steal your personal information or hack into your device. Learn to recognize how to check if a link is safe to click. If you’re not sure, don’t click it. Use Malwarebytes Scam Guard to check if a message is safe or scam.
Scam or legit? Scam Guard knows.
7: Stay away from chat rooms
Some if not most chat rooms are unsafe for you to use. They feature inappropriate content or hide potential dangers, such as predators. While it seems exciting to meet friends online, you never know who is on the different side of the screen.
8: Don’t fill out any profiles that require private information
Most websites use our private information to offer us a better and more personalized experience. For instance, a shopping website may use our purchasing habits to recommend more suitable products, or a streaming platform may use our viewing data to suggest films and TV shows we are more likely to enjoy consuming.
However, marketers, trolls, and even hackers can abuse our private information. Bad actors may use malware, unsafe links, or malicious websites to capture our sensitive data.
Do not choose to fill any forms with personal information, which includes your full name. Consult with a parent if a form is necessary.
9: Never respond to threatening messages on any platform
Never reply to threatening or abusive messages on any platform; responding rarely helps and can escalate the situation. Block anyone sending hurtful or abusive content, and loop in a parent or trusted adult right away. Know the serious forms of cyberbullying:
- Doxxing: someone gathers and publicly shares your private or identifying information, often to trigger harassment or abuse.
- Swatting: a false emergency call made to send armed police to a victim’s home – a hoax that has led to real tragedies.
Avoiding conversation with online bullies is one of the best ways to protect yourself from further attacks.
12: Think before posting or sharing photos and information
The risks of oversharing on the Internet are high. Don’t post any personal information – such as real name, phone number, address, school name, a gym club or a dance studio name and address. All these can be easily accessed and stolen with dire consequences for the entire family.
Before sharing any pictures or videos with anyone online – consider your digital footprint and how this may affect you in your future. Your digital footprint is your data trail on the Internet. It’s never completely gone, and it can impact your security, reputation, finances, and even your career.
Nothing that you’re not prepared to see on the homepage of a national news publisher should not be shared.
13: Use a webcam cover
Although using a cover for your family computer or tablet’s webcam may seem drastic, it can help protect your family’s privacy. Some kinds of spyware may use your webcam or microphone to secretly record your family. In addition to covering the webcam, use our anti-spyware scanner to search for spyware, stalkerware, keyloggers, and Trojans on your system.
14: Set privacy settings
Learn how to check your privacy settings on their social media accounts. For one, profile access should be limited to trusted friends and family. Please also disable location tagging on photos.
Even if you have a closed profile, you should still be careful about the data you share. Think before you post and avoid sharing anything that can expose your identity and personal information.
15: Don’t store any information on public computers
Any information you store on a public computer is potentially open for the next user to access. For instance, someone at your school may use the password you saved on a public computer to access your email or take over your social media account. In addition, learn how to clear your cache on public computers to delete your information.
16: Use school Wi-Fi cautiously
Avoid using school Wi-Fi for sensitive activities because such networks are usually monitored by school administrators or IT staff, resulting in potential privacy and security risks. Moreover, school Wi-Fi networks can have weaker network settings and are also targeted by cybercriminals, such as ransomware gangs, that can extract personal information and sell it on the Dark Web.
17: Don’t open attachments from unknown senders
Attachments are a common infection vector for viruses and malware like Trojans. Never open attachments from unknown senders. Only open attachments after checking the email address, running a virus scan and checking the message for red flags, such as text that appears uncharacteristic for the sender.
10 Internet safety tips for parents
1: Be aware of online threats for kids and teens
- Cyberbullies use the Internet to harass, humiliate, or threaten vulnerable users, such as kids and teenagers, sometimes resulting in anxiety and depression for the victims.
- Online predators use the Internet to find people they can exploit or abuse after gaining their trust.
- Phishing attacks use different techniques to trick kids into sharing sensitive information concerning them or their loved ones.
- Online games can carry trolls who bully others, exploit them, or use inappropriate language.
- Social media pages are a common place for online threat actors, such as bullies, to hide.
- Unsafe websites feature content that’s inappropriate for young people.
2: Monitor your kids activity online and set technology time limits
Use parental control software or app to monitor your kids online activity. Although there are many benefits to socializing on the Internet, playing games, reading blogs, and consuming videos online, moderation is important. Parents should set clear boundaries for younger children on the type of technology they use and the kind of content they consume
Parents can take charge of a child’s screen time and monitor their online activity through technology. Parents should also encourage their kids to take regular breaks from the screen and participate in other activities.
Parental control software is one of the best online safety tools for your children. Such programs can help monitor a child’s activity, block inappropriate content, and set time limits. Parents should consider setting up controls for each device a child uses, from laptops to smartphones and tablets.
Learn how the parental control software works, what features are available, and how to adjust the settings as your child grows. Additionally, ensure that your child knows that these tools are a security measure instead of an attack on their freedom.
Please ensure that you’re using a reputable parental control software or app.
3: Keep devices outside of the bedroom
Some parents discourage little children from using devices in a bedroom because such locations are more challenging to monitor than a more central location of the home, like the lounge. Additionally, having devices in personal spaces may interfere with sleep patterns and distract children from healthier activities. Overuse of devices can also negatively impact a child’s mental and physical well-being.
4: Spot warning signs
While the following signs can be part of a normal childhood, they can also point to a deeper issue, like online bullying:
- Your kid is no longer participating in online activities.
- Your child is suffering from low-self esteem, mood swings, anxiety, or depression.
- They are suddenly avoiding using technology, such as their smartphone, tablet, or video game console.
- They are eating less and sleeping irregularly.
- Their academic performance is worsening.
Speak to your child, reach out to their school, or consult with a mental health professional if you know they are suffering from cyberbullying.
5: Keep SafeSearch settings ON
Unsafe content, such as malware, pornography, gore, or extreme violence, is just a few careless clicks away on the Internet. Check out how to turn on SafeSearch to shield yourself and others in your family from potentially disturbing content.
6: Bookmark safe sites
You can create a safelist of websites for your child to browse and bookmark them on the family computer. Encourage your kids to only access this list of approved websites. However, allow your kids to add new websites to the safelist after you’ve vetted them.
7: Educate your kids about cybersecurity
It is important to keep a conversation about cyber security – read more here: what is cyber security. Your children are well aware of any potential internet threats and follow the tips mentioned above.
8: Block pop-ups
Pop-ups can either be annoying or dangerous. While some pop-ups help marketers generate revenue, others feature unsafe content. Abusers may also use pop-ups to attack the security of a vulnerable Internet user, like a child.
Arm the web browser on your family computer with a safety tool like Browser Guard to stop trackers, scams, and unsafe websites. Please also try AdwCleaner to remove unwanted programs and junkware that may blast your screen with ads.
9: Teach children to recognize spam and phishing
Phishing attacks and spam gets more sophisticated. Teach your kids to recognize the sign of dangerous spam emails and texts. Explain to them why they should never fill out any forms with personal information or click on suspicious links.
10: Learn what online protection and education is offered in your kids’ school
Find out what steps your child’s school takes to protect them online. Many schools use filtering systems, monitoring software, and safety policies to defend students from abuse on the Internet. They also share resources and offer parent-teacher conferences to help create awareness.
11. Invest in a reputable cybersecurity software
Invest in a reputable real-time protection cybersecurity software. Ideally, it should have identity theft protection with proactive monitoring and alerts. Keep the software up-to-date and run regular malware scans of all family devices.
