Teaching children about digital risks and how to avoid them can be one of the most effective ways to help young people make smart and safe choices in their online interactions. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to have conversations with their children early on regarding their online activity, and to keep the lines of communication open so that children feel safe and supported in coming forward with potential concerns. Parents and guardians should also know the apps their children use, tell children to avoid sharing personal information, photos, and videos, enact parental controls where possible, and be aware of potential signs of abuse and/or exploitation.
Children’s increased online presence, coupled with evolving and emerging digital platforms, can expose them to a range of potential online safety threats and risks. These threats can include online predators and criminals, as well as forms of harassment, enticement, and exploitation such as sextortion. Cyberbullying, which includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else, can also take place over digital devices and in online forums, and targeting youth online has become an increasingly common tactic among traffickers and criminals, who can gain access to children and adolescents because they are not always aware of how dangerous online environments can be.
A federal law, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), helps protect kids younger than 13 when they're online. It's designed to keep anyone from getting a child's personal information without a parent knowing about it and agreeing to it first.
COPPA requires websites to explain their privacy policies and get parental consent before collecting or using a child's personal information, such as a name, address, phone number, or Social Security number. The law also prohibits a site from requiring a child to provide more personal information than necessary to play a game or enter a contest.
Online tools let you control your kids' access to adult material and help protect them from Internet predators. Many Internet service providers (ISPs) provide parental control options. You can also get software that helps block access to sites and restricts personal information from being sent online. Other programs can monitor and track online activity.
More important than blocking objectionable material is teaching your kids safe and responsible online behavior, and keeping an eye on their Internet use.
Basic guidelines to share with your kids for safe online use:
Basic guidelines for parental supervision:
Watch for warning signs of a child being targeted by an online predator. These can include:
Talk to your kids! Keep an open line of communication and make sure that they feel comfortable turning to you when they have problems online.
As kids get older, it gets a little trickier to monitor their time spent online. They may carry a smartphone with them at all times. They probably want — and need — some privacy. This is healthy and normal, as they're becoming more independent from their parents. The Internet can provide a safe "virtual" environment for exploring some newfound freedom if precautions are taken.
Talk about the sites and apps teens use and their online experiences. Discuss the dangers of interacting with strangers online and remind them that people online don't always tell the truth. Explain that passwords are there to protect against things like identity theft. They should never share them with anyone, even a boyfriend, girlfriend, or best friend.
Taking an active role in your kids' online activities helps ensure that they benefit from them without being exposed to the potential dangers.
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