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4 easy tips to keep your kids safe online

Like every parent, you want your kids to discover the world with wonder and delight. But on the internet, all that wonder and delight can be too much, too fast.

Today, you know all too well the dangers hiding on the World Wide Web. And whether it’s for schoolwork, entertainment, or just socializing with friends, the internet will surely be a major part of your child’s life. So, it’s important to teach them how to stay safe online.

Here are four tips to ensure they learn to use their laptops, phones, and other connected devices responsibly.

Communicate effectively

It’s not the easiest thing to do with kids, but keeping open lines of communication is key. You want them to know they can share their online activities with you, as well as alert you if something is wrong. Simple strategies include:

Talking to them about their online presence as early as possible, ideally before they begin to use email, social media, or a smartphone.
Discussing what they find interesting online and learning from them about popular websites and apps; this will create a rapport and allow you to identify potential risks.

Give them some perspective

Kids may be able to run circles around you when it comes to texting or Fortnite, but you’ve got invaluable life experience to share. Be sure to remind them that:

What they share online stays there forever—even on apps that are supposed to delete content after a period of time, like Snapchat. Before sharing, they should always ask themselves: Is it illegal? Harmful to me? Embarrassing to someone else? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, they shouldn’t share it under any circumstances.
Online bullying is never OK, and they need to alert an adult immediately if it happens so evidence of the harassment can be collected—including the date, a digital record of what happened, and whatever conversation occurred.

Monitor without spying

Most kids learn to understand boundaries, like respecting others’ personal space, or not opening the cookie jar without asking.

Internet use is no different. It’s helpful for kids to have ground rules as to which websites they can visit, which apps they can use, and what they can share online. Also:

Know who their friends are, online and off.
Remind them that if they feel uneasy with anything that occurs online, they can and should turn to a trusted adult.

Limit access appropriately

How you handle your kids’ internet usage will depend in large part on their age. There are sites and browsing tools meant for younger kids, such as YouTube Kids, which aims to provide a safe online experience for children.

Older kids may be allowed more freedom since they want to network and need to use the internet for information-gathering. But you can set boundaries that feel right for you. Discuss these boundaries together, including website filters to block adult content and parental controls on apps like Netflix to limit the content they can access.

4 easy tips to keep your kids safe online

Communicate effectively

Give them some perspective

Monitor without spying

Limit access appropriately

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