Tips for Parents and Kids to Keep Their Time Online Safe
Published: June 14, 2021
During summer break, kids and teens tend to have more free time. In addition to how much time they normally spend online, many of them may turn to the internet for entertainment and staying connected with friends. With this increase in use and availability, it’s essential to make sure young people’s internet habits are safe.
According to the Center for Cyber Safety and Education:
- 31% of children have lied about their age to visit an adult website
- 21% of children have visited a website that allows them to video chat with strangers
- 17% of children have visited sexually explicit websites
- 11% of children have used websites to cheat on the homework
- 4% of children have visited gambling websites
Because June is National Safety Month, Change the Game Ohio encourages parents to have internet safety talks with their kids. ConsumerNotice.org gave these common internet safety rules for children and teens:
- Never give out personal information, including your name, phone number, or address
- Do not talk to strangers or agree to meet up with them
- Do not publicly post your photo
- Do not respond to messages from people you do not know or to hurtful or bullying messages
- Report bullying or inappropriate messages to an adult
As parents, there are things you can proactively do to ensure your child is safe online. ConsumerNotice.org also offered these tips when addressing your child’s online safety:
- Keep computers, tablets, and smartphones in a common area of your home to monitor safe use
- Use your internet browser’s or internet service provider’s privacy features
- Monitor your browser’s history
- Know your children’s social media and online account passwords
- Look for behavior changes that may indicate cyberbullying or contact with online predators
Change the Game Ohio hopes these tips help you and your children set safety rules and habits. To access a wide variety of resources to help your child set limits and become aware of their online activities, please visit ChangeTheGameOhio.org