Keeping Your Student Safe Online
For parents, online safety reminders are equally important as they are for students! Every year, the daily activities we complete online seem to increase – from checking social media to scheduling appointments to even grocery shopping. The internet is one of our most useful tools, but it can also be one of the most dangerous.
Here are our top five tips to protect you and your family.
Communication
Communication is one of the most valuable ways you can protect your kids from potential dangers. Talk to your kids about the importance of privacy settings and considerations when downloading programs. Teaching kids to be mindful when sharing private information and talking to strangers could help to protect them from security threats and potentially dangerous situations. The more your kids know, the more prepared they will be to make decisions about who and what they interact with online.
Parental Controls
There are numerous ways for parents to protect kids from concerning or inappropriate content online. Utilize parental controls on your browsers or home routers. By blocking unwanted content, you’re able to be proactive about the content that your kids interact with online.
Parent Involvement
It’s important to keep an eye on what your children are watching and doing on the internet. Not all content on social media or video sites is for children. Be aware of what social media accounts your child is following and who is following them. When your kids are using their devices, make sure you know and approve the applications installed. One way to help your child be safer is to inform them to be thoughtful about what they post, who they interact with, and personal information that may be accessible on social media.
Lock Devices
Keep your devices and information safe with locks and passwords. Make sure your home Wi-Fi has a password to ensure that strangers can’t join your network. Passwords and locks on your personal devices can also protect your personal information from being accessed without your consent.
Spam
Be cautious of spam! Spam can get to you through your phone, email, and social media! Always be cautious when answering unknown numbers on your phone, opening emails, or replying to messages on social media. Block or report spam to prevent further contact. It’s important that kids are also aware of different forms of spam.
Resources:
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2019
STOP. THINK. CONNECT. ™ Toolkit
A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety
Post by Elizabeth Jones, FLVS Social Media Team