The internet is become an essential part of the everyday existence of us and our children. It serves as a huge information resource, a forum for conversation, and an amusement park.

But the internet may also be a harmful place for our children and that is why our children safety online must be seen as an important thing.

It is our responsibility as parents to provide our kids with the information and resources they need to behave properly and safely online. However, where do you even begin? What can you do to protect your child’s online safety?

Today, we’re going to examine the risks that our children may encounter when using the internet and how you can make sure that they have a fun and safe experience overall.

Why children and teenagers should be protected online

Owing to their innate curiosity and flexibility, kids and teenagers are frequently the most frequent users of the internet. And far too frequently, their innate excitement is what might occasionally put children in dangerous situations.

The dangers are numerous and genuine. A few problems that children may encounter virtually every time they go online are cyberbullying, unsuitable content, social media overuse, online predators, and kid-targeted frauds, to name just a few.

Therefore, it is the responsibility of parents to give their children the knowledge and resources they need to browse the internet safely.

To assist your kids stay secure online, security experts have provided the following suggested practices:

Make sure your children understand the value of privacy.

Most people learned not to talk to strangers or open doors for them before the internet existed. The internet generation should likewise be covered by this. Instruct your kids on the significance of keeping their identities, addresses, and other private information private while communicating with strangers online.

Additionally, caution them about engaging in online conversations with strangers and stress the need of never scheduling a meeting with someone they have only met online.

Use the parental controls.

Children enjoy exploring the internet. Regretfully, something enjoyable could go wrong. Parental controls can assist you and your kids in avoiding unfavorable outcomes when using the internet.

If your smartphone has parental settings, utilize these to restrict your internet usage to a select few reliable websites and apps. If you want to restrict your kids’ access to sensitive and unsuitable content, think about setting up separate accounts for them on YouTube, Netflix, and other streaming services.

Discuss games.

It’s true that playing video games can help with learning. There is a downside to anything on the internet, though. Children are particularly vulnerable to identity theft, credit card fraud, and cyberbullying when they play online games.

Thus, before determining whether a game is appropriate for your kids, make sure to do your homework on it. Additionally, because many games allow you to “block” other players, you might want to think about letting them play online games with their actual friends exclusively. If they inform you that they are being bullied, that is great news. Lastly, keep an eye on in-app transactions, particularly if your card is connected to your children’s gaming account.

Restrict social media access

social media platforms. It’s the worst thing on the internet, according to some, but it might as well be the best, according to others. Whatever the situation, we are well-informed about its detrimental effects and effects on children these days.

Keeping your kids off social media may be nearly difficult, so make sure you have frank conversations with them about it. Talk about its negative aspects, such as how toxic and addictive it can be. It’s critical that students comprehend that social media postings can have real-world repercussions and that it’s not all fun and games.

Be gentle with them; perhaps think about setting limits and guidelines for social media use. Never forget that this generation’s Zeitgeist includes using social media.

Teach your children the fundamentals of cybersecurity.

Perhaps it’s not the most fun subject to talk about with children, but cybersecurity is an unavoidable reality of modern life. Try to explain identity theft and its effects in a straightforward and understandable manner. Additionally, discuss the significance of password security.

Advise them not to use weak passwords and explain the risks associated with sharing passwords. Using a password manager like NordPass is among the greatest ways to guarantee password security in a family environment.

Password managers facilitate safe password sharing and enable you to store and retrieve passwords with ease. You may be confident that today’s youth will quickly become proficient with a password manager.

Set a good example.

Lead by example as you attempt to raise up responsible internet users. Describe why the actual and digital worlds are not conducive to hate speech, bullying, or trolling.

Explain to them how their words could affect their future and caution them that everything they post online will probably be seen by the public for eternity. Point out to them the positive aspects of the internet, such as how it may broaden one’s perspective, spark joy, and connect others.

SOURCE: NordPass Blog