Everything begins with access: when, how much, and how often. Talking with your kids about what devices they have access to, the ways they use them, and the potential risks is a great place to start.
Whether your family is on a laptop, tablet, or phone, you have control over how much information your device shares, and with whom. It’s important to understand the settings, and how they affect the safety of your, and your kids’, data. Privacy settings are important not only on shared devices, but also when your child gets their own device.
Regardless of whether your child has their own device or uses a shared one, consider adjusting or limiting who can communicate with them through chat or direct message features on apps they may use. Take this opportunity to talk to your kids about not sharing personal or identifying information in online spaces, including in their usernames (ie: full name, name of their school, address, photos of themselves and/or siblings, etc.).
Talk to your kids about where they go online, what they see, and who they interact with. Let them know you may monitor their activity as they learn what’s safe and what’s not. If you plan to leverage monitoring apps, discuss it with them and be as transparent as possible.
What are you most excited about having your own phone / tablet?
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All About Device Access
Get an early understanding of what your kid wants to do online, and what having a device in their hands means—for them and for you. This is a great opportunity to bring up any concerns you might have.
Now is the time to talk about how devices and apps are used and the pros/cons of having your own device. Give real life examples. The point at this age is to engage and educate.
Get an early understanding of what your kid wants to do online, and what having a device in their hands means—for them and for you. This is a great opportunity to bring up any concerns you might have.
Have you ever seen anything online that you knew was for adults and not for kids?
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Start Talking About Social Media & Platforms
Now is the time to talk about how devices and apps are used and the pros/cons of having your own device. Give real life examples. The point at this age is to engage and educate.
Building healthy habits means talking about online behavior on an ongoing basis. Kids’ interests and explorations are always evolving, so your approach needs to evolve as well. Keep the conversation open and ongoing, and be sure they know they can always come to you if they need help or something makes them uncomfortable online.
Additional Resources
From simple tips to complex explorations, we’ve gathered a range of information, videos, and articles designed to help you keep exploring these topics.
Article
Be Internet Awesome – A Program to Teach Kids Online Safety
Source: Google
Be Internet Awesome is a multifaceted program that includes a fun and free web-based game called Interland and an educational curriculum to teach kids how to be safe and responsible explorers of the online world.
Parents and carers play a key role in guiding their children as they first encounter the online world and begin to learn through exploration, play and social interaction.
The Smart Talk is a free tool that helps families set digital safety ground rules together. National PTA and Norton want to help families facilitate positive conversations and set smart boundaries that influence our habits.
Kids today are growing up in a world of technology. Even if they’re not accessing the internet on smartphones, tablets, and laptops at home, they’re likely using them at school. And although their devices can be powerful tools, they can also create problems.
6 Steps To Complete Before and After a Device Purchase
Source: Family Online Safety Institute
Technology-based items, including cell phones and tablets are very popular gifts. To get the most out of them, here are some tips for you and your family, both before and after you make the purchase.
Parents driving the online safety conversation at home can encourage the entire family to get on the same page by reviewing the fundamentals and taking this pledge together.
This video emphasizes that while there are dangers on the Internet, it’s also a great place to do schoolwork, share art, and have meaningful conversations - you just need to know how to navigate it safely.
Video
Porn is Not Sex Ed
Source: Amaze
This video acknowledges how common it is for young people to stumble upon pornography or to seek it out because they are curious about sex. While young people’s curiosity is completely normal, this video makes it clear that pornography is not a good source of accurate information about sex.
Article
The #AskableParent Guide to Porn
Source: Amaze
A series of videos produced by Amaze and Melissa Pintor Carnagey, a licensed social worker, sexuality educator, and a parent of three. The #AskableParent Guide to Porn is meant to help you take the awkwardness out of talking with your kids about online porn.
This video includes tips on internet safety, advising young people to think carefully before they share pictures and videos on the Internet. It goes over what to do if someone you met on the Internet makes you uncomfortable – stop communication immediately and tell a trusted adult.
Article
Online Safety for Children & Families
Source: Google
Children today are growing up with technology, not growing into it like previous generations. So Google is working directly with experts and educators to help you set boundaries and use technology in a way that’s right for your family.
