Happy Data Privacy Day! Data Privacy is an extremely important concept that everyone should be informed on. When it comes to your children, it's not only data privacy that should be a concern, but their overall safety when using the internet. In this post, we will share different tips to help you help your children safely navigate the internet.
Tip 1: Be informed
One our first tips to help your children stay safe online, is to be informed. It's important for you to know what's happening and how to avoid what you need to. Explain the internet, and the different types of sites it has, in simple terms that your children can understand. This includes listing the different type of sites they will encounter or need to use for school, entertainment, and socializing. You can also include some of the pros and cons of each site, how they can affect you, and which sites the children should or shouldn't visit, and why.The more knowledge you have about what's online, the better you can navigate it.
Tip 2: Teach them the signs
Another great tip for keeping your children safe, is to teach them to be aware of the risk of the internet, and how it can affect them. This includes warning them against interacting with people they do not know, and giving away too much private information. Encourage them to come to you if they have any concerns, or if they ever feel uncomfortable about any interaction or situation they might come across.
Tip 3: Explain importance of privacy
A big tip, is explaining the importance of privacy online. Many sites offer up a number of opportunities to reveal anything and everything about yourself and your life online. Explain to your children, how having too much of their personal information online, can negatively impact their life. This not only includes how to avoid strangers, but also posting things that can negatively affect those around you, as well as understanding how the sites you use, use your information.
Tip 4: Set boundaries
It's important to set boundaries, when it comes to the internet. Let your children know what is and isn't acceptable. This includes what they talk and post about, what they search, and who they interact with. It's also important to set up boundaries about when and where they can access the internet and how long they should spend time on certain sites.
Tip 5: Monitor their access
In this day and age, it's almost impossible to completely avoid the internet. If you want to promote a healthy relationship with the internet in your children, it's important to monitor their access. This includes encouraging them to be upfront and honest about their usage. If you feel as though there are certain times you would like them to not access the internet, state those times, and explain to them why. This can include explaining the importance of staying focused in school or while they study or do homework, staying present during family time, or in situations where it's generally inappropriate to be on your devices. If they are younger children, it also helps to check in on what your children might be viewing, and if you have any concerns.
Tip 6: Stay updated
Our last tip for internet safety, is to always stay updated. The internet is a rapidly growing and advancing place that changes everyday. It's important to always know exactly what is changing, and how that will impact us. For your children, you can also have weekly conversations about the internet, and what they see and encounter. This doesn't have to always include reassessing the risk, but keeping a general and honest talk about their experience and time spent online. This can help you better understand any trends, issues and overall interests that your child may have or observe. With this, you can always keep in mind what your child's online life might include, and how it is currently affecting them.
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