Internet Safety Tips for Kids
The internet can serve as a resourceful tool for children. It can also prove to be dangerous to kids when they don't know what they are doing. This is why making internet safety tips for kids is important.
We all have heard instances where teens post inappropriate photos or partake in cyberbullying. This is because they are unaware of the long-term effects of their actions.
Because of these potential threats from using the internet, we emphasize that parents and teachers must help kids learn how to be safe. This can be done by teaching kids to follow some of the tips.
However, these tips do not mean that parents and teachers should neglect supervision. Instead, these tips should serve as an extra measure to make sure that the internet is safe for kids.
What is Internet Safety?
On definitions.com, Internet safety was defined as maximizing personal safety and security risks on private information and property when using the Internet.
Wikipedia also gave a similar explanation about internet safety but added that self-protection from computer Crime was part of being Internet safe.
We would simply define internet safety tips for kids as the process of guardians educating young ones on how to be safe online.
From the definitions above, an example of a kid practicing internet safety would be the kid not divulging private details to a stranger on the internet.Why is internet safety important for kids?
According to an article about Internet safety, it was emphasized that internet safety is important because it prevents users from being victims of online buzzards.
Other reasons why internet safety is necessary for kids is that;
- It prevents kids from being victims or perpetrators of cyberbullying.
- Teaching Internet safety to kids minimizes the risk of identity theft happening.
- It deters cyberstalking or sexting from pedophiles and even among the teenagers.
- Internet safety allows guardians to teach their kids about the long-term effects of sexting or viewing adult content on the internet.
- It prevents kids from clicking on malicious ads and spam emails which might get viruses into the system.
By teaching our kids all the reasons why internet safety is important will allow them to be more cautious on the internet as they grow older.
Internet safety Tips for Kids and Online Safety
The most important internet safety tip for kids is for parents or guardians to keep open communication with the kids about the Internet. This was emphasized by most cybersecurity experts in an article about internet safety tips for kids.
According to Frank Gallagher in the article, keeping open communication allows parents to enforce and reinforce Internet safety tips for kids. It also allows parents to better monitor their kid's internet use.
Apart from keeping open communication, there are other internet safety tips parents could teach their kids and enforce themselves. They include;
10 Internet Safety Tips for Kids
Parents or teachers should make use of online protection tools. According to kids health, an online protection tool will allow parents to restrict access to adult sites. It will also allow parents to track online activities when their kids use the internet.
- Parents should educate their kids on the importance of privacy online. This will refrain kids from giving out their personal information to strangers over the Internet.
- Parents should not allow kids to be left secluded with a computer system. An article about tips on Internet safety for kids claim that it is not ideal to allow computers in your kid's bedroom. The computer system for the kids should be placed in an open area.
- To be able to teach internet safety tips for kids, it is advisable parents learn much about the Internet itself. Exploring the internet along with your kids gives you an insight into how they surf the net.
- Parents should educate their teenage ones on the dangers of social media. Some of these dangers comprise cyberbullying, cyberstalking and Posting nude photos. Educating teens will allow them to learn the long term effects associated with the dangers.
- The internet can be addictive and this addiction can lead to a kid spending more time on the computer screen. High screen time for a kid can lead to health issues for that kid. A timetable would be an ideal solution to reduce screen time with kids.
- Kids should get their parents backing before downloading or posting content they are unsure of.
- The internet would be safer for kids when parents learn not to blame the kids for their mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes and mistakes can help kids become better thinkers on the internet.
- Kids should learn to trust their parents when they encounter problems over the Internet. An example is when they have an uncomfortable discussion with strangers online. Kids should discuss such with their parents.
- Kids should never agree to meet with a stranger they met online without their parent's consent. This is because there are lots of sexual predators on the internet.
Parents should create time to educate their kids more about the Internet. The internet can be very resourceful for kids. The internet is also filled with a lot of predators.
Educating your kids about the dangers of the internet would create awareness among them. Hence, the reason why awareness is an important tool in making the Internet safer for kids.