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Which of the following tips are you most likely to use to keep your children safe online?
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Home > Articles > Look Both Ways: Privacy Tips to Teach Your Young Children
| Look Both Ways: Privacy Tips to Teach Your Young Children |
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As soon as we could walk and talk, many of us were taught by our parents to "Look both ways before crossing the street." In this digital age, we also must teach our children to "look both ways" as they access the information superhighway, the Internet.
The Internet can hold just as many dangers as the real world. It's never too early to start talking to your kids about protecting their privacy. As your children grow, they will be able to make safe decisions using the privacy concerns you've taught them.
Share these Internet safety concepts with your young children, or use the ideas to start your own conversations:
1) Never tell the computer your name, where you live or your phone number.
Today, there are many bad people online. While chances are rare, don't risk your child becoming a victim. When your children are old enough to shop online, you can show them how to look for security features before they enter their information. Knowing the basics will encourage your children to ask you what to do.
2) The computer is a mask, and a stranger may be behind it; be careful what you say.
Even at an early age, people communicate through social networking Web sites (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.), instant messenger services, photo-sharing sites, chat groups and blogs. Children must understand that on the Internet, anyone can be who he/she wants to be and may have harmful intentions.
3) Be careful what you show and tell; other people can see what you say to friends on the computer.
Things you tell or share with "friends" can spread to millions of people in seconds and reappear in the future. Be careful what you say or post online. Again, as children mature, they can learn to apply their own judgment.
4) Think twice about what you tell the computer; it will remember everything.
Many Internet companies and Web site owners keep records of activity. So, even if a conversation, message or photo is deleted, it may still be saved somewhere else. Children should know not to say or post anything online they do not want others to see again.
5) There are special words and buttons on the computer that let you know it is safe. Let me show you how to use them.
When children are old enough to read and use the Internet, you can teach them how to look for the word "privacy." Many Web sites have features to "report abuse" and children should know how and when to use them. Most social networking Web sites and chat groups also have privacy features that can be turned off and on to control what others see. Research shows that teenagers and young adults today rarely use privacy controls because they were not as common when they first started using the Internet. People of any age should use appropriate safety precautions on a daily basis.
Just like crossing the street, when using the Internet, children need to hold a grown-up's hand until they can always look both ways on their own. |
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