Kids of all ages tap into cyberspace on a daily basis, whether it be for school research, to play games, or connect with friends. While this is standard practice for youngsters today, for parents, this continues to create just another level of worry. There are many real risks involved when surfing the web, and without education, it's easy for kids to run right into traps.
As a parent, how can you keep your kids protected from the many traps that await users in cyberspace? Consider these basic tips for keeping your kids safe online.
It's easy for children to see the benefits of the internet, but an understanding of phishing, viruses, and even online communication etiquette are all things that they must be taught. While their teachers at school may go over certain aspects of internet safety measures, you can help set your kids off on the right foot with teaching a few lessons about cybersecurity at home. When your kids are young and still use the internet with your help or supervision, and these are great moments to start the conversation about cybersecurity include how to create secure passwords, how to identify secure websites, and other web-browsing safety basics.
Many basic ways of staying safe online mirror various practices for how we keep ourselves safe out in the real world. Consider these points:
When your kids are surfing the web under your direct supervision, you are right there to see what they see. When you can't be there, set up parameters around your children's access to certain websites that you would deem as inappropriate or risky for them to use. Many popular internet browsers allow you to do this. Even Google offers a SafeSearch tool that makes searching the internet kid-friendlier.
This tip might not fall into cybersecurity, but it's still important. Help to encourage moderate internet usage in your kids by limiting their access to it. Screen time and internet usage not related to schoolwork can be restricted to only specific times like on the weekend or after their homework is finished. This could help to instill healthy habits in your kids when it comes to using technology. Be a good model of this behavior too, as kids learn well by observation.
Teaching kids about cybersecurity will be an ongoing practice, as the web is constantly transforming as are the potential security pitfalls that come with it. Keep yourself up-to-date on simple practices that can increase your security on the web. And as your kids grow older and become web experts themselves, maybe they will be the ones teaching you about the latest in cybersecurity.