The internet is a world of opportunity. But like the real world, it is often populated with risks and predators. This June is National Internet Safety Month, a moment in the year when it is important to think about the dangers posed to children on the internet and to offer some critical tips aimed at keeping your kids safe online.
Sadly, children can be the most likely people to be victims of crime on the internet. For instance, they are up to 35 times more likely than adults to have their identities stolen online. Sixty-five percent of children aged 8 to 14 have been exposed to incidents of cyberbullying and law enforcement officials estimate more than 50,000 sexual predators are active online at any given time.
According to BroadbandSearch, 95 percent of teenagers are connected to the Internet and 85 percent are using social media, meaning that virtually no family is immune to the dangerous threats posed online.
These statistics aren't meant to be salacious or to scare anyone. They are merely a reality we all face and an opportunity to have a discussion about what it means to be safe online. To help keep children and families safe, here are a few tips parents can use to protect their children.
- Spend Time With Your Children Online — As with many of the risks young people face, having an adult help them understand those risks goes a long way toward avoiding them. Point out potential threats by identifying what suspicious contacts would look like and educate them about what information never to reveal. By providing a first-hand analysis, your children can ask questions and interact with the screen.
- Explain Security Risks — While schemes like phishing and malware are quite complex to understand, explaining them in basic terms that children can understand will provide them with a baseline of the potential threats.
- Talk Openly About Social Media — Discuss the benefits that social media provides but also the dangers, like cyberbullying. Give your children the tools they need to be able to spot the signs and feel empowered to walk away.
- Address Risks Related to Computer Camera — Explain that there is technology out there (Malware) that can use the camera to identify a child or key information through the picture, so urge your kids to remove the camera cover only when they are connecting with someone that they know.
- Explain The Permanency of the Internet — Ensure that your children understand that once something is posted online, it is likely there forever, so encourage them to think twice before that quick click.
There are no foolproof ways to keep anyone safe online but these tips can surely help to keep risk to a minimum. One other important thing to consider is where your child spends their time online. Not all social media platforms are created equal. Some have better parental controls than others, and some are simply just not appropriate for children of certain ages to take part in.
This is part of the reason we began MiLegacy — a social media platform aimed at preserving our memories. We felt that the tenor of the conversation on so many social media sites didn't fit the kind of social media experience we wanted to have. MiLegacy is an opportunity for people of all ages to share the most important moments of their lives, the wisdom they've gleaned from years of experience, and the connections they cherish, in a safe environment that promotes inclusivity, rather than division.
With MiLegacy, users can choose what they see and who has access to their profiles, providing an added layer of protection for young people, and giving users of all ages the positive social media experiences they crave.
National Internet Safety Month is an excellent time to have a conversation with your children about internet safety and to renew the vigilance necessary to keep them safe for the rest of the year.
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