AD| Teaching Your Child About Internet Safety

Internet safety is something that all parents should explore with their children several times throughout their youth, especially if they have access to a smart phone or other digital devices. There are many advantages to the Internet but unfortunately it can also be dangerous, especially if those using it are naïve to the risks. Here are some tips from a private school in Oxford on how to approach the topic of internet safety with your kids.

Start by explaining to your child that there are lots of bad people in the world and sometimes they pretend to be someone they’re not online, in order to inflict harm on others. With that said, just like in real life, they should never talk to someone online who they do not know in the real world. They certainly should never meet up with someone they’ve met online, especially without adult supervision and they shouldn’t share personal information or photographs. You should also talk to your child about keeping passwords private, because if they don’t, they could open themselves up to hackers. In addition to this, making your child aware of using the internet safely in a public environment is also important. That’s why you should talk to them about the best VPN.

It would be wise to ask your child what kinds of websites and apps they would like to have access to and follow up by doing some research to find out if these platforms are age appropriate and generally safe enough to use. You might want to set out some family rules to restrict screen time and ensure it is always monitored by an adult, such as no phones in bedrooms. There are also parental controls you can add to digital devices to prevent your child from having access to inappropriate websites. 

Let your child know that you are always there for them if they’d like to talk about any issues they’re experience, either online or otherwise, so that they feel safe sharing with you. You should also let them know that they should always report instances of online bullying, if they ever notice it happening to themselves or to others.