Are Your Kids Staying Safe Online?

Kids are making the transition to the online world, and it’s never been a better time to talk about online safety. While they explore everything from online learning and education to social media and gaming, parents can help their children make the most of their online experience, and do it safely.

This SANS Newsletter highlights areas to cover when preparing kids for the online world. Here are three ways you can prepare your kids for navigating the internet securely.

• Communicate expectations.

Make sure kids know how to behave online. This is just as important as enforcing real-world behaviors, like treating people the way they want to be treated just as they would with their peers.

Set ground rules, like the times they are allowed to access the internet and the types of websites they are allowed to visit. Having these boundaries is crucial for developing good safety habits.

Kids should also be made aware of who they can report problems to, whether it’s a technical issue or they witness cyberbullying or other inappropriate behaviors.

• Use parental controls.

Parents can use tools to monitor online activity, limit usage, or protect younger children from certain content. If you have older children who use devices you cannot monitor, you can help them navigate education and communication safely.

• Lead by example.

Practice the behaviors that you want your kids to practice. Don’t use electronics while driving, having dinner, or talking to them. Keeping an open line of communication while your children traverse the web can be more effective than turning to disciplinary action if they make mistakes or break the rules you’ve put in place.

If you’d like more cybersecurity tips to support your kids, check out the SANS Newsletter.