Young people are spending more time online than ever before, and this trend will not be reversing. A recent survey states that 95% of teenagers report owning a smartphone (or at least having access to one), and that 45% of teenagers are online, on a near-constant basis. Adolescents have limitless options when online, making it important for parents to teach them how to be savvy about their online presence.
SAFE knows firsthand about the need to educate students on the importance of Internet safety and the appropriate use of cell phones, social media platforms, and other online trends. Project SAFE’s classroom curriculum currently includes topics and lesson plans focused on staying safe online. Students in our classrooms are leaning lessons, and tackling tough questions, such as:
Q: How much and when is it appropriate to share personal information online?
Q: Do colleges and employers really Google you before they make a decision?
Q: What length of screen time is too much?
Q: How do you manage friend requests and online communication with potential strangers?
These types of questions and concerns continue to evolve, as technology trends and platforms become omnipresent in our children’s live. Project SAFE works to stay up-to-date on these trends and provide current, clear, and relatable information for our students. These lessons work best when they are reaffirmed at home, therefore, SAFE encourages parents to discuss these important Internet realities and safety tips with their children:
- Not everyone is who they say they are online. And sometimes the people you know in real life don’t behave the same way online, so it is best to remain in control of your personal information by not distributing it. When people want to get to know you using false identities online, it is often called a sockpuppet profile, or catfishing. Both center on hiding the person’s real identity in order to bully or lure others into inappropriate texting, emotional and financial scams, or to find out personal information.
- Financial information should never be shared online with others. When online, as a general rule, individuals should only purchase products from reputable and verified companies, and financial information should never be distributed via social media, messaging platforms, or other one-on-one forms of communication. Friends don’t ask online for your credit card information; they’ll call you if they really need it. If you find yourself questioning if a company or online interaction is a scam—it probably is—and communication should stop immediately.
- Online is permanent. Yes, there are companies that specialize in Internet scrubbing or disrupting search engine results, but they cost thousands of dollars and aren’t always effective. Even if an app claims to be secure, someone can still take a screenshot of it. Then they can show it to someone else. There is no real assurance that others will not see it (and potentially store it). A rule of thumb for social media platforms: if you are not comfortable with a post or remaining online indefinitely, you should not put it up at all.
- Discuss privacy options and parental control. The majority of social media platforms offer several forms of privacy and profile access. All parents should sit with their children and review the level of access their children’s profiles permit—is it just for friends, or is it for friends of friends, and other individuals? Together, you and your children can find permission levels that you are comfortable with and you can help them understand why it is important to have a higher level of control over their information and pictures.
- Limit screen time. Setting screen time limits is a challenging, yet important aspect of Internet safety (especially with young children). There is a wide range of thought available regarding the appropriate amount of time pre-teens and young adults should spend online, and it is a decision that should be made on an individual basis, based on factors like age, interests, performance in school, social activities, etc. With that being said, maintaining a time limit and sense of boundary helps reinforce the idea that technology, while a wonderful privilege and increasing necessity in everyday life, must be handled with the proper degree of restraint, caution and wisdom.
SAFE believes that an open, honest and transparent dialogue remains key in establishing appropriate measures of Internet and technological safety in one’s household. While it is important to address these very real concerns with your children, it is also important to acknowledge the benefits, joys, and privileges of using the Internet. In emphasizing both the pros and cons of technology, parents are more likely to come across as genuine and authentic in their concerns for their children.
One important recommendation is for parents and caregivers to familiarize themselves with the platforms their children are using, as this will help increase their overall knowledge of the risks and rewards their children are facing.
Allow your children to share their motivations and wishes for Internet and social media usage, and make the conversation an open and transparent dialogue.
It is important to have these conversations, because children will inevitably learn how to like, comment, and swipe up—somewhere—it’s better they learn from their parents and trusted adults.
