Young people are growing up and dealing with technology and challenges that you never had to. This generation and gap is an issue for parents around the world.
If your children are using phones or devices with an internet connection, chances are they’re already having interactions with people using the internet.
Young people want to use the internet to be connected to their friends, family and community.
Young people might also use the internet to watch movies, play games or for learning.
Technology is only going to become more popular.
Learning how to use the internet safety is important so that we know how to keep our children safe as the internet becomes more available.
Our top tips for parents on how to keep children safe:
- Respect: Think before you post something that might be offensive. People think they’re anonymous online so they might feel like they can say and do things they might not do in person.
- Protect your personal information: You wouldn’t give your private information out to a stranger on the street, so you shouldn’t give it out to strangers on the internet either.
- Say NO to bullying: Just like people can be bullied at school, some people might use the internet to bully others. If your child is being bullied on the internet let them know you’re there for them and try to help.
- Know who your children are talking to: You know who your children talk to at school, at church or at the markets. You should also know who they’re talking to on the internet. Not everyone on the internet is who they say they are.
- Block and report: Sadly some people use the internet to cause harm to children. If something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts. You can block and report these people to the website or ‘app’ so they can’t contact your children anymore.
- Talk about difficult issues: Avoid reacting to problems by taking away your child’s access to the internet or mobile device. One of the main reasons children don’t tell their parents if something bad is happening to them online is fear of having their access to technology taken away. Deal with the issue, not the technology.
- Not everything on the internet is true: Anyone anywhere can post anything on the internet. Think about who said it and why.
- Learn about technology: The best way to do this is to talk with your child about what they are using and how it all works. You can also read our information about popular technologies.