Today, kids live in two interconnected worlds – the online and the offline. It’s always been difficult to keep track of what a teenager is up to and it’s no easier now with so much of their time spent using the internet. So how can you make sure that your kids stay out of trouble?
America’s FBI advises parents to watch out for changes in the behaviour of their children. What do they mean? One example is frequent night-time browsing, which can be a sign that children are visiting inappropriate websites or chatrooms, where they risk coming into contact with online predators.
Use of an online account or profile that doesn’t belong to your child is another reason to have a talk, as offenders may offer potential victims an account that allows them to communicate directly and unsupervised.
Watch out for suspicious emails, mail, packages or deliveries from unknown individuals. Especially if your child tries to hide the contents from you.
Does your kid quickly turn off their monitor or switch screens when you walk in the room? Again, this is a signal that something fishy could be going on.
In the worst cases, kids may grow more distant from family life. The FBI points out that online predators work very hard to drive a wedge between a child and their family, and will try to exploit relationships to gain more influence.
Have you noticed any of the behaviour detailed above? Here’s what you can do…
First of all, sit down with your daughter or son and discuss the potential risks that lurk in cyberspace. Talk to them openly, and be honest if you have any suspicions, is the advice from the FBI. Educate them too about malicious actors that are out there, so that they know how to avoid harm.
Authorities also encourage parents to spend some time with children online and let them show you their favourite web destinations.
Agree on having access to their email or other accounts for emergency situations but be up front about the reasons why you want to have access. Advise your children to use age-appropriate social networks.
In the past it was a good idea to keep the computer your children used in a common room of the house. However, today’s smartphones and other mobile devices make it almost impossible to impose the same restriction.
If you want to have more control over what your child does online, consider using a monitoring tool such as ESET Smart Security Premium. It allows you to limit the time your child spends playing games or browsing the web, but at the same time opens a channel for dialogue about what content is appropriate for them.
Where to find further support
The internet and social media may have changed how children experience bullying, but the emotional impact continues to be devastating. To help you support your child on this issue, Internet Matters has created a hub of advice – check out the site for advice on how to prepare them for what they might encounter online, how to deal with it, and practical ways to tackle cyberbullying should it happen to them.