Internet Safety Tips

Kids have more information at their fingertips than any generation before. Tablets, laptops, and smartphones are common at school and at home, including for virtual learning. And the devices aren’t going away anytime soon, which is why families should have conversations about internet safety.

This is the challenge of living in a connected world. The bad guys may be smart, but you and your kids can be smarter. Reference these internet safety tips to help ensure everyone stays safer online.

Tip #1: Know the dangers of the internet
When it comes to cybersecurity, kids are often one of your family’s weakest links — and that can be for lack of knowing the dangers of the internet. Teach kids about suspicious activity online and encourage them to ask for help if something seems unusual.

Tip #2: Remember your identity is important
Sometimes kids make themselves vulnerable to identity theft by disclosing personal information online because they believe they have nothing to lose. A child’s identity can have as much value as an adult’s identity, if not more. Scammers can trick kids into disclosing their Social Security number and other details that can be used to commit identity theft. Remind children not to reveal too much information about themselves. Their date of birth, address, and SSN are all examples of personal information, and they shouldn’t share them freely.

Tip #3: Beware of strangers
Offline, you’ve probably already introduced the idea to your kids that all strangers can be potentially dangerous. Remind them this also applies to their online activities and strangers are on the internet. While teens may be more prone to advances from online predators, kids can be targeted, as well. It’s important to teach them at a young age to be cautious online and tell an adult if someone they don’t know communicates with them or makes them uncomfortable.
Tip #4: Watch out for phishing
You may be sophisticated enough to know not to click on a URL that’s supposedly from your financial institution or a friend, but does everyone in your household know that? Teach your kids about phishing scams and warn them not to click on URLs in an email or social network message.

Tip #5: Choose strong passwords
Passwords are the primary defense against hackers. Yet, many people reuse the same password for multiple accounts and use passwords that are easy to guess, because they’re also easy to remember. Teach your kids to create a hack-proof password by selecting a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and make sure it’s at least 12 characters long. Never use common words, phrases, or personal information like a phone number or family members’ names.

Internet safety tips for teens
Some teens are often more tech savvy than their parents, but that doesn’t mean they have a strong sense of judgment or have access to all of the tools that can help protect them online. Help keep your tweens and teens cyber safe by introducing them to the following internet safety tips.

Tip #6: Use a password management system
Bolster your password protection with a password management program, which can remember unique passwords for all your accounts. Best of all, with a password manager, you only need to remember one password.

Tip #7: Keep your social media accounts secure
There’s a good chance someone in your house is on a social network. But social media can also attract cyber snoops and identity thieves. Keep a close eye on your social accounts. If someone messages you who hasn’t done so in a while, be suspicious. Your friend’s account may have been hacked. Parents should remind teens to also never meet in person with someone they met online and tell an adult if a stranger is messaging them.

Tip #8: Be careful what you post
It’s important for children, teens, and family members to know how much information is too much information. In their excitement to share milestones, teens may sometimes post their personal information online. For example, a driver’s license or a travel itinerary shared online could be valuable information for identity thieves or burglars. Also, personal or inappropriate photos can attract online predators, or could affect future educational or employment opportunities.

Tip #9: Shop online only from secure sites
Web browsers, mobile operations systems, and social media channels all have settings in place to protect your privacy, and it’s up to you to adjust them. Keeping them turned off means your information might be shared with marketers to help your browsing experience, but it also could be intercepted by hackers. Play it safe and keep your privacy settings on. Parents should adjust kids’ devices accordingly and teach teens how to keep the settings on themselves.

Tip #10: Keep privacy settings on
Web browsers, mobile operations systems, and social media channels all have settings in place to protect your privacy, and it’s up to you to adjust them. Keeping them turned off means your information might be shared with marketers to help your browsing experience, but it also could be intercepted by hackers. Play it safe and keep your privacy settings on. Parents should adjust kids’ devices accordingly and teach teens how to keep the settings on themselves.

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