The internet can be an amazing tool for the family, but it must be used thoughtfully and in ways that protect children from harm. Online safety is of utmost importance. As we expand delivering unlimited township wifi to Kayamandi and beyond, we feel it’s our responsibility to educate about the importance of keeping safe online for the whole family.
Identity and financial theft
Identity and financial theft pose a very real risk when you are online, but by not sharing your personal information with strangers on the internet, you can protect yourself and your information.
Be careful about posting sensitive information on social media sites such as Facebook or Instagram; even if someone has taken precautions to limit who can see posts made by them, there is no guarantee that their account won’t be hacked due to weak security measures put forth by those running these networks themselves. So always err on the side of caution when sharing private details about yourself online!
Using two-step authentication for financial sites and apps greatly decreases the chance of other people stealing your money or personal information.
Cyber safety should come first when using any type of internet or social media app or site
It is important to realize that social media is not the only medium where cyber safety can be compromised. There are many other apps and sites on the internet that pose a risk to your child’s overall well-being and online safety.
Tips for your kid’s online safety
Set rules about what time of day they can use social media and how much time they have access each day. Spending too much time on the phone or computer can cause negative behaviour in any child. The OSF healthcare organisation recommends that a child below the age of 10 does not spend more than 2 hours online per day.
Parents might need to review the websites and apps that their families use by installing NetNanny on their family computer/tablet/phone. This protects children from inappropriate, violent or pornographic content that can harm them for the rest of their lives.
It is also important to teach children about the dangers of the online world. Educate them about general online safety and warn them about people that will lie and mislead them to gain access to the child or harm them in other ways.
Facebook and Instagram
Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram have minimum age requirements but kids can easily lie about their age when creating an account. It remains the responsibility of the parent to spend time with their children online and teach them about online safety and the dangers of social media while also making sure that no inappropriate content is shown to the child. This sometimes means that the parent must also learn the app or website in order to help the child understand the risks.
Creating a safe account profile can assist a child or family to access only content that is more appropriate for them. This is especially important when accessing instant messaging or chatting through Internet Messaging programs such as Zoom or Google Hangouts – which are popular video-calling apps.
Conclusion
Parents that spend time with their kids online, will feel more comfortable answering questions since they will gain experience in using the apps or sites.
Setting up a Wi-Fi modem in the house with a good password can also help parents manage internet access in the home and aid with online safety.
If you choose not to monitor your children’s activities online, then password managers like 1Password could be an effective tool for keeping your family’s personal information safe from cybercriminals who may try hacking into their accounts by guessing passwords or stealing them through phishing scams (a technique used by hackers where they pretend they’re legitimate companies with whom you do business).
The internet is a powerful tool that opens a world of education and entertainment for the family, but it remains the responsibility of the parents to make sure that the entire family is protected and guided on this path to online safety.
Introduce some of the technologies and tips mentioned and enjoy the limitless internet – safely and responsibly.