By Amanda Huffman
Contributing Writer
As parents, we want to keep our kids safe. Today, we have to worry about how to keep our kids safe on the internet. The good news is that there are things you can do as a family to help keep everyone safe on the internet. It’s important to talk with your kids about online safety to ensure they can have a safe experience.
During the month of October, which is recognized annually as Cybersecurity Awareness Month, take time to check in on your family’s cybersecurity risk.
1. Cyberbullying Is a Real Issue Among Kids
Bullying among kids is a common problem, and what used to be contained in a school yard now often appears on the internet. Cyberbullying comes in many different forms. The four most common types are: 1) spreading lies or rumors; 2) sharing personal information about someone else on the internet; 3) encouraging someone to hurt themselves; and 4) posting mean images or comments online.
The best way to prevent cyberbullying is to talk to your kids about it and ensure they understand the negative consequences it can cause. It’s also important to remind children not to join in when they see cyberbullying taking place.
2. Keep Your Information Private
Even adults can be tricked into sharing their personal information on the internet through phishing schemes. Make sure you remind your kids not to give anyone online their password, name, address, school name or any information about your family. This information may seem harmless to share but if it falls in the wrong hands, it can be used in negative ways.
3. Don’t Talk to People You Don’t Know
Along with giving you access to information, the internet gives you access to lots of people you don’t know. There are people on the internet who do not have your child’s best interest at heart and may want to lure them to meet in person. It’s important to remind kids not to talk to people on the internet. Kids need to understand that online personas can be fake so they should avoid having conversations with strangers via social media, chat apps, and especially phone/video calls or meeting up in person.
Lastly, if a child starts talking to someone on the internet, and they feel uncomfortable in any way, tell them to stop talking to that person and to let a parent know.
4. Don’t Download Anything without a Parent’s Permission
Make sure your kids are aware of the dangers of downloading things from the internet. Create clear boundaries by telling them they have to ask you for permission before downloading anything. Pop-ups or ads can have hidden malware, spyware, and ransomware that is downloaded by the victim via a network or an encrypted link. There are email and social media scams that infect, steal, or perform virtually any behavior an attacker wants —including accessing webcams, collecting private data, and even holding certain files for ransom.
5. Create Internet Rules
Children often make poor choices when they don’t have a parent’s guidance. So when you give your children the opportunity to use the internet make sure they have clear guidelines. Also work to ensure kids are able to come to you if they stumble upon something they shouldn’t be looking at. Kids are bound to make mistakes and having open communication is the best way to help kids learn how to safely use the internet. Tell them if they see something they think you won’t like to show you so you can discuss it. Remind them that the internet is not a safe place to share images of themselves, unless through a social media app with safeguards directed to safety.
If your kids have access to the internet, make sure to talk to them about the topics above to help keep them safe online.
Amanda is a military Veteran who served in the Air Force for six years as a Civil Engineer who served on a combat deployment with the Army in Afghanistan. She traded in her combat boots for a diaper bag to stay home with her two boys and follow her husband’s military career in the Space Force. Amanda is the host of the Women of the Military podcast. There she shares the stories of women who have served or are serving in the military. The podcast has over 200 episodes and over 100K downloads. Amanda is also an author and has published two books. Her first book, Women of the Military tells the stories of 28 military women who served in the military. Her second book, A Girl’s Guide to Military Service, is the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Winner for Teen Non Fiction. It is a guide for high school girls considering military service to help them build a strong foundation for their future career. She also works as a freelance writer and has been featured in a number of military publications including The War Horse, Military.com, Military Families Magazine, Clearance Jobs, Military Spouse Magazine, and more.
