Life during the pandemic has undoubtedly been challenging for parents, guardians, and children. Like young students of all ages, those in the 7 to 16 age group turn to their devices every day to learn, play games, or interact with their friends. This dramatic increase in screen time adds another layer of worry for today’s busy parents and guardians. Now more than ever, how can parents and guardians help ensure that their children remain safe online?

Introduction

The Internet has become an integral part of life. It is a powerful resource, enabling people of all ages to learn and communicate in many new ways. For children, growing up in a world where the Internet has always been available, it is an essential tool. They are the ‘digital natives’— always surrounded by online technology and using the Internet from an increasingly early age.

The Internet is a fantastic resource when used safely. Be open and build trust with your kids, explaining why it’s so important to be careful while they’re online.

— Young people are always eager to learn. Educate them on using secure passwords, identifying certain web pages, looking out for scams, what appropriate online behavior looks like, and other skills for safe online activity.

— Be sure also to ask your child questions about what they do online, such as what sites they visit and who they talk to. Please encourage them to be open about what they’re saying and seeing while they’re online.

— Practice what you preach by setting a good example with your online presence. Demonstrate safe behavior and practices.

Children can use the Internet for many reasons. These could include to:

• Find assistance with school assignments
• To learn skills
• To gain knowledge
• To meet new people who share similar interests and
• Keep in touch with friends.

But there are risks. Knowing how to use the Internet safely is essential to having a positive online experience. Parents and their children need to know how to apply these skills at home, at school, and in public places like the library and internet cafés.

Falcon Wisdom Foundation produces this Cybersmart Guide for Families. The program includes education and awareness activities and resources for parents, children, teachers, and library staff worldwide.

This guide aims to provide practical advice and information on safe internet use in the home and public spaces. A special guide to parents keeping their children safe from online worst activities. In learning and applying safe internet skills and sharing these with their children, parents, could you help keep them safe and ensure that? The whole family enjoys positive internet experiences. The internet safety and security area are broad, and only key issues are covered in this guide.

Children’s internet activity

The Internet is an incredible tool. It offers the chance to become part of an enormous virtual community connected by mutual interest rather than geography. The Internet can provide young and old users benefits, including:

• Independent learning and research skills
• Improved communication skills through experience with learning technologies to access and create resources and communicate with others

Children access the Internet for entertainment, research, school assignments, and communication. In doing so, they can also, often unknowingly, place themselves in risky situations. This includes by:

• giving out personal details about themselves to people or organizations they don’t know
• posting unsuitable information online
• agreeing to meet people they’ve only ever met online, without speaking to a parent or carer
• using provocative pseudonyms
• sharing passwords
• posting public profiles about themselves
• unsafe browsing or searching
• opening messages from people, they don’t know
• responding to unpleasant or suggestive messages
• using online games or virtual worlds for people over 18 only
• accessing inappropriate or illegal material.

Not all internet users will experience problems. However, ensuring children understand these risks and have the knowledge to be cyber safe is essential when accessing the Internet at home, at school and in public places.

Let’s all be cyber smart!

Helpful Tips,

1. Set obvious ground rules. Moderate screen time by setting boundaries for how long your child is online and what they can do. Screen time not related to schoolwork can be made available after homework is finished or on weekends. Keep computers and devices in a common area to oversee all activity.
2. Restrict internet access and monitor activity. You don’t have to be a cyber pro to protect your children online. Parental control apps and those built into devices and Wi-Fi routers are easy to use. These controls allow you to set access times, monitor internet activity, and block website categories. Knowing what your kids are doing online can help to keep them safe. Use this as an opportunity to show your child which websites are appropriate for their age group.
3. Don’t give out personal information. Remind children never to give out personal information such as their full name, home address, passwords, or phone numbers to anyone they don’t know. Ensure they create different passwords for every account or use a password manager. A password manager will allow you to store, generate and manage your passwords — minimizing the number of passwords you must remember. Suggest to your kids only remember three passwords: one for school, one for their computer, and one for their password manager — with all other passwords being stored there.
4. Be careful with strangers. Talk about the risks of interacting with strangers online and warn against ever meeting anyone in person without your knowledge and consent. Friends only, please.
5. Pause before you post. Teach your children to be mindful of the comments and pictures they post. Explain that once it’s online, it remains on the Internet. This is especially important as kids grow and look for summer jobs — most employers will do a basic online search of potential candidates. Talk to your kids about their social privacy settings and teach them the difference between private and public chats.
6. Be a friend, not a bully. Talk to your children and educate them to report offensive or hurtful comments to you immediately. If you suspect cyberbullying, encourage open communication, so they feel comfortable telling you about it. Also, remind them to be careful about what they say, send, or post about others — unintentional bullying is still wrong. Sharing mean messages empowers bullies and hurts victims even more.

Some common online issues younger generations face include:

• Cyber predators (people on the Internet searching for victims to cause them to harm in any sort or form)
• Cyberbullying (threatening or spreading rumors about someone mostly using social media platforms)
• Identity theft (using another’s online identity for cyberspace activity)

Guide for Parent’s

While some parents may try to vilify or limit using the Internet as a means of keeping their children safe, that is not necessarily the way to go. There are measures parents can take once they build awareness and educate themselves about the ways of cyberspace.

It is important to avoid scaring children away from using the Internet—it is a valuable resource to learn how to best use over time. Instead, talk to them and create an environment of trust to have an open and honest discussion about anything they face online that seems inappropriate or suspicious. Below are some guidelines that may prove helpful.

1. Educate children not to talk to strangers.

Similar to how we educate our children to behave offline, so the same education applies online. We have to make them aware not to communicate with strangers online and never agree to meet in person if we don’t know who they are meeting with.

• Give your children the confidence to stand up to cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying is one of the most significant risks out there for kids. Teach them never to send or respond to mean or insulting messages. If they become victims of cyberbullying or hear others talking about sending or receiving hurtful messages, they should report this behavior to an adult. If something happens online, that makes them feel uncomfortable or scared, and they should talk to an adult about the situation immediately.

• Talk about cyberbullying with your child when he starts using the Internet or a mobile phone.

Your child must be informed about the dangers hidden in the virtual world. Being aware of this sort of criminal activity will prepare your child to fight against online bullying. Tell your child what form this bullying can take and how it can harm him. Emphasize that if anything happens to him, he should let you know. Make sure he knows that you are always there to help him if he feels threatened. This fundamental step is the essential requirement for creating a safe cyber world for your young children.

• Tell your youngster to draw a line between her private and social life.

It is essential to teach your youngster that it is unnecessary to post everything she feels, every place she visits, and everything she eats online. This running commentary gives crucial information to online bullies.

• Don’t threaten to take away your child’s mobile phone, tablet or laptop.

Once your child has started using these devices, don’t threaten to take them back. This threat would backfire and become a primary reason for your child to hide an uncomfortable incident from you.

• Think before you click.

Don’t open emails from strangers, and don’t click on links for unfamiliar sites.

• Educate them about the criticality of passwords and never share them with anyone.

No matter who asks for their password, whether it is an online form or people they are chatting with. No one should know their passwords except their parents.

• Teach them to be aware of the copyrights and terms and conditions.

Our cyberculture needs to change, and we should educate our children to read the copyright and the terms and conditions before using any online content or applications, as that will allow them to understand how the application uses their information. They will also learn how to respect the rights of the author and ask for permission before reusing.

• Staying calm can make your young child cyber smart.

If your child tells you about a bullying incident, stay calm. Don’t react by saying, ‘Didn’t I tell you not to use Facebook? You are too young for that!’ or, ‘I always knew this kind of thing would happen as you are stupid and other people are very clever. This will embarrass your child, and he will feel unsafe with you. If you respond logically and sympathetically, you can help your child to be cyber smart.

Life during the pandemic has undoubtedly been challenging for parents, guardians, and children. Like young students of all ages, those in the 7 to 16 age group turn to their devices every day to learn, play games, or interact with their friends. This dramatic increase in screen time adds another layer of worry for today’s busy parents and guardians. Now more than ever, how can parents and guardians help ensure that their children remain safe online?

Introduction

The Internet has become an integral part of life. It is a powerful resource, enabling people of all ages to learn and communicate in many new ways. For children, growing up in a world where the Internet has always been available, it is an essential tool. They are the ‘digital natives’— always surrounded by online technology and using the Internet from an increasingly early age.

The Internet is a fantastic resource when used safely. Be open and build trust with your kids, explaining why it’s so important to be careful while they’re online.

— Young people are always eager to learn. Educate them on using secure passwords, identifying certain web pages, looking out for scams, what appropriate online behavior looks like, and other skills for safe online activity.

— Be sure also to ask your child questions about what they do online, such as what sites they visit and who they talk to. Please encourage them to be open about what they’re saying and seeing while they’re online.

— Practice what you preach by setting a good example with your online presence. Demonstrate safe behavior and practices.

Children can use the Internet for many reasons. These could include to:

• Find assistance with school assignments
• To learn skills
• To gain knowledge
• To meet new people who share similar interests and
• Keep in touch with friends.

But there are risks. Knowing how to use the Internet safely is essential to having a positive online experience. Parents and their children need to know how to apply these skills at home, at school, and in public places like the library and internet cafés.

Falcon Wisdom Foundation produces this Cybersmart Guide for Families. The program includes education and awareness activities and resources for parents, children, teachers, and library staff worldwide.

This guide aims to provide practical advice and information on safe internet use in the home and public spaces. A special guide to parents keeping their children safe from online worst activities. In learning and applying safe internet skills and sharing these with their children, parents, could you help keep them safe and ensure that? The whole family enjoys positive internet experiences. The internet safety and security area are broad, and only key issues are covered in this guide.

Children’s internet activity

The Internet is an incredible tool. It offers the chance to become part of an enormous virtual community connected by mutual interest rather than geography. The Internet can provide young and old users benefits, including:

• Independent learning and research skills
• Improved communication skills through experience with learning technologies to access and create resources and communicate with others

Children access the Internet for entertainment, research, school assignments, and communication. In doing so, they can also, often unknowingly, place themselves in risky situations. This includes by:

• giving out personal details about themselves to people or organizations they don’t know
• posting unsuitable information online
• agreeing to meet people they’ve only ever met online, without speaking to a parent or carer
• using provocative pseudonyms
• sharing passwords
• posting public profiles about themselves
• unsafe browsing or searching
• opening messages from people, they don’t know
• responding to unpleasant or suggestive messages
• using online games or virtual worlds for people over 18 only
• accessing inappropriate or illegal material.

Not all internet users will experience problems. However, ensuring children understand these risks and have the knowledge to be cyber safe is essential when accessing the Internet at home, at school and in public places.

Let’s all be cyber smart!

Helpful Tips,

1. Set obvious ground rules. Moderate screen time by setting boundaries for how long your child is online and what they can do. Screen time not related to schoolwork can be made available after homework is finished or on weekends. Keep computers and devices in a common area to oversee all activity.
2. Restrict internet access and monitor activity. You don’t have to be a cyber pro to protect your children online. Parental control apps and those built into devices and Wi-Fi routers are easy to use. These controls allow you to set access times, monitor internet activity, and block website categories. Knowing what your kids are doing online can help to keep them safe. Use this as an opportunity to show your child which websites are appropriate for their age group.
3. Don’t give out personal information. Remind children never to give out personal information such as their full name, home address, passwords, or phone numbers to anyone they don’t know. Ensure they create different passwords for every account or use a password manager. A password manager will allow you to store, generate and manage your passwords — minimizing the number of passwords you must remember. Suggest to your kids only remember three passwords: one for school, one for their computer, and one for their password manager — with all other passwords being stored there.
4. Be careful with strangers. Talk about the risks of interacting with strangers online and warn against ever meeting anyone in person without your knowledge and consent. Friends only, please.
5. Pause before you post. Teach your children to be mindful of the comments and pictures they post. Explain that once it’s online, it remains on the Internet. This is especially important as kids grow and look for summer jobs — most employers will do a basic online search of potential candidates. Talk to your kids about their social privacy settings and teach them the difference between private and public chats.
6. Be a friend, not a bully. Talk to your children and educate them to report offensive or hurtful comments to you immediately. If you suspect cyberbullying, encourage open communication, so they feel comfortable telling you about it. Also, remind them to be careful about what they say, send, or post about others — unintentional bullying is still wrong. Sharing mean messages empowers bullies and hurts victims even more.

Some common online issues younger generations face include:

• Cyber predators (people on the Internet searching for victims to cause them to harm in any sort or form)
• Cyberbullying (threatening or spreading rumors about someone mostly using social media platforms)
• Identity theft (using another’s online identity for cyberspace activity)

Guide for Parent’s

While some parents may try to vilify or limit using the Internet as a means of keeping their children safe, that is not necessarily the way to go. There are measures parents can take once they build awareness and educate themselves about the ways of cyberspace.

It is important to avoid scaring children away from using the Internet—it is a valuable resource to learn how to best use over time. Instead, talk to them and create an environment of trust to have an open and honest discussion about anything they face online that seems inappropriate or suspicious. Below are some guidelines that may prove helpful.

• Educate children not to talk to strangers.

Similar to how we educate our children to behave offline, so the same education applies online. We have to make them aware not to communicate with strangers online and never agree to meet in person if we don’t know who they are meeting with.

• Give your children the confidence to stand up to cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying is one of the most significant risks out there for kids. Teach them never to send or respond to mean or insulting messages. If they become victims of cyberbullying or hear others talking about sending or receiving hurtful messages, they should report this behavior to an adult. If something happens online, that makes them feel uncomfortable or scared, and they should talk to an adult about the situation immediately.

• Talk about cyberbullying with your child when he starts using the Internet or a mobile phone.

Your child must be informed about the dangers hidden in the virtual world. Being aware of this sort of criminal activity will prepare your child to fight against online bullying. Tell your child what form this bullying can take and how it can harm him. Emphasize that if anything happens to him, he should let you know. Make sure he knows that you are always there to help him if he feels threatened. This fundamental step is the essential requirement for creating a safe cyber world for your young children.

• Tell your youngster to draw a line between her private and social life.

It is essential to teach your youngster that it is unnecessary to post everything she feels, every place she visits, and everything she eats online. This running commentary gives crucial information to online bullies.

• Don’t threaten to take away your child’s mobile phone, tablet or laptop.

Once your child has started using these devices, don’t threaten to take them back. This threat would backfire and become a primary reason for your child to hide an uncomfortable incident from you.

• Think before you click.

Don’t open emails from strangers, and don’t click on links for unfamiliar sites.

• Educate them about the criticality of passwords and never share them with anyone.

No matter who asks for their password, whether it is an online form or people they are chatting with. No one should know their passwords except their parents.

• Teach them to be aware of the copyrights and terms and conditions.

Our cyberculture needs to change, and we should educate our children to read the copyright and the terms and conditions before using any online content or applications, as that will allow them to understand how the application uses their information. They will also learn how to respect the rights of the author and ask for permission before reusing.

• Staying calm can make your young child cyber smart.

If your child tells you about a bullying incident, stay calm. Don’t react by saying, ‘Didn’t I tell you not to use Facebook? You are too young for that!’ or, ‘I always knew this kind of thing would happen as you are stupid and other people are very clever. This will embarrass your child, and he will feel unsafe with you. If you respond logically and sympathetically, you can help your child to be cyber smart.