5ways to protect your kids online top

In this digital age there are many ways for the outside world to influence your children without you even knowing. For those of us who have grown up in a time where your friends were outside, not online, it can be hard to navigate web safety for your children. This issue’s top five is dedicated to the top five ways you can protect your kids online.

5 Make sure the security software and browsers are up to date on the technology they’re using. Often we give our kids older devices with outdated security features. This can make it easy for hackers to access the devices, including the camera.

4 Talk to your child about risky behavior and conversations so they can recognize danger signs. Many perpetrators of violence are people who are known or familiar to the child, make sure they understand and can identify dangerous behaviors.

3 Connect with your children’s friends and exchange screen names on both social and gaming platforms so that your child’s contacts are all familiar to you.

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When your child is having longer screen time, check in regularly to make sure they are still watching the channels that you’ve approved and that the content in those channels are appropriate. There can be dangerous messaging disguised as children’s content.

1 Have your children’s passcodes to their socials and to their phone if they have one, and monitor for safety. Screen messages even with online gaming as predators can access children through this platform.