BBB offers tips to keep children safe online
Better Business Bureau is offering tips to help keep children safe online.
It is now common place for children to grow up with technology being an immediate part of their lives in everything from entertainment to education.
The increasing number of virtual worlds, in which kids can communicate through instant messaging, chat boxes, private messaging or message boards makes use of the internet more and more interactive. While adults may realize that the internet can allow many more people than they intend to see what they post, this is a hard concept for children to comprehend.
According to BBB research, the opportunities offered by the internet also make children vulnerable to certain risks and many kids do not understand the consequences of disclosing personal information, such as their full name, address, email address, phone number, cell phone number and social security number.
For example, submitting personal information to a website operator for registration purposes will allow the operator and anyone with whom he shares that information to contact a child, or the child's parents, with unwanted marketing solicitations.
In addition, children's use of the internet, whether on computers, cell phones or other devices, without parental supervision, can lead to exposure to inappropriate information, spreading gossip and inappropriate pictures, bullying, stalking, and even overtures from predators.
BBB reminds parents that the ability to post personal information in chat rooms, forums or other groups allows anyone on the site to see that information and contact your child.
Federal law, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, (COPPA), aim to limit the collection of personal information from children under 13 and require parental consent before a website operator can collect personal information from or allow the posting of that information by children. Remember, however, that COPPA can take the place of attentive parents who communicate effectively with their children.
The most important thing that parents can do to keep their children safe on the internet is to talk to them about it. Explain, in a way that your child will understand (but that will not scare them), that use of the internet, in addition to offering information and socializing, can be a source of potential harm.
Discuss the precautions offering information and socializing, can be a source of potential harm. Explain the precautions that you take when posting words, pictures, or films online. Remind them that once something is online, it can be used by anyone who sees it.
While parental filters on computers and smart devises can prevent some issues, BBB offers advice for parents on how to talk to young children about online situations:
· Computer games and smartphone games may or may not be free. To prevent unwanted charges on your wireless bill, tell your child to check with you before clicking on “yes” or “okay” to anything online or on your phone.
· Children often learn their name, address and phone number at an early age. Make sure your child understands that they cannot give out this information to anyone online.
· Children are taught not to talk to strangers, but online, a stranger could pretend to be a friend or a teacher. Check out your child's “friends” so you know who is chatting with your child online.
· Many kids know how to take pictures on a smartphone and upload the pictures to Facebook or Instagram. Tell your child that you must approve any pictures that they want to share with friends online.
· Your child could be harassed online through social network posts, emails, or instant messages. Tell your child to let you know if anyone is being mean to them online.
· Tell your child that he or she cannot be “friends” online with anyone whom you do not know. You should have the password to your child's social media pages, and regularly review who their friends are and what they are sharing.
Recent Comments
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Great information!