10 things every parent with a child using the internet needs to know.

You may remember the days when life was without the internet, but for your children, it has become as essential as the air they breathe every day. For them, the online world is not just a place to find information, but also an endless source of entertainment, connecting them to every corner of the planet. This freedom of access brings many significant benefits, but at the same time, it raises many concerns for parents.

If you're worried about supervising your children in today's interconnected world, you're not alone. Research shows that two-thirds of parents in the U.S. believe parenting is more difficult today than it was 20 years ago, and technology is a leading factor contributing to their concerns.

Before the internet became a part of life, parents could easily keep track of their children's friends, as most relationships existed in real life. Today, children can make close friends online, even with people they've never met in person.

These virtual friends can still influence your child's thoughts and behavior. Even more concerning is that these friends aren't always what they seem, which is a perfectly legitimate worry for parents.

Therefore, parents need to equip their children with smart habits for online interaction, helping them confidently make the right choices even when alone with an internet-connected device.

1. Respect the power of the Internet.

The images, videos, or words that children post on social media today can become a burden for them in the future. Teach your children the importance of thinking carefully before posting any content. Remind them that if there's something they don't want others to see, it's best not to post it in the first place.

Although many websites claim to protect personal information and offer sharing settings, there's no guarantee your data is completely safe from breaches. When you post on Facebook or share sensitive information with third parties, be prepared for it to appear online, even if you didn't intend for it to.

In the age of the internet, a person's reputation and career can be severely affected by what they once posted, even if it happened 20 years ago. Even deleted posts don't necessarily disappear completely; a deleted comment might still exist somewhere, archived and ready to reappear at any time.

Teaching your children how to use the internet safely is crucial for protecting their financial and physical well-being, as well as that of their family, friends, and even potential employers. For example, if your child posts a photo revealing their current location while the family is on vacation, it could inadvertently inform criminals that your home is unoccupied.

Similarly, if they share information about their own health or that of their loved ones, it could affect their chances of having their future insurance claims accepted.

Once personal data is made public, you will no longer have complete control over it. Talk to your children about the immense power and persistence of the internet, and encourage them to think carefully before sharing any information online.

2. Don't fall for online scams.

Before clicking on any links or providing personal information, make sure you fully understand what you are doing and have complete confidence in the source of that information.

Make sure you and your children don't inadvertently fall into hacker traps, such as clicking on malicious links in in-game chat boxes or opening email attachments, thereby becoming victims of phishing attacks.

Scammers often send fake emails disguised as legitimate correspondence and exploit your lack of vigilance to collect personal information such as usernames and passwords, with the aim of carrying out further attacks on your accounts.

3. Keep your apps and browsers updated.

Even though it only takes a few minutes each day, updating apps and browsers on your child's device is crucial for maintaining online safety. Malicious actors often target outdated devices because they are more vulnerable to attacks.

Outdated apps that haven't been updated can be sold to other companies and used for malicious purposes. Remove unused apps and enable automatic updates on your child's device to ensure optimal security.

4. Remember: Nothing is free.

Whether it's a free game or free downloads, companies always hope you or your children will provide personal information in exchange for free items. They may then resell that information or trick you into buying in-game items.

This is also true for social media websites and other free resources on the internet. Most of these websites have strategies to make money from you, although the methods may not always be obvious.

You might be surprised at the amount of data popular apps collect, both in the real world and online. Facebook and Instagram are data-intensive apps, but they're not the only ones. Shady free apps can track you even when you're not using them. However, both iOS and Android offer tools to help you control and protect your personal data from these apps.

5. Use the Internet responsibly.

Parents may want to limit their children's internet time, but children's online interaction is crucial for their development. The ideal amount of online time varies from child to child, and you can manage internet usage flexibly without being overly strict.

For example, Apple offers built-in parental controls that help you monitor your child's screen time. Both Google and Microsoft also have free tools to help you effectively manage your child's screen time.

6. Carefully research information sources on the Internet.

One of the great advantages of the Internet is the ability to freely share ideas and media, meaning anyone can post anything online. However, this also means that anyone can spread misinformation and disguise it as truth.

Furthermore, the internet offers incredible connectivity and a wealth of information, simply by typing into a Google search engine. However, the downside of this easy access is the proliferation of misinformation and individuals who try to spread biased and negative viewpoints.

Children need to understand that social media can quickly spread half-baked thoughts and impulsive opinions, easily accepted as truth or the results of serious research.

Many videos on YouTube and topics on other social media platforms come from influencers who may encourage you or your child to think in a particular way.

Teaching children how to develop critical thinking skills and conduct thorough research, using reliable sources of information, can help them avoid a lot of misinformation from the start. Encourage children to consult vetted online learning websites when necessary.

7. Talk to your child about social media use.

When talking to your child about social media use, you can start by helping them understand that social media is a powerful tool, but it can also pose risks if not used carefully.

Explain to your child that social media helps connect people and share ideas, but it can also easily spread misinformation, rumors, and negative opinions. It's important to use social media responsibly.

In particular, teach your children how to think independently and verify information before believing anything online. Encourage them to ask themselves, "Is this true?" and seek out reliable sources to verify the information.

It's important that you and your child can discuss social media rules together at home and create a space where your child feels comfortable sharing any problems they encounter online.

8. Respect your children.

The most effective parental control tool is mutual understanding and respect. Your child may be more tech-savvy than you, so show respect for their knowledge.

Installing intrusive parental control software not only fails to demonstrate trust, but can also be easily bypassed. A less intrusive approach, while potentially causing you anxiety, can work wonders in your relationship with your child.

If you decide to install parental control software, use it together with your child. Discuss rules at home and allow your child to share their wishes and needs when using the internet.

Next, use those discussion points to choose the right control software. Some services allow users to take a gentler approach, monitoring without over-interference, by sending alerts instead of blocking when your child tries to access an inappropriate website or when their screen time is about to expire.

9. Encourage children's online creativity.

The internet has removed many barriers to learning and achieving success in creative and technological fields. Nurture your child's passion by supporting them in building a professional online presence. This could include encouraging them to create videos on TikTok or YouTube, start a blog, podcast, or even contribute content to online news sites.

However, standing before a crowd of strangers, and potentially hostile ones at that, is a daunting experience. Talk to your children about the potential risks they face when sharing themselves and their work, so they understand the danger of being criticized from an anonymous community. Let your children decide for themselves whether they want to continue sharing their creations online.

10. Make time for offline activities.

Encourage your child to step outside and temporarily disconnect from the online world. Unplug video game consoles, let the computer perform necessary updates, and disconnect from the internet for a few hours or even a few days.

You could also take your children on a camping trip to a place without Wi-Fi, which can provide precious moments to reconnect with them, giving you a chance to better understand their interests and thoughts without the influence of technology.

This is also an opportunity to introduce your child to a world without the internet, where things happen at a slower, more realistic pace. Who knows? Your child might find joy in a simple, old-fashioned life, free from the reliance on electronic devices.