10 Things Every Parent Whose Child Uses the Internet Needs to Know

You may remember the days when life didn’t have the Internet, but for your kids, the Internet has become as much a part of their daily lives as the air they breathe. 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 conveniences, but at the same time, it also raises many concerns for parents.

If you’re worried about supervising your kids in our modern, connected world, you’re not alone. Research shows that two-thirds of parents in the US believe parenting is more difficult today than it was 20 years ago, with technology being the number one factor that worries them.

Before the internet became a part of everyday life, parents could easily keep track of their children’s friends, because all relationships usually existed in real life. Today, children can make close friends online, even with people they have never met in real life.

These virtual friends still have the potential to influence your child's thinking and behavior. What's more worrying is that these friends are not always who they appear to be, which is a completely legitimate concern for parents.

Therefore, parents need to equip their children with smart habits when interacting online, helping them confidently make the right choices even when they are alone with an Internet-connected device.

1. Respect the power of the Internet

The photos, videos, and words your child posts on social media today could be a burden for them in the future. Teach your child the importance of thinking carefully before posting anything. Remind them that if there is something they don’t want others to see, it’s best not to post it in the first place.

While many sites claim to protect your privacy and offer sharing settings, there is no guarantee that your data is completely safe from breaches. When you post to Facebook or share sensitive information with third parties, be prepared that it could end up online, even if you don't intend it to.

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

Guiding your children on the internet is about protecting their financial and physical safety, as well as that of your family, friends and employers. For example, if your child posts a photo revealing their current location while the family is on vacation, it could inadvertently signal to criminals that your home is vacant.

Similarly, if they share information about their health or that of their loved ones, it could affect their ability to get future insurance claims approved.

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

2. Don't fall for online scams

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

Make sure that you and your children do not accidentally 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 emails that appear to be legitimate correspondence and take advantage of your lack of vigilance to collect personal information such as usernames and passwords, in order to carry out further attacks on your account.

3. Always keep your apps and browsers updated

Even if it only takes a few minutes a day, keeping your child's devices and browsers up to date is crucial to staying safe online. Bad guys often target devices that haven't been updated because they're vulnerable to attack.

Old, outdated apps can be sold to other companies and used for malicious purposes. Delete unused apps and enable automatic updates on your child's device for optimal security.

4. Remember: Nothing is free

Whether it's free games or free downloads, companies are hoping you or your child will give up personal information in exchange for free stuff. They can then resell that information or trick you into buying in-game items.

This is also true of social media sites and other free resources on the internet. Most of these sites have a strategy to make money from you, although it may not always be clear how.

You’d be surprised how much data popular apps collect, both in the real world and online. Facebook and Instagram are big data collectors, but they’re not the only ones. Shady free apps can track you even when you’re not using them. But both iOS and Android offer tools to help you control and protect your personal data from these apps.

5. Use the Internet wisely

Parents may want to limit their children's time on the internet, but children's online interactions are important for their development. Appropriate online time will vary from child to child, and you can manage internet time flexibly, without being too strict.

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

6. Carefully research information sources on the Internet

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

In addition, the Internet provides connectivity and a wealth of information, just by typing it into the Google search engine. However, the downside of this easy access is the proliferation of misinformation and individuals who try to spread bigoted, negative views.

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

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

Teaching your children to develop critical thinking skills and to conduct thorough research using reliable sources of information can help them avoid a lot of misinformation in the first place. Encourage them to use verified online learning sites when necessary.

7. Talk to your kids about social media use

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

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

In particular, teach your child to think independently and check information before trusting anything online. Encourage your child to ask, "Is this true?" and seek out reliable sources of information to verify.

It's important that you and your child can discuss social media rules together in your family and create a space where your child feels comfortable sharing any issues they have 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 are, so show respect for their knowledge.

Installing invasive parental control software not only shows no trust, but can also be easily overcome. A less hands-on approach, while it may make you nervous, can do wonders for your relationship with your child.

If you decide to install parental control software, use it with your child. Discuss the rules of the house and allow your child to share his or her wants and needs when using the Internet.

Then, use those discussion points to choose the right parental control software. Some services allow users to take a more gentle approach, monitoring without being overly intrusive, by sending alerts rather than blocks when your child tries to access an inappropriate website or when screen time is about to run out.

9. Encourage children's online creativity

The internet has removed many barriers to learning and achieving in creative and technological fields. Nurture your child’s passion by helping them build 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 in front of a crowd of strangers and possibly hostile people can be a scary experience. Talk to your child about the potential risks they face when sharing themselves and their work, so they understand the dangers of being criticized by an anonymous community. Let your child decide for themselves whether they want to continue sharing their creations online.

10. Make time for offline

Encourage your child to take a break from the online world. Unplug the video game console, let the computer perform any necessary updates, and disconnect from the internet for a few hours or even a few days.

You can also take your kids on a camping trip where there is no Wi-Fi, which can give you precious moments to reconnect with them, giving you a chance to learn more about their interests and thoughts without the influence of technology.

This is also a chance to introduce your child to a world without the internet, where things happen more slowly and realistically. Who knows? Your child might find joy in a simpler, old-fashioned life, without relying on electronic devices.