How to keep KIDS AND YOUTH Safe online

Family rules Technology tools

types of parental controlS2 2

1. Make a list of trusted peers/adults that your child can talk to in an uncomfortable situation. 2. Set rules for your home and use a Family Media Agreement

4. Discuss practice scenarios

Develop a safety plan

3. Ask questions & probe their understanding

Family Media Rules

- Mutual responsibilities - Age appropriate - Download from:

CommonSenseMedia.org

-What are your friends doing online? -What are the coolest or newest websites? - Can you show me your favorite sites? Do you know: - where reporting functions are? - how to block someone? - how to keep information private?

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CHILD

Don’t assume they know! Facebook Example: A Bewildering Tangle of Options

• If the request makes you uncomfortable, don’t respond to the message.

• If the person continues to try to make contact, tell a friend or trusted adult.

• If you feel that the person is truly trustworthy and want to meet them, ask a trusted adult to go with you.

• Never disclose personal information, such as your phone number or where you live.

• If you’d like, you can also talk to someone anonymously by calling the CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678.

Agreeing on specific action steps

ahead of time can save youth the

difficulty of trying to figure out

what to do in the moment

You met a really nice

girl/guy online, but

they live a few hours

away. One day they

message you and say

that they’re coming to

your town for the day.

They want to meet you

at the mall.

devices = diaryA Question of Trust

IN CASE OF EMERGENCYcollect passwords & store them in a sealed envelope

Have the computer centrally located

but:

OS parental controls

software controls

prevent unwanted content from entering your computer

mobile device filtersrestrict what your kids have access to on mobile devices

Browser-specific solutionsfilter out websites you don't want your kids to visit.

ROUTER SOLUTIONSprevent unwanted content from entering your home

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OS parental controls

• Apps: Specify which apps the child can access.

• Web: Limit access to websites, or allow unrestricted access.

• People: Restrict a child’s contact with other people through Game Center, Mail, and Messages.

• Time Limits: Set time limits for weekdays, weekends, and bedtime.

• Other: Hide profanity in the dictionary and other sources. Block using the built-in camera, Dictation, burning CDs and DVDs, or changing the password or printer settings.

Choose General, then Restrictions.

Enable Restrictions & enter a password your kids won’t guess.

Under the Allow section, switch anything to “off” you want to disable completely.

Under the Allowed Content tab, change the settings for Music & Podcasts, Movies, TV Shows and Apps to your preferred level.

Set Apps to 12+ or less, to prevent children from installing unfiltered browsers, which are rated 17+.

Mobile device filters

For Android devices: Menu > Content Filtering > Choose your filters

Disable Location Services

- Talk about safety risks - Ask if your kid knows

how to disable this - Ask if your kid knows

whether it is enabled - Check their posts

location icon

Helps kids resist sexts and peer pressure with funny comebacks.

Also provides advice on dealing with sexting crises.

Useful apps: Zipit

“Send this instead” appGives kids a voice when they are under pressure to send intimate images of themselves online.

- credits: love146.org

Websites to keep an eye on:

• Become a ‘friend/follower’ of your kid’s social media accounts. But remember that they can block you.

• Have your youth use your app store account or an account linked to your email, so you’ll be notified when an app is downloaded.

• Set hard boundaries on pieces of info that should never be shared publicly, such as a personal phone number or home address.

Additional Ideas: