How to Start Teaching Your Kids About Internet Safety and Security?

As you already know, kids are growing up with technology at their fingertips. It’s not just about playing with apps or playing video games like Roblox, but it’s also learning how to code, do schoolwork, and beyond. Besides, the internet offers a world of knowledge and entertainment, but it also comes with risks. 

This is the worst of it all. While sure, you can have parental block (and you should), you need to understand that it still has to go beyond that, too. As parents, it’s crucial to teach our children about internet safety and security in a way that is engaging and understandable. So, with that said, here are some friendly tips and strategies to help you guide your kids in navigating the online world safely.

Understanding Personal Information

So this right here is the bare-bones that every child of all ages needs to understand! Actually, one of the most important lessons to impart to your children is the importance of keeping personal information private. This includes their full name, address, phone number, school name, and even their favorite places to hang out. So, you’ll have to explain that sharing these details online can be dangerous because it allows strangers to know too much about them.

A fun way to illustrate this is by comparing the internet to a big city. Just like they wouldn’t walk up to a stranger on the street and tell them everything about themselves, they shouldn’t do it online, either. But you should also encourage them to use nicknames or pseudonyms and to never share passwords, even with their best friends.

There’s an Importance of Passwords

Speaking of passwords, this is another basic, but both kids and adults are super guilty of this. So go ahead and get them started early on to understand the importance of this. Hands-down, unique passwords are a fundamental aspect of internet security. So, you’ll have to teach your kids that a good password should be a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, and it should be something only they know. 

You can turn this into a creative activity by making it a game to come up with the most imaginative passwords. but of course, you can also get them to use a password Generator or even Google password suggestions too.

Explain that the stronger the password, the harder it is for someone else to guess it and access their accounts. But of course, this isn’t all either, you’ll have to remind them to change their passwords regularly and to never reuse the same password across multiple sites.

Teach Them About Network Safety

This is technically a part of internet security, so yes, they need to have an understanding of why this is so important. Actually, a lot of adults don’t even understand the sheer importance of security when it comes to this, either. So, you’ll need to explain what a network is in simple terms—like a group of connected devices that can share information. 

Then, introduce them to the concept of SSID. But what is a SSID? Well, this stands for Service Set Identifier. It’s the name of the Wi-Fi network they connect to. But how exactly is this important when it comes to internet safety? Especially for a child to learn?

Well, think of it this way: you need the right house to enter, correct? Well, just like they wouldn’t walk into a stranger’s house, they shouldn’t connect to unfamiliar or unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Teach them to always use the family’s Wi-Fi at home, which is secure and protected with a strong password.

But don’t forget about public Wi-Fi. Well, yes, even that should be talked about. So you’ll need to emphasize that they should only use it when absolutely necessary and avoid accessing sensitive information like their personal details. But of course, you also need to teach them to use a VPN as well. This is basically just another layer of protection you can discuss as they get older and more tech-savvy.

Recognizing Unsafe Websites

It’s also important for children to learn how to recognize unsafe websites. You’ll have to teach them to look for the padlock icon in the address bar and to ensure the website address starts with “https://”. Explain that these signs indicate a secure site. You can compare this to checking if a door is locked before entering a building—it’s a basic step to ensure their safety. Most mobile devices and laptops (especially Google Chrome) just won’t let you on unsafe websites. But regardless, you still need to make sure that they’re careful.

Also, encourage them to avoid clicking on suspicious links or pop-ups, which can lead to harmful websites or malware. So, you’ll have to emphasize the importance of sticking to reputable sites and always asking an adult if they’re unsure about a website’s safety.