Internet Safety Tips for Teens

As beneficial as the Internet is, it also comes with many dangers and disasters, especially for those who aren’t mature enough to use the Internet safely and are careless with their private information. Teenagers, when handed phones, are new to the social media and internet environment and may not know how to use it properly or are too naïve to put all of their information on the net without analyzing anything. It is in parents’ hands to guide and advise their kids on how to use the Internet and be careful.

Here are some risks associated with the Internet for teens –

– It should come as no surprise that bullies are shifting away from the playground and onto the Internet now that our children are constantly connected to the Internet via smartphones and tablets. Some alarming numbers have surfaced in recent studies. Approximately 88 percent of students say they have witnessed some type of cyberbullying. On the other hand, roughly 26% indicated they had been victimized in some way through social media, and 16% said someone had posted embarrassing photographs of them online.

–  Pornography is one of the most serious dangers to which children are exposed online. Before they are 18, it is estimated that 90% of males and 60% of girls will have viewed online pornography. In addition, as many as 10% of these children are exposed to pornography depicting bestiality or child pornography.

– Teenagers are ignorant of the hazards that online predators present. If we’re being honest, we all know that we thought we were invincible as teenagers, which led us to make risky decisions. That is why parents must protect their children. Teens must be taught proper online behavior, including suitable topics to discuss with strangers on the Internet, if at all.

– While it may not appear to be a significant hazard to our children, video games are increasingly being played online. More than 80% of kids said they were ‘gamers,’ and around half of them said they played online. Only 47% of online gamers, on the other hand, are playing with real-life friends. Therefore, it’s critical to establish some gaming ground rules, such as prohibiting the usage of a webcam and ensuring that their screen name does not correspond to their real name.

These were some of the risks which are associated with the Internet. However, you can indeed protect and prevent your kid from the Internet. Here is some advice for parents to protect their children from the Internet.

1. By setting up a WPA router, your kid will not be able to download unprotected software or apps or content which are suspicious. This way, you can also control your child’s online activities. Other than that, if you don’t want your kid to access the Internet quite often or the whole day, then do not tell them your WIFI password and keep a complex password to crack. But in this process, do not suffocate your child’s freedom.

2. You can set up parental control option on your laptop if you don’t want your child to access any kind of inappropriate content. You can also limit the screen time of your children.

3. As a parent, you can also download antivirus programs that detect any virus in your computer and eliminate it.

4. Other than all of these options, talk to your kid freely about what they see on the Internet and educate them about the risks of the Internet. They should be aware of both the benefits and awareness.

The Internet has sure solved many of your problems and has made our lives easy, but it is important to use the Internet safely.

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