Teaching kids to safely go online
Posted 14 February 2017 12:00 AM by cindy rinker
Last Tuesday was Safer Internet Day, an international opportunity to get stakeholders and students around the world to come together to promote safe Internet for children.
The international theme was Be the Change. Unite for a better Internet. The official U.S. event was hosted by ConnectSafely.org at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Elementary, middle school and high school students were brought together with online safety experts, youth advocates and leading technology companies to discuss youth perspectives and practices in social media.
ConnectSafely.org – a nonprofit organization – is dedicated to sharing ways for parents to get involved to make sure their children are not attacked by the bullies, trolls and scam artists that are polluting the Internet. To find out ways to teach your children how to safely navigate online, ConnectSafely.org provides information, examples and even apps to keep kids from falling down the online rabbit hole.
There is also a podcast and a section on safety tips and advice that discusses a variety of different topics – from teen sexting and to child identity theft.
The doors that can be opened on the Internet often reveal amazing things. Other doors, however, can take your child down dark hallways that you do not want them to explore. It is up to you to make sure your children are safe when they go online.