The online world can be a dangerous place, especially for kids who don’t know how to spot scams or malicious websites. Preparing your child for the online space isn’t easy as there are many sophisticated scams out there, but the following tips should help you cover some of the basics.
- Teach Children The Dangers Of Links
When your child is first starting to use a computer, they need to understand why links can be dangerous – especially links in email messages. Unknown or suspicious links could lead to your child visiting dangerous or inappropriate websites, or cause them to accidentally download malicious software onto the computer.
It’s important to teach your child about the risks which links pose as early as you can. Remind them that even if a link comes from an apparently familiar source like a friend, they should still be wary of clicking on it. You should teach children how to recognize phishing emails and other spam emails that may be trying to get personal data or passwords.
- Explain How To Protect Personal Data
Children may not realize the dangers of giving out personal information to strangers on the internet. What seem like harmless questions could compromise your child’s safety, both online and in real life.
"Explain to your child what the potential dangers of giving out too much information are. Help them recognize warning signs, like strangers asking for their real name, address, which school they attend, their date of birth, etc., and teach how to deal with such situations," says Valerie Zick, an educator at Liahelp and Research Paper Writers.
- Common Signs You Can Teach Your Kids To Look Out For
There are a number of significant signs you can tell your children to be wary of. The first is free offers. Prizes, money, or gifts which are offered in return for personal information are red flags your child should know to look out for. Legitimate companies rarely give things away for free.
Grammatical and spelling errors are also warning signs. If your child notices an email full of mistakes or visits a website with poor English, they should be especially wary.
Work or scholarship offers are another common scam. They invite children to work with an agency or access a scholarship, but will always require payment at some stage to continue.
Emotional manipulation is something else to look out for. Scammers might present sob stories or pretend to be your child’s friend in order to gain their trust. They will then find it easier to get personal information from your child. Encourage your child to tell you about any new contacts they make online, and stay aware of who your child is talking to.
- Encourage Plenty Of Communication
Regularly ask your child what they’ve been doing online and what they’ve seen. Get them to come to you if they’re concerned or confused about anything, and stress that you will always help with things they don’t understand.
"Open communication is a great way to protect your child from scams. If they ask you something you aren’t sure about yourself, either get them to err on the side of caution, or show them how they can do research about scams via Google," explains Carmen Oliver, a writer at BoomEssays and Essayroo.
- Consider Installing Parental Controls
If you’re still feeling nervous about the online space and your child’s ability to navigate it, think about installing some parental control software. This sort of software can prevent your child from seeing unsuitable or malicious websites. There are many providers which can offer this sort of software, and it can be used in a variety of different ways.
You can set up the software to limit who can contact your child on certain sites, or to block payments. You can also block certain types of websites so you know your child can’t be directed to unsuitable things. Discuss the importance of this sort of software with your child to avoid causing any resentment, and be open and honest about why you’re using it. It’s important not to pressure your child into trying to do things in secret on the computer, so always prioritize open communication.
If you have found your child is talking to someone on the internet that you do not know, feel free to run a background check. Gladiknow.com is a great people search engine to use. This advanced people search engine contains over a million files on anyone in the United States. GladiKnow's reports will include criminal records, home address, social media accounts, current age, and so much more on your person of interest. The best part is that the report is made instantly and is 100% confidential. If you want to find out more information about people search engines, check out this link.
Online safety is very important for the whole family, and teaching children good habits early can ensure they stay safe online and prevent a lot of problems later. These tips will get you started on some good habits which your children can follow.
Katherine Rundell is a relationship writer at Essay Writing Services and Academized. She enjoys helping others find love and sharing advice on how to navigate through the world of Christian dating. Katherine is also a successful proofreader at State Of Writing. When not writing, she enjoys spending time reading and supporting her local church.
References:
https://gladiknow.com/blog/hall-of-oversharing
https://gladiknow.com/criminal-records-statewide
https://gladiknow.com/blog/are-there-criminals-in-your-life
https://liahelp.com/custom-essay
https://paperfellows.com/research-paper-writers
https://essayroo.com/assignment-writer
https://ukwritings.com/essay-services
https://academized.com
https://stateofwriting.com
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