It’s Internet Safety Month: Great Summer Cyber Safety Tips for Kids – by Ron Benvenisti

June is Internet Safety Month and here are some great tips and resources from the Department of Homeland Security’s “Stop, Think, Connect” program for the entire Lakewood community!

Children will be spending more time online with their computers and mobile devices while on summer vacation. This increased screen time can provide many benefits for kids, however, there are also increased risks that include cyber bullying, cyber predators, and other threats. Parents and guardians can help protect children by creating an open environment where children feel comfortable talking to their parents about what they see and do online. Parents, make sure you check out the links below and don’t miss out on the What is WhatsApp tip sheet!

Here are some simple things you can do to make sure your children stay safe online this summer.

Talk to your kids. Try to talk regularly with your kids about practicing online safety. Don’t wait for your kids to start the conversation, use everyday opportunities to talk to your kids about being online.
Communicate your expectations. Set clear expectations for your children and explain how they apply in an online context. For example, be specific about what is off limits and what you consider inappropriate behavior.
Watch for changes in behavior. If your child suddenly avoids the computer or changes from their normal behavior, it may be a sign that they are being cyberbullied.
Consider parental controls. Regularly review the privacy and security policies on the websites your children frequent. Consider parental controls such as time limits and controls that limit what content is accessible. The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), a Campaign partner, provides an overview of downloaded parental control tools here.
Talk about the concept of credibility. Emphasize the concept of credibility to teens: not everything they see on the Internet is true and people on the Internet may not be who they appear to be.

Traveling with your kids this summer? Check out NetSmartzKids’ online safety activities to keep you children entertained while also teaching them important online safety lessons. Each month, NetSmartzKids features an Activity of the Month that you can print out for your kids like word searches, color books, and games. Take a look at some of our fun favorites below:

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: ONLINE SAFETY FOR KIDS

There are many benefits to today’s connected world, and children are online now more than ever. Parents have a responsibility to have a strong understanding of your children’s online behavior and the risks they face. With new technology and apps appearing seemingly every day, protecting your tech-savvy kids online can oftentimes seem overwhelming.

The Stop.Think.Connect Campaign partners with a handful of organizations that aim to provide you with the tools and resources you need to protect your children online while still allowing them to enjoy the benefits of a digital life.

ConnectSafetly offers Parent’s Guides, a collection of short, clearly written guidebooks that explain apps, services, and platforms popular with teens.
Netsmartz Kids provides interactive, educational, and age-appropriate resources to help teach children how to be safer online.
Family Online Safety Institute gives advice, tips, and tools that empower parents to confidently navigate the online world with your kids.
Savvy Cyber Kids offers curriculum that covers the concepts of security, privacy, bully response, and online ethics with engaging characters and in age appropriate language.

Stop.Think.Connect. Social Media Guide provides tips for parents and students on how to protect themselves on social media and includes many resources available to them. The Guide explains the cyber risks kids face when using social media and provides tips for talking to your kids about these risks.

RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: FAMILY ONLINE SAFETY INSTITUTE’S GOOD DIGITAL PARENTING

The best way to protect your family online is to educate them about the benefits and risks of online activity. The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), a Stop.Think.Connect National Network Partner, is celebrating Internet Safety Month with a host of new blogs, App Tip Sheets, and Twitter chats to help you keep your family safe online. Visit FOSI’s Good Digital Parenting website for more information on how to educate your children on safe online habits including the following tools and resources:

For more tips on how to talk to your kids about cyber safety, visit dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect, STCGuide.com, and OnGuardOnline.gov.

As always, feel free to contact me at rbenvenistiATintegrissecurity.com, a proud partner of the New York/New Jersey Electronic Crimes Task Force and FBI InfraGard. For free security tools and insights visit: https://www.integrissecurity.com/SecurityTools and http://integrissecurityinsights.blogspot.com/