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BBB Trends: Have you had the (online) ‘talk’ with your child yet? Now is the time to talk online safety


By Sandra Guile
Better Business Bureau

The school supplies are packed, the meal menus are planned for the upcoming sports and extracurricular activities, shoes and new clothes are bought with the hopes your child won’t outgrow them in the next few weeks. Everything appears to be ready to go for the new school year or so it seems. There’s one more little detail to check off the list.

Have you had ‘the talk’ with your child about online security? What about the online games they play? Do they know who they’re interacting with and understand what information they should keep to themselves?

Let’s face it, the age bracket where electronic devices are introduced is becoming younger and younger. Toddlers are becoming adept at swiping, clicking and hovering more so than some adults. By the time many of these kids start elementary school, they’ve mastered key search terms in Google or figured out how to use Alexa to do a little early Christmas shopping. Then along comes middle school and they’ve figured out how to get around parental control software with a little help from their friends. When they start high school, well, unless you’ve got a degree in computer programming, these students will have all of the latest and greatest in technology figured out quicker than some of us will. How do you keep your child safe from what’s lurking on the Dark Web?

Talk to them. Have open, honest, conversations about practicing online safety. Help them understand that chatting with a complete stranger online is the equivalent of talking to a stranger on the street when an adult isn’t around. When playing popular online video games, consider emphasizing that it is critical for them to NOT share any personal information like their real name, birthdate, hometown or address with other online players.

Set boundaries. Clearly communicate your expectations on how household electronics are to be used whether they are provided by the school or reside in the home. Set behavior expectations for online privileges and tie them to a reward system for grades or chores. The line has to be drawn that having access to the internet, streaming shows, watching a movie or playing games is not necessarily a right but a privilege.

Keep all devices in a public area. Monitor what the child is doing online, especially if they are connected to social media sites. Let them know the cell phone, tablet, laptop or PC stays in the family room, kitchen or another common gathering area so that the screen is visible at all times. Parents find out where your child has an account, a profile and what information they’re sharing. This includes the school email system, homework planner, and calendar. Write down all of the usernames and passwords and follow the same internet guidelines you would for your own accounts.

Check the privacy settings and consider parental controls. Regularly review the privacy and security policies on the websites your children frequent. Websites change default privacy settings from time to time – and parents will want to know who can see a social media profile, as well as what information might be shared with marketers or strangers. Consider parental controls such as time limits and controls that limit what content is accessible.

Watch for Common Online Scam Red Flags. Make sure your kids know to not click on unsolicited links that appear on the screen or in emails, or social media offers that sound too good to be true. If they are not sure, make sure they ask an adult. Often times, infected emails will appear to be from someone you or they know. If this is the case, it’s best to email or call the person to see if they meant to send you the message. More resources on internet safety for your family can be found on our website.

As the school year begins, look beyond the bookbags, pens, pencils and new clothes. Protect your child’s identity especially when they don’t leave the house.

Sandra Guile is the Community Outreach Specialist for BBB. She promotes BBB’s message of marketplace ethics through public speaking engagements, presentations, media relations, press releases, web content, and other written materials. Your BBB is located at 1 East 4th Street Suite 600 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 – to reach the office, call (513) 421-3015.


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