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March 3, 2022

5 tips to keep young people safe online

The internet is without doubt one of the best resources available to us. For many young people, time online is a social lifeline and a way to complete school work. Unfortunately it’s also extremely dangerous, especially for young people, if they aren’t aware of who and what lurks behind the scenes. Everyone should know how to be safe while surfing the web.

Here are 5 tips to help you keep your people safe online, whether you’re a teacher, parent or just want to support young people in your life!

Talk about online friendships 

Did you know 55% of teens have given out personal information to someone they do not know on social networking sites.

Talk to your young people about their online friendships, make sure they understand that a person they’ve never met face-to-face is still a stranger.

Discuss Cyberbullying

Did you know 88 % of teenagers have seen someone be cruel to another person online.

Discuss cyberbullying with your child, teach them the importance of showing respect online to others and make sure they know they can talk to you if they have any worries or concerns.

Encourage Regular Breaks

Did you know that 6.3 hours is the average screen time for teenagers per day.

Encourage your child to take regular breaks and to use timers and reminders. Those who spend a lot of time online are more likely to see upsetting content, receive abusive comments, or send abuse to others

Be in Control of Filters and Settings

56% of children aged 12 to 15 said they did not know how to change their settings to control who could view their social media

There are four main places you can find parental controls, and it can help to set-up a combination of these:

  • Internet provider
  • Mobile operator 
  • Devices
  • Online Services

Have open conversations

90% of online users aged 12-15 years have a social media profile.

Encourage your child to talk to you about how they use the internet and show you what they do. 

Is this all a bit overwhelming?

Here are some places you can go to get some support:

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