4 tips for parents to keep their children safe on social media

Safety when online is one of the necessary conversations between family members when starting to use the Internet, and it is also a way for parents to protect and become a companion of their children in the online environment. .

Here are 4 steps to help parents start chatting, accompanying their children, and encouraging them to use the Internet for good purposes:

1. Talk to your child about technology before letting them join the Internet and social media

There are a lot of kids as young as 6 who already have access to a phone or tablet. Therefore, parents should share with their children about technology from an early age at important times such as the first time children use the Internet, the first time using mobile phones or social networks.

For example, the right time to set ground rules might be when your child is using a cell phone for the first time. The right time to talk about safe sharing is when your child is old enough to use Facebook and other social media platforms.

When setting rules for their children, parents themselves must become good role models for their children. Children will see what you do, not what you say. If parents set limits on time online or on social media for their children, parents must follow those rules as well.

2. Teach your children responsibility online

Instead of treating their children's online behavior as their responsibility, parents should teach their children to take responsibility for their own actions, whether it's in the physical or online environment. Before your child wants to share anything on social media, you should talk to your child to think about how the content will be understood. Questions could be:

– Can this content be misunderstood or bully/offend others?

– Can someone use this content to harm my child?

– Would you be upset if someone shared that content with others?

– What is the worst that can happen if your child shares this content?

3. Teach your child to be in control

– Control of personal information

To protect their children online, parents themselves should know how to protect their privacy and teach their children simple and effective ways to control personal information. Using strong passwords and two-factor authentication for both parent and child online accounts are the simplest ways to start taking control of personal information.

- Control what you see

On Facebook, parents can show their kids how to control what they see in their feed by clicking the three dots in the upper right of any post. If you don't want to see a post appear anymore, you can hide it. If you don't want to see posts from someone, you can unfollow or snooze them. Your child can also respond to or report a post they see as bullying/abusive content.

- Control your child's emotions

Parents should explain to their children that social media is their second person. Do not share when the mood is unstable such as anger, frustration or agitation. When you have a problem, you should share it with friends, family or people around to have a solution.

4. Use technology to be friends with your child

When parents want to learn about a new social media platform or a new technology, your child can be a great source of information. Your child may be interested in teaching you a new area, especially technology. If your child is used to using these technologies, this will be an opportunity for you to start conversations with your child about safety, privacy, and security. For example, parents can ask their children about their privacy settings when they ask them to set up their Facebook account.