Introduction
The internet can be a wonderful place for kids. They can learn all sorts of new things, keep in touch with their friends, and even find ways to help them engage with the world around them. Unfortunately, it is also home to some real dangers for young people. Cyberbullying is one of these threats, and parents must know how to prevent cyberbullying before it happens and what to do when it does happen.
Talk to your kids about their digital life, who they interact with, what they do online, and the sites they visit.
- Talk to your kids about their digital life, who they interact with, what they do online, and the sites they visit.
- Establish a relationship of trust.
- Show interest in their activities.
- Talk about the dangers of bullying and how it affects others’ lives negatively as well as how it can also hurt the bully themselves (as many bullies often become depressed or commit suicide).
- Discuss the importance of being kind to others and not sharing too much personal information with strangers on social media networks such as Facebook or Twitter; this is especially important for children under 13 years old because there are federal laws that protect them from this type of exploitation by companies like Facebook who use user data for commercial purposes without proper parental consent first being obtained from parents before granting access rights within their network(s) which may not be legally binding depending upon whether or not said parent has signed up for automatic subscription services through credit card billing schemes etc…
Review the social media accounts of your children’s online friends.
- Log into your child’s social media accounts and review the content, including pictures and tweets.
- Look at the friends list on their Facebook account and who they follow on Twitter and Instagram.
- Ask your children questions about their online activity such as whether they have received any negative comments from people they know, or if they’ve posted anything that could be considered bullying in nature.
If you find any evidence of cyberbullying or bullying-related content, discuss it with your child immediately so they can learn what is appropriate behavior online and how to react when someone says something hurtful to them or makes fun of them.
Have regular, open conversations with your kids about cyberbullying, and keep tabs on the social networking apps that are popular among teens and kids.
- Have regular, open conversations with your kids about cyberbullying. If a child feels comfortable talking to their parents about problems they’re experiencing online, they’re much more likely to come to you if they happen across a cyberbully. Having these discussions can also help build a strong relationship between you and your child, which will make them more willing to tell you what’s going on in their lives.
- Know the social networking apps that are popular among teens and kids. If you know what the most popular apps are, it will be easier for you to keep an eye on where your child is spending time online and who else may have access to their accounts (such as friends or other family members).
Protect yourself against identity theft.
In addition to protecting your child from cyberbullying, you can also protect yourself. Here are some tips:
- Keep your computer secure. Make sure that you have a firewall installed and set up the most current updates for your operating system, antivirus software, and other programs on your home computer. Be careful not to click on links or open attachments in emails from people you do not know. If you do click on a link or open an attachment and get a warning about it being unsafe, don’t proceed any further with opening the file until making sure that it’s safe for use. Also make sure that all passwords are strong so hackers cannot access them easily through brute force attacks (using software designed specifically for this purpose).
- Protect your social security number at all costs! Don’t ever give this information out over the phone unless necessary – even if someone claims they’re from “Microsoft” (Microsoft will never call anyone asking for personal information). Again – be careful what goes into the trash because identity thieves often rummage through it looking for any shred of paper containing sensitive data like credit card numbers or account numbers belonging to others who might make themselves vulnerable by giving us their names/contact info when asking us questions over email/phone calls, etc…
- Monitor credit accounts closely – especially if they’ve been compromised due to a breach of some sort (such as those experienced by Target customers between November 27th, 2013 until December 15th, 2014 when 40 million people were affected due largely because of poor password protection practices). The easiest way people can avoid identity theft is simply by signing up online with companies such as LifeLock which provide alerts whenever suspicious activity occurs involving accounts held under their name.”
Keep an eye out for signs of cyberbullying.
You can keep an eye out for signs of cyberbullying by paying attention to how your child is feeling. Look for signs of depression or anxiety, such as frequent mood changes or a lack of interest in activities they normally enjoy. If you notice these symptoms, talk to your child about what’s bothering them and help them explore ways to cope with the situation. You may also want to consult a professional about any concerns you have about your child’s mental health.
Finally, everyone in the family must understand the rules around technology usage so that everyone knows what behavior is acceptable and what kind of language is not allowed on social media platforms or online games.
There are several things you can do to help protect your child from being bullied or from bullying others.
There are several things you can do to help protect your child from being bullied or from bullying others.
- Be careful about what you post online.
- Be careful about who you connect with online.
- Be careful about what you say online.
- Be careful about what you read online.
- Be careful about what you share online.
- Be careful about what you buy online (e-commerce).
Conclusion
It’s not enough to just warn kids about cyber-bullying, we need to also be providing them with proactive tools that allow them to defend themselves and their friends in the event of a cyber-attack.
The best way for parents to do this is by speaking up and showing their children how they can block app access, change passwords to regain control over their privacy settings, or even how they can report bullying on the spot.
By arming your children with these tools, you are taking back some of the power from bullies who thrive on exploiting others.
