Kids engage online far differently than adults. Between group chats, social apps, and keeping up with digital trends, their interests, and attention spans constantly shift, which means online privacy concerns get sidelined. Here are a few ways to move online privacy center stage.
7 Tips to Help Kids Protect Their Privacy
1. Make Privacy Fun and Relatable
Few things will put kids to sleep faster than talking with parents about online stuff like privacy. So, flip the script. Talk about the things they love online—shopping, TikTok, and group chats. Why? Because all that daily fun could come to a screeching halt should a bad actor get a hold of your child’s data. Establishing strong digital habits allows your child to protect what they enjoy including their Venmo account, video games, and midnight chatting. Doing simple things such as maximizing privacy settings on social networks, limiting their social circles to known friends, and refraining from oversharing, can dramatically improve digital privacy.
2. Strong Relationship = Online Safety
We say it often: The best way to keep your kids safe online is by nurturing a strong relationship with them. A healthy parent-child connection is at the heart of raising kids who can make good choices online. Connect with your child daily. Talk about what’s important to them. Listen. Ask them to show you their favorite apps. Soon, you’ll discover details about their online life and gain the trust you need to discuss difficult topics down the road.
3. Layer Up Your Protection
According to the latest Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), which examined the state of cybersecurity in 2023, some 68% of global breaches, regardless of whether they included a third party or not, involved a non-malicious human action, such as a person making an error or becoming a victim of a social engineering attack. For that reason, consider putting an extra layer of protection between your family and cyberspace. A few ways to do that:
4. Build Your Digital Offense
A good digital offense is the best way to guard yourself and your family against those out to misuse your data. Offensive tactics and habits include using strong passwords, maximizing privacy settings on social networks, using a VPN, and boosting security on the many IoT devices throughout your home.
5. Deep Clean Your Digital House
Get in the habit of deep cleaning your technology and bring your kids into the routine. Here’s how:
- Together, remove unused apps from all devices
- Add Multi-Factor Authentication to your account passwords
- Update all device software
- Wipe social profiles (including posts) clean of personal or family information such as full names, school names, birthdates, ages, addresses, phone numbers, emails, or location patterns. Do it together and even throw in a few rewards.
5. Create a Family Cybersecurity Plan
Establish rules and guidelines for online behavior, and make sure everyone in the family understands the importance of protecting their personal information.
6. Stay Engaged
Keep the conversation about online safety ongoing. Regularly check in with your kids about their online experiences and encourage them to speak up if they encounter anything suspicious or uncomfortable.
Level Up Family Cybersecurity
It’s hard to slow down and get serious about online privacy if you’ve never experienced a breach or online theft of some kind. However, chances are, the dark side of online living will impact your family before long. Ready to go deeper? Dig into these cybersecurity tips for every age and stage.
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