The first thing you need to do if you’re looking to protect your teen online is to ensure that you understand what the biggest threats are when you’re online. Perhaps when computers and the internet were first established, it was fair to say that perhaps the only threats that lingered was the threat of your home computer being hacked, however as technology has become more and more intricate, the dangers we are exposed to on the internet are becoming increasingly more sinister and harder to catch out. Here at We Buy Any House, we have compiled our top tips on how to enforce internet safety at home.
What Are the Biggest Threats I Need to Look Out for While Surfing the Internet?
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Cyberbullying:
The first threat you need to look out for when allowing your child or teen to surf the internet is the threat of cyberbullying. Unfortunately, cyberbullying has enabled the typical playground bullying to surpass a real-life notion and move into an online space. Whether it be via social media, instant messaging, emailing or texting, unfortunately your child can become a victim to cyber-bullying 24/7.
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Sexting:
Regardless of whether your child is receiving or sending images, sexting is a huge problem for young people using the internet. Sending private images on the internet can cause huge damage and potentially lifelong consequences, from a damaged reputation all the way to charges of child porn.
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Online Predators:
One of the scariest things about going online is that there are predators who use the internet as a means to connect with any potential victims. The main aims of predators are to exploit, groom or traffic individuals.
How Can I keep My Child/Teen Safe Online?
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Talk:
Having open communication is one of the most effective ways to ensure online safety. Whether they are entering high school, or around 16, it’s always a good idea to keep an open and honest communication about internet safety.
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Enforce Rules:
Rules are the biggest way that you can protect your child on the internet. Establishing boundaries in terms of behaviour and expectations- alongside sharing email and other passwords will ensure that there is mutual trust between yourself and your children.
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Watch Their Settings:
A great way to keep your child safe online is to ensure that when it comes to their digital footprint, that your child has their security settings on their social media on the most private setting. Although they may think it’s cool to have a huge range of settings on their social media, they are essentially allowing strangers to have an insight into their life. It’s vital that you encourage them to keep their location settings on private, as this way it is another barrier that most people wont be able to break.
This article was written by a quick house sale company We Buy Any House. If you’re wondering “how can I sell my house fast”, head to the We Buy Any House website for more information relating to all property related enquiries.
