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Online Privacy Tips For Parents

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Summary:

Rapidly developing technologies make it challenging for parents to protect their children’s online privacy. If you have a technically savvy child, then you probably know what I’m talking about. Many 10-year-olds now know more about gadgets than adults do, which means we must be extra vigilant about monitoring their online activity.

Laws, such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), that restrict the types of data that websites can collect from your children’s online activity are intended to protect your child’s privacy. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces COPPA. As the FTC states in the COPPA law, “The primary goal of COPPA is to place parents in control over what information is collected from their young [under age 13] children online.” The biggest challenge here is that the law’s effectiveness relies heavily on honesty and compliance on the part of both children and their parents. Often, children who fall under the age threshold open accounts without their parents’ knowledge, or parents open accounts for them.

While COPPA is a step in the right direction, parents can take some additional actions to help protect their children’s online privacy without having to take radical measures. Protecting their privacy also reduces their risk of child identity theft, a growing concern as more than 1 million children become victims of identity crimes each year.

6 Online Privacy and Safety Tips for Parents of Children Who Surf the Web

  1. Build digital literacy skills by teaching children to never share personal information online, including their home address, the school they attend, name, age, or any other personally identifiable information. This can’t be stressed enough, as many people may not realize that sharing even small bits of information can put them at risk.
  2. Never let children communicate with people they don’t know and avoid oversharing on social media and other online forums.
  3. Enable internet parental controls in order to monitor your children’s internet usage and to block inappropriate content. These settings are free and should be available through your internet service provider (ISP).
  4. Read the Terms of Service Agreements for the websites your children visit most often, especially social networking sites. Familiarize yourself with minimum age requirements.
  5. Create an online safety contract that describes responsible internet usage for your children and the guidelines you, as a parent, will follow. We found a great example at the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI).
  6. And finally, focus on the positive! Children shouldn’t grow up fearful of technology. It’s better that they learn young that technology is not the problem, rather how it’s misused.

Parents want the best for their children, including an ability to navigate the digital world safely. Let’s ensure our children’s success by providing them with the tools and thoughtful guidance they need to benefit from the educational and social benefits of technology while protecting their online privacy. Education is the best protection.

What You Need to Know:

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