Be a tech-savvy parent
ONLINE AWARENESS: KEEP CHILDREN TALKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES
Social media safety tips for your kids from an expert.
To get the most from social media, it’s helpful for parents and their teenage children to understand the tools that platforms such as Facebook provide to keep people safe online.
“Parents know that technology has numerous benefits, along with some dangers,” says Jocelyne Muhutu-Rémy, Facebook’s strategic media partnerships manager for sub-Saharan Africa.
“We are working hard to ensure our platforms offer people a safe and positive experience.
“We encourage parents to equip their children with the tools they need to safely navigate the online world.
“The Facebook parents portal offers some useful links, tips and tricks to help parents and their children have a positive experience online.”
For Safer Internet Day on Tuesday this week, Muhutu-Rémy offered some tips to help parents and children stay safe.
There are many great benefits to social media, but we also know there can be pitfalls. Start talking to your children about technology early to prepare them for the cyber world. They are only allowed to join Facebook or Instagram at 13, so it helps if they are well informed at the time they sign up.
Internet safety is a habit, much like looking both ways before crossing the road. Parents should talk about why children should be careful about what they share online or accept a friend request from a stranger.
If your teen is a keen tech user, why not ask them to show you their favourite music streaming app or social media platform and how it works? You can use this as a starting point to chat about issues of safety, privacy and security. This can also help you learn about any apps and services your teen is using.
Critical thinking is a key skill for the street-smart internet user. Chat to your children about how they can recognise scams, clickbait, fake news and phishing attempts on the internet.
Adults should set the example for responsible device and app usage. For example, it’s wise to teach them to stop using their phones an hour before bedtime. report abuse, bullying, harassment and other issues. Using this feature empowers teens to take action if they see something that is not right.
Make sure they set strong passwords and understand why they shouldn’t share them with anyone. Encourage them to add an extra layer of security by enabling two-factor authentication. This requires an SMS security code when you log in from an unknown device.
You can enjoy capturing family moments with a video or photo and have fun together editing, adding filters and using the augmented reality features, like bunny ears. While you’re enjoying yourselves, open conversations about tech and what it can do – and ask your teen to let you know if he or she encounters something bothersome online.
Teach them not to share information such as their address, phone number or full birth date on social media since it can make them susceptible to identity fraud or other forms of harassment.
More brutally honest parenting advice online parenty.co.za