In this digital era, the major concern of parents is how to keep their children safe on social media. Social media has been a great platform for learning and connecting with people. But like other advanced technology, it does not come without risk.
As kids of all ages spend the most time on social media, the biggest threat is their security. Kids have been raised in the digital era, so surfing and social media are second nature. They are becoming more tech-savvy and know about advanced technology.
Keeping your kids safe online and monitoring their activities is not easy when your kid is familiar with all new technology. But there are few things that can help you to protect your online data. So, we have mentioned some of the tips to keep your child safe online.
6 tips that can help protect your children’s data on social media
Have an open conversation with your child
Every parent gives their children access to the internet and social media. But it is always important to discuss the pros and cons of using social media. Much like talk, have a conversion about the technology.
Most parents these days are busy with their work. So they don’t pay attention to their children’s activities. Children need to understand that social media can be dangerous, and they need to take steps to keep them safe. As a result, they will become more conscious about using social media.
Monitor and mentor children online
It is always a good thing to explore social media with your children. You can adjust their privacy settings, like keeping their profile private and disabling app locations. Being involved with children online will help you to know who they interact with on social media.
Teach them how to behave online and make them familiar with reporting tools. If anyone seems suspicious or bullying them, report them so that it will help them to take direct action.
Be strict with rules.
Being a parent, you will establish clear rules on how they have to behave, their discipline, or study timetable. Similarly, set rules for online activities as they are even more dangerous for kids without any guidance and limitations.
However, kids don’t always listen to what their parents say, but they learn from what they see. That means it is better not to use mobile phones during dinner, family time, or before bed. So lead them by examples, be a good role model as they learn from their parents.
Enable two-step verification
With the advancement of technology, the cases of data breaches are increasing. Even though your kids use a complex password, their accounts and data can be breached. Enabling two-step authentication provides an additional layer of security to your online data.
Encourage your kids to enable two-step verification. It is a security measure where you will receive a verification code on your email or phone before you log in to your account.
Use parental controls
Parental controls are the monitoring application that keeps track of every activity of your kid’s device. You can use parental applications if you are worried about your children seeing inappropriate content or using social media against rules and regulations.
There are several apps to help parents monitor, set limits, and restrict kids’ activities on a device, such as MobileSpy, KasperskySafe kids, FlexiSpy, and more. Though apps can be easier to keep a tab on their activities, they can be easily bypassed. But it does provide all the monitoring features required to give parents peace of mind.
Conclusion
Social media is the go-to place for each individual, including kids. No matter how tech-savvy your kids are, some danger is always wandering around them. Though social media has many benefits for kids, threats cannot be avoided. So it is better to teach them about online manners, predators, and cyberbullying. As a parent, keep track of their online activities just to be on the safe side.