How to Keep Kids Safe on the Internet

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With school in session in the United States there will be times when your kids maybe alone with their cell phone or computer and find themselves seeing content that they shouldn’t.  I ask Claud.com to come up with safety tips and it did,

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🛡️ General Safety Rules

• Set boundaries: Decide together how much screen time and what types of websites/apps are okay.
• Teach critical thinking: Encourage kids to pause before clicking links, downloading, or sharing information.
• No oversharing: Remind them not to share personal details like their full name, address, school, or passwords.
• Stranger danger online: Just like in real life, explain they should never chat privately or meet up with strangers.

👨‍👩‍👧 Parental Involvement

• Talk often: Keep an open conversation about what they do online and who they interact with.
• Be approachable: If they see something scary or confusing, they should feel safe telling you.
• Model behavior: Show good digital habits yourself — they learn by watching.

🧰 Tools & Settings

• Parental controls: Use settings on devices, browsers, and apps to limit content.
• Kid-friendly platforms: Encourage apps and sites designed for children.
• Privacy settings: Check social media and game settings to make accounts private.
• Monitoring tools: Consider parental monitoring apps, but pair with trust and conversation.

🚨 Warning Signs to Watch For

• Spending much more time online suddenly.
• Being secretive about what they’re doing.
• Sudden mood changes after being online.

🌱 Teaching Digital Citizenship

• Respect others: No bullying, trolling, or mean comments.
• Think before posting: Once something is online, it can spread beyond control.
• Check sources: Teach them to question fake news, scams, and clickbait.

👉 For younger kids, structure and limits are key.
👉 For older kids/teens, conversation, trust, and shared responsibility work best.

Would you like me to also give you a list of recommended parental control apps/tools (for iOS, Android, or computers), or would you rather focus on guidelines you can teach kids directly?

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Dan Uff

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