Safety Tips and Advice
The Internet should be a place where kids have fun communicating with friends and learning about the world around them. While using the Internet is an integral part of a young person’s life, and a necessary life skill, there are risks associated with it. Young people and parents should be aware of these risks to avoid or minimize their impact and help keep children's online time constructive.
Not all young people will encounter these risks, and the more aware they are of these potential hazards, the more likely they will be safe online. This awareness combined with technology, common sense and critical thinking can help to make sure the Internet is in fact a great and safe place for kids and families.
Below are a number of safety tips and resources to help you and your family stay safe and secure online.
General Internet Safety Tips for Kids and Families
This is an overview of the potential risks young people may be exposed to online and some general guidelines for parents on how to minimize these risks. It is especially recommended for those with kids who are just beginning to use the Internet.
Safety Tips for Social Networking
This guide provides an overview of the potential risks associated with social networking sites, ways to avoid these risks, and instructions on how to report abuse occurring on the more popular sites.
A Safety Guide for Web Threats
This short overview provides basic definitions of common web threats such as phishing, spyware, and bots, and also provides some basic safety tips and advice on how to prevent these digital threats from harming your computer or your personal information.
Web Threats and the Social Web
Internet safety includes issues related to digital threats such as spyware, identity theft, and viruses. This video provides an overview of the tactics criminals use to fool young people and perpetrate cybercrime.
Safety Tips for Peer-to-Peer File-sharing
Peer-to-peer services can be useful, but young people can put themselves or their families at great risk if used improperly or if used to illegally share copyrighted material. This guide provides some helpful tips on using peer-to-peer file-sharing services safely.
Safety Tips for Cyberbullying
This guide provides an overview of cyberbullying and how to handle it if your child becomes a victim or participant of it.
Safety Tips for Online Grooming
This guide provides an overview of online grooming – the method used by sexual predators to gain the trust of kids online in order to meet them offline, how to recognize it, and what to do if it happens to your child.
Preventing Identity Theft through Direct connections to the Internet
This fact sheet from the Identity Theft Resource Center provides tips, tricks and definitions that help you protect yourself from being a victim of online identity theft.
Preventing Identity Theft through Online Commerce
This fact sheet from the Identity Theft Resource Center provides practical advice on how to prevent yourself from being a victim of identity theft while shopping/buying online.
Identity Theft and Children – Overview and Prevention Tips
This fact sheet from the Identity Theft Resource Center provide insight into child identity theft, how to prevent it from happening to your child, and practical advice on what to do if you believe your child has become a victim of i.d. theft.
Stolen Futures – Video on Preventing Identity Theft for Teens
This brief 11 minute video from the Identity Theft Resource Center is a good introduction to protecting oneself against identity theft, but is especially applicable to raising the awareness of young people, many of whom are completely unaware of the dangers of exposing personal identifying information freely.
