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With the internet becoming increasingly accessible, parents must take proactive steps to educate their children about online safety.
Children’s Day 2024: It’s equally important to teach your child about online privacy. (Image: Shutterstock)
November 14 is celebrated as Children’s Day in India. This special occasion marks the birth anniversary of the country’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Fondly referred to as “Chacha Nehru”, he was deeply committed to the welfare, education and well-being of children. As we celebrate this special occasion, it’s a good time to also highlight the importance of online safety for kids.
With the internet becoming increasingly accessible, parents must take proactive steps to educate their children about online safety. Setting clear rules and guidelines can help protect kids in the digital world. This Children’s Day, we bring you a set of essential tips to ensure your kids stay safe in the digital world.
Set Clear Online Rules
As children grow, the internet becomes an invaluable resource—not only for schoolwork but also for exploring new ideas. It is essential to establish clear ground rules on which sites they can access and what activities are appropriate online.
Additionally, setting time limits for internet use helps maintain a healthy balance between screen time and other activities. Encourage kids to use only trusted educational sites.
Parental Controls
Some websites and content online may not be suitable for your child’s age. Parental control features can help you filter and monitor what they access. To ensure a safer online experience for your child, enable age-appropriate settings on apps, games and social media platforms. This simple step helps keep their online interactions within safe boundaries.
ALSO READ: Children’s Day Speech 2024: Inspiring Ideas For Students And Teachers
Privacy And Passwords
It’s equally important to teach your child about online privacy. Explain the risks of sharing personal details, like their address, school name or phone number, and help them understand why this information should never be shared online.
Encourage them to create strong passwords and make sure they know how to protect their personal information to stay safe in the digital world.
Discuss Cyberbullying
Discussing cyberbullying with your child is essential in today’s digital age. For every parent, it is important to help kids recognise and understand what cyberbullying looks like.
Encourage open communication so they feel safe speaking up if they experience or witness any inappropriate behaviour online. Remind them that they should never feel the need to hide or fear if they receive threats or hurtful messages.
The first and most important step is to report such incidents. Also, don’t forget to reassure them that they won’t get into trouble for reporting online issues.
Avoid Talking To Strangers
Some sites and games let kids connect with people they don’t know, but it’s important to explain why this can be risky. Let your child know that online chats, comment sections and private messages can include people who aren’t who they say they are.
These strangers may try to get personal information by pretending to be friendly. Teach them not to share details like their name, address or school, as this could be unsafe for both them and their family.
Recognise Scams
Online scams are common, and it’s important to help kids recognise and avoid them. If your child is new to the internet, closely monitor his/her activities and remind them never to use your cards for online purchases or share OTPs on any website.
Encourage them to ask for help with online payments or when they see something suspicious. Teach them to avoid clicking on unknown links, which can often be traps. This awareness will keep them safer online.
