Archive: Business & Technology

Buffalo, NY (July 23, 2015)—Summertime brings lots of outdoor activities for children but many will spend their time indoors surfing the Internet. Do you know which sites your children visit? Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York reminds parents and caregivers that summertime is the right time for a refresher course in online safety.

"Parents protect their children from all types of real world threats, so it is important to protect them online as well," said Warren Clark, BBB of Upstate New York president. "Simple actions and family decisions can make an important difference for a child's online experience, regardless of their age."

A Pew Research Center study says 92 percent of teens are online daily. The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) reported 74 percent of parents surveyed admitted they did not monitor their children's online activities.

Young Internet users may not have the judgement to understand the consequences of their actions online. Children need an understanding of how to use the Internet safely, and just as important, monitoring their online activities until parents are satisfied their kids are following their advice and warnings.

Older children may have a bit more experience online, but that doesn't mean they follow the family's Internet safety rules. BBB knows that online threats often evolve and adults should make sure that they, as well as their children, understand those risks and how to avoid them.

The NCSA study also revealed that talking to children about safe online behavior does have an impact: 46 percent of young people said they would change their online habits if their parents were paying attention.

BBB of Upstate New York offers a family Internet safety checklist to keep your family's private information safe:

Talk to your kids. Have conversations about practicing online safety. Don't wait for your kids to come to you, use everyday opportunities to talk about it.

Set family rules. Communicate your expectations and keep track of your children's passwords. Set clear online behavior expectations for your children and explain how they apply in an online context. For example, be specific about what is off limits and what you consider inappropriate behavior.

Monitor their social media presence. Parents should know where their children have accounts or profiles and what information they are sharing. It's important to verify app and game privacy policies and options for opting out. Make sure apps are downloaded from reliable sources.

Aside from commerce, entertainment and information, the Internet is all about sharing, but parents should know if children are sharing photos, personal information, their location, telephone number, address or when a family vacation is planned. Parents need to explain to their children the concept of not sharing inappropriate information about themselves or the family.

Watch for changes in behavior. If your child suddenly avoids the computer or changes from their normal behavior, it may be a sign that they are being bullied online or having other issues.

Check privacy settings and consider parental controls. Regularly review the privacy and security policies on the websites your children frequent. Websites change default privacy settings from time to time – and parents will want to know who can see a social media profile, as well as what information might be shared with marketers or strangers. Consider parental controls such as time limits and controls that limit what content is accessible.

Talk about the concept of credibility. It is essential that children understand if they don't know someone in real life, they don't need to chat with them online. Basically it's what we have all been taught: don't talk to strangers. Not everything seen on the Internet is true and people online may not be who they appear to be.

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