How to Talk to Your Kids About Online Threats
Introduction
It’s no secret that children are online more than ever, whether it’s gaming, chatting with friends, or exploring social media. But with this access comes exposure to various digital dangers. In fact, nearly 60% of children aged 8-12 have encountered cyber risks like privacy invasions and exposure to inappropriate content. (Source: DQ Institute). As parents, we can’t shield them from everything, but we can equip them with the tools to navigate these situations.
Privacy Risks: Teaching Boundaries and Safety
Think of it like this: just as you wouldn’t encourage your child to share their home address with a stranger, it’s equally important to protect their online information. The same rules apply digitally.
📌 Core Concept Personal information online needs the same protection as physical safety.
- Real World Analogy: It’s like a stranger at the playground asking for their address.
- Children’s Online World: Imagine a game that asks for their name or address. This isn’t to scare them but to empower them to say “no” or ask for help when something feels off.
- Risk Level: High
- Warning Signs: Requests for personal details, pressure to share information
- Talking Tips:
- “Why do you think some information needs to be protected?”
- “Let’s talk about what information should stay private…”
- “What would you do if a game asks for your real name?”
- “Your personal information is unique to you. It’s okay to say ‘no’ when someone online asks for it.”
- 💡Quote for Perspective: “Privacy is not an option, and it shouldn’t be the price we accept for just getting on the internet.” (Gary Kovacs)
Privacy is not an option, and it shouldn’t be the price we accept for just getting on the internet.
Gary Kovacs
Scams and Phishing: Spotting the Red Flags
Kids can fall prey to scams without even realizing it—messages that promise prizes or freebies can be tempting but lead to bigger issues.
📌 Core Concept Teaching children to recognize and avoid online deception.
- Real World Analogy: Imagine someone saying they’re a distant family friend to gain trust and ask for money.
- Children’s Online World: Receiving messages that offer “prizes” or ask for sensitive information is common in games and social media.
- Risk Level: Medium to High
- Warning Signs: Urgent requests, too-good-to-be-true offers
- Talking Tips:
- “What would you do if someone offered you a free prize online?”
- “How can we check if something is real or fake?”
- “Why do you think people create scams?”
- “Sometimes, people online might offer something that sounds amazing, like a prize. But always check with me first before clicking.”
- 💡Quote for Insight: “Teach kids to recognize offers that are too good to be true, because they probably are.” (Based on 7 ways to teach your kids about online scams)
Inappropriate Content: Creating a Safe Viewing Space
One of the hardest things to control is what kids might stumble upon. For instance, they may start watching a fun video that suddenly veers into inappropriate content.
📌 Core Concept Protecting children from unsuitable content while maintaining their trust and open communication.
- Real World Analogy: It’s like finding a magazine with adult content lying around—except this happens online, where anything is just a click away.
- Children’s Online World: A child could be watching their favorite YouTube video when the algorithm serves something disturbing or unsuitable.
- Risk Level: High
- Warning Signs: Disturbing content in recommendations, inappropriate ads
- Talking Tips:
- “What kind of videos do you like to watch?”
- “What would you do if you saw something scary or confusing?”
- “Let’s talk about why some content isn’t meant for kids”“The internet has a lot of fun things, but some parts aren’t for kids. You can always come to me if something feels wrong or upsetting.”
- 💡Quote for Reassurance: “Show genuine interest and try not to be judgemental. This will keep your relationship open and honest.” (Family Online Safety Institute)
Cyberbullying: Standing Up to Digital Bullies
Cyberbullying is, unfortunately, a common experience for many young people. Teaching them how to handle it, and when to report it, is crucial.
📌 Core Concept Empowering children to recognize, respond to, and report online bullying.
- Real World Analogy: It’s similar to being teased on the playground, but online it can feel even more intense since it follows them home.
- Children’s Online World: A friend says something unkind in a group chat, or a stranger leaves mean comments on their post.
- Risk Level: High
- Warning Signs: Mood changes, avoiding devices, social withdrawal
- Talking Tips:
- “What would you do if someone was mean to you online?”
- “How can we support friends who are being bullied?”
- “Let’s talk about blocking and reporting”
- “If someone is being mean online, remember you’re not alone. Always come to me, and we’ll figure out what to do together.”
- 💡Quote for Support: “We are together against bullying. We are united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion of all students.” (StopBullying.gov)
In-Game Purchases and Online Spending: Setting Boundaries
Many games encourage purchases without kids fully understanding the costs. Teaching them that real money is involved can help them recognize boundaries.
📌 Core Concept Teaching children about digital spending and financial responsibility
- Real World Analogy: Imagine a child buying snacks without realizing they need to pay with real money.
- Children’s Online World: They may see a cool virtual item, like a skin or accessory, and assume it’s free.
- Risk Level: Medium
- Warning Signs: Unexpected charges, pressure to buy virtual items
- Talking Tips:
- “Let’s talk about how games make money”
- “Why do you think games offer free items vs. paid items?”
- “How can we make smart choices about spending in games?”
- “Some games ask you to buy things, but these cost real money. Let’s set some rules so you can still have fun while keeping your money safe.”
- 💡 Quote for Guidance: “Gaming platforms use persuasive design to keep people using their product. Children are particularly vulnerable to these features.” (www.internetmatters.org)
Social Media and Validation: Healthy Social Media Use
It’s easy for kids to feel discouraged if their posts don’t get “enough” likes. The need for social validation online can impact self-worth.
📌 Core Concept Building healthy relationships with social media and self-worth
- Real World Analogy: Imagine a child feeling left out on the playground; social media amplifies this feeling.
- Children’s Online World: Posting a picture that doesn’t get the response they wanted can feel discouraging or make them question their self-worth.
- Risk Level: Medium to High
- Warning Signs: Anxiety about posts, obsessive checking
- Talking Tips:
- “How do you feel when your posts get likes?”
- “What makes someone ‘popular’ online vs. real life?”
- “Let’s talk about social media breaks”
- “Likes and shares don’t define you. What matters is being kind and authentic.”
- 💡 Quote for Inspiration: “Parents are their children’s first teachers and understanding how to promote your child’s positive online interactions and build your child’s self-esteem can be done by modeling those behaviors.” (PennState Social Media and Self-Esteem)
Misinformation and Radicalization: Finding Reliable Information
Children are naturally curious but may not realize that not everything they read online is accurate. Teaching them to fact-check can prevent unnecessary worry.
📌 Core Concept Teaching critical thinking skills and fact-checking habits in the digital age.
- Real World Analogy: It’s like playground gossip that causes panic but isn’t based on facts.
- Children’s Online World: A rumor spreads that their favorite show is canceled, leading to worry or distress.
- Risk Level: Medium to High
- Warning Signs: Sharing unverified information, extreme viewpoints
- Talking Tips:
- “How do you know if something online is true?”
- “What makes a source trustworthy?”
- “Let’s practice fact-checking together”
- “Not everything online is true. Let’s find trusted places to get accurate information.”
- 💡 Quote for Awareness: “Clickbait, biased opinions, and false information are common online. Teach your child strategies to identify fact from fiction.” (commonsensemedia.org)
Location Sharing and Geo-Tagging: Protecting Their Privacy
Many apps allow kids to tag their locations, not realizing the risk this can pose.
📌 Core Concept Understanding the risks of location sharing and maintaining digital privacy.
- Real World Analogy: It’s similar to telling a stranger where they’ll be at a specific time.
- Children’s Online World: They might tag their exact location in a post, unknowingly revealing it to anyone who sees it.
- Risk Level: High
- Warning Signs: Default location sharing, public check-ins
- Talking Tips:
- “Why might sharing our location be risky?”
- “How can we share photos safely?”
- “Let’s review your apps’ location settings”
- “Keeping your location private keeps you safe. Let’s check your settings to protect this information.”
- Quote for Safety: “Remind children not to share their location online, whether through social media check-ins, geotagged photos, or location-sharing apps. This can help prevent unwanted attention and potential danger.” (wellspringprevention.org)
Modeling Good Digital Citizenship
Children learn from watching us, so practicing mindful screen time, respectful online interactions, and data privacy ourselves sets a positive example.
Conclusion
We may always think of them as our babies, but we’re actually building a legacy.
Having these conversations early on and keeping communication open helps your child navigate the online world safely. Regular discussions and guidance give them the tools to recognize and avoid potential dangers. Start a dialogue with your children today.
Bonus
Core Concepts List 📌
- Personal information online needs the same protection as physical safety.
- Teaching children to recognize and avoid online deception.
- Protecting children from unsuitable content while maintaining their trust and open communication.
- Empowering children to recognize, respond to, and report online bullying.
- Teaching children about digital spending and financial responsibility
- Building healthy relationships with social media and self-worth
- Teaching critical thinking skills and fact-checking habits in the digital age.
- Understanding the risks of location sharing and maintaining digital privacy.