How to Safeguard Your Child’s Online Identity
May 19, 2022

Teach your child about online privacy
Children are constantly exploring the internet and learning about new things. Therefore, it is essential to teach them about online privacy to make informed decisions about what information they share online. Here are some tips to help you do just that:

  • Talk about online privacy with your child. Explain what information is private and how to protect it.
  • Be aware of the websites your child visits. Watch for signs that they are sharing personal information.

Create strong passwords
Passwords are the key to our digital lives. They protect our email, bank accounts, and social media profiles. The problem is that many of us are still using weak passwords. A strong password is long, contains a mix of letters, numbers and symbols, and is unique to each site.

Here are a few tips for creating strong passwords:
1. Don’t use easily guessed words like “password” or “123456”.
2. Use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols.
3. Make sure your password is at least eight characters long.
4. Create a unique password for each site you visit.
5. Never share your passwords with anyone else.

Monitor your child’s online activity
With technology becoming more and more accessible, it’s essential to be proactive in monitoring your child’s online activity. According to a study by McAfee, one in five children has had an online identity created for them without their parents’ knowledge. Unfortunately, this means a high risk of your child being exposed to inappropriate content or cyberbullying without you even knowing it.

You can do a few things to help protect your child’s online identity and keep them safe while surfing the web. First, make sure you have parental controls enabled on all of your devices. These controls can help filter out inappropriate content and restrict which websites your child can access.

Second, talk to your kids about staying safe online. Explain the dangers of sharing personal information with strangers, and teach them how to identify scams and phishing attempts.

Be aware of scams
Parents need to be aware of the many scams targeting children. One fraud becoming more and more common is called “sextortion.” In this scam, a child is contacted online by someone they don’t know who tricks them into sending sexual images or videos of themselves. The scammers then threaten to release the photos or videos to the child’s friends and family unless they pay money or provide more sexually explicit content.

Another scam that parents should be aware of is called “catfishing.” This scam occurs when someone creates a fake online profile to trick someone into thinking they are talking to someone else. The scammers will often pose as a child and lure other children into sending inappropriate images or videos.

Unfortunately, there are many other scams targeting children online as well.

In conclusion, it is essential to take the necessary precautions to safeguard your child’s online identity. By following the tips provided in this article, you can help protect your child from cyberbullying, predators, and other online dangers. Also, talk to your child about safe online practices and stay vigilant about their online activities. Together, we can help keep our children safe and secure online.