As a community, we need each other. It is my goal now more than ever to bring you relevant information for life with kids in this unprecedented time. As we head back to school, many children will be learning in a totally virtual environment. Being aware of what your kids are doing online and also what you are sharing about them protects them from sexual predators, cyberbullying and the mental pitfalls of unhealthy internet use.
Here are some tips to keep your kids and your family safe online:
▶ Check your privacy settings on all social apps. Most apps default to “on” for location services. Turn this off by going to the settings on your phone for every app used. Visit shareably.net/iphone-settings-to-turn-off for a great video on how to fully control your privacy settings. Snapchat and TikTok especially are worth paying attention to.
• If you have teenagers on Snapchat (which I wouldn’t recommend for anyone), make sure they are set to Ghost Mode so their exact location is not visible on the friend map that is integrated in the app. Do a quick Google search of how to change the settings.
• TikTok has created a breeding ground for sexual predators. Again, I would highly suggest avoiding this app in general. But if you or your kids do have it, make sure to change the privacy settings. You can find how to do this by doing a quick Google search.
▶ Find safe apps for your kids to have on their device. The website ikeepsafe.org uses rigorous credentials to determine which apps are safe.
▶ Keep tech devices in common areas of the home. It’s not a good idea to send your kids off to their room with devices.
▶ Keep a list of your children’s passwords so you can check for unhealthy conversations or browsing history.
▶ Teach your children that anything shared on the internet is shared forever. I have even had to teach myself this lately and have been rethinking my entire relationship with social media as a parent.
▶ Look into getting a good antivirus security program to prevent hackers on your social devices. For some great tips and insight, visit kaspersky.com.
▶ Spend time on the Internet Crimes Against Children website (icactaskforce.org) to educate yourself on exactly what’s happening and how you can prevent it in your home.
▶ St. Louisan @christinefrisella shares some great tips for savvy moms to follow when sharing content that includes their kids:
• Never share the name or location of your child’s school, daycare, summer camp, etc.
• If you are taking your kids to a certain location, post after, not before you go or while you are at that location.
• Never share your home address to the public. You might also consider leaving last names off of social accounts so a simple search won’t pull up your address.
As always, you can read the full article on my blog at kyleandkate.com.
Katelyn Young is a local mom of three (her #crumblycrew) who shares real moments of motherhood as it relates to fashion, food and fun! Follow her on Instagram @_katelynyoung_ or follow her blog at thebejuledlife.com.
