Strategies for Securing Children's Online Safety During Distance Learning
Navigating Cyberspace with Confidence: A Parent's Guide to Protecting Kids in the Digital Age
As our kids dive deeper into the digital world due to remote learning and social distancing, cyber safety has never been more crucial. Here's what you need to know to safeguard your young ones from potential online dangers.
Since the onset of the pandemic, the eSafety Commissioner has witnessed a staggering 40% surge in reports of cyber bullying, harmful content, and image-based abuse[1]. In June alone, cyberbullying complaints soared an astonishing 150% compared to the same period last year[1].
Education and training manager at the Commissioner, Kellie Britnell, explains, "With children possessing unsupervised online access while parents are occupied with work, we can anticipate observing more of these behaviors." Furthermore, she adds, "Criminal activity online has increased, as offenders have more spare time and live-streaming capabilities."
Keeping Your Kids Safe During Distance Learning: Kellie's Top Tips
1. Lock Down Privacy Settings
Adjust privacy settings on apps, games, social media, and video-conferencing tools to their highest level. Also, check the safety and security settings on new downloads[2].
2. Consider Cameras Carefully
Remind kids about the importance of considering who can see them during video-conferencing sessions. Recommend using blur backgrounds, changing backgrounds, or turning off video entirely if unnecessary[2].
3. Go Audio-only when Possible
Gauge whether video functionality is essential for learning, or if audio-only communication serves the purpose as effectively. Most video-conferencing platforms offer audio and chat options[2].
4. Understand Your Video-conferencing Tools
Teachers should familiarize themselves with a video-conferencing tool's settings. They can lock meetings, disable unwanted functions, and remove students from meetings after they've ended[2].
5. Communicate with School
Promptly report any unusual or inappropriate communications that originate from school. Assume that schools are learning to deal with online safety alongside you[2].
6. Define Online Boundaries
Make your expectations for online behavior clear to your kids. This might involve teaching them to remove themselves from abusive or hurtful conversations, calling out bad behavior, or comforting targeted individuals[2].
7. Leverage Parental Controls
Employ parental control tools to block access to harmful websites, manage device usage, and set time limits. However, remember that no tool is foolproof, so use multiple methods for online safety[2].
8. Join Your Kids in Their Digital World
Co-view and co-play with your kids to gain insight into their online activities. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about popular apps, games, and social media sites, and ensure they are age-appropriate[3].
9. Empower Kids to Make Informed Decisions
If your child is eager to try a new app or tool, encourage them to research it and present their findings. This instills responsibility and allows you to make informed decisions together[3].
10. Watch for Warning Signs of Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying victims may not disclose their experiences because they fear escalating the situation or losing device privileges. Signs to look for include an upset demeanor after using devices, secretive internet behavior, withdrawal, anxiety, anger, or a decline in schoolwork or physical health[3].
11. Seek Assistance
The eSafety Commissioner stands ready to help. If targeted, children should know they have resources available to stop cyberbullying, report harmful and illegal content, and seek assistance with image-based abuse[3].
Online Safety Resources
The eSafety Commissioner offers a wealth of free resources for students, parents, and educators, including guidance on staying safe online during the pandemic, specific advice for parents, educators, children, and young people, and teacher professional learning webinars focused on online risks and protective factors[4].
Enrichment Data:- Charting a Collaborative Course: The responsibility of ensuring children's online safety during remote learning is a shared effort among parents, educators, and technology providers.- Empowerment through Education: Parents and educators can empower kids by teaching digital literacy, promoting safe browsing practices, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding personal information, and fostering a culture of safety.- Open Communication: Regularly discussing online experiences and concerns with children can help them develop healthy digital habits and address potential issues.
In summary, the digital world presents both opportunities and risks for children during remote learning. By collaborating, educating, and being vigilant, parents and educators can create a safer online environment for the younger generation.
- While children are delving deeper into the digital world for learning and recreation, it's essential to focus on 'education-and-self-development' about online safety to combat potential dangers.
- The rise in cyberbullying and harmful content during the pandemic shows the urgency for parents to be well-informed on 'cybersecurity' measures to protect their kids.
- The importance of 'personal-growth' and 'career-development' extends beyond physical classrooms and into the virtual realm; it's crucial for professionals to understand safety aspects of 'technology' to guard their interests and those of their families.
- Just as home-and-garden maintenance is vital for a safe home environment, setting up parental controls, using safe apps, and monitoring online activities help create a secure 'lifestyle' for children in the digital world.
- To ensure ongoing growth and safety in the digital age, continuous 'learning' and 'skills-training' in online safety and digital literacy are necessary, not only for kids but also for parents and educators.
