How to Make Online Learning Safe for Kids

The internet is a great tool that we can’t seem to get enough of. Thanks to it, your child can easily access maths online lessons or find answers to any question they have. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? However, beneath the internet’s bubbly surface, something sinister lurks, waiting to prey on unsuspecting users. 

As an adult, you’re probably acquainted with some of the internet’s numerous threats, such as hackers, traffickers, and sexual predators. Unfortunately, kids often aren’t aware of the dangers they face each time they watch an online course or play a math game. That’s why it’s up to us to keep them safe and teach them how to avoid internet threats. 

So, here’s the big question: how can you make online learning safe for your kids and shield them from the internet’s harsh realities? Let’s find out. 

Tips for Making Online Learning Safe

Ready to keep your child safe from internet threats? Here are a few tips to guide you:

Keep personal information off social media

We get it: it’s hard to stay away from the euphoria of social media. Social media can be fun for kids, especially since they often use these platforms to show their friends what they’ve been up to. However, amidst the excitement, it’s important that children know what to post and what to keep off social media. 

Personal information such as their address, passwords, and the school they attend should be kept off public platforms. Predators and hackers are always watching and waiting. In most cases, they tend to use personal information to track their prey down or hack into accounts, none of which are positive scenarios. A great way to ensure that your child follows this rule is by educating them on the concept of personal information and teaching them where to draw the line. 

Install parental controls

While dogs may be humans’ best friends, parental controls are every parent’s companion. Although we like to believe we can see everything, the truth is that we don’t have eyes at the back of our heads. There’s no way of knowing what your kids are truly up to when you’re not home and they’ve got a device in their hands. 

Well, this is where parental controls come in. Thanks to these settings, you can regulate the sites and apps your child can access, preventing them from stumbling onto inappropriate content. For instance, you can create content filters to prevent sexual content and ads from popping up. More importantly, you can also access your child’s search history and set a screen time limit to prevent them from getting too attached to their devices. 

Lay video conferencing rules in place

In some cases, your child may be required to log onto a school video conferencing call. Although this tool is great for kids to interact with their teachers and fellow students, it’s still important to be cautious. You can’t vouch for what happens when they hop on a non-school related video conference call. Thus, you need to lay down ground rules. 

All video calls should be done in shared spaces or with an adult nearby. This will help you ensure that your child remains safe regardless of the person at the other end of the call. 

Watch out for phishing emails

Phishing emails are a pretty common scam in today’s world. The worst part? They’re often so artfully disguised that it might be hard to tell apart a fake email from a real one. 

thus, teach your child not to click on any links within an email unless they’re sure it’s from their teachers or yourself. More importantly, cross-check the sender’s email address for any disparities or red flags. 

Sign kids up for an online safety course

As a tutor or parent, you want the best for your kids. However, you can’t hover around them 24/7. In some cases, they’ll also need to play their part. Thus, the best way to keep your child safe online is by educating them on internet safety. Although you probably have several tips up your sleeves, you might want to sign them up for an intensive safety course. 

Luckily, there are tons of free courses out there that you can try out. At the end of the day, your child will know what threats to watch out for and how to avoid them. 

Talk to them about cyberbullying 

Cyberbullying is probably one of the greatest threats that the internet poses to kids and teenagers. Up to 37% of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 have been bullied online at least once. Some have had it happen to them multiple times. In more serious cases, some children have committed suicide as a result of cyberbullying. 

To help your child stay safe, talk to them about cyberbullying. Let them know that they can talk to you or relevant authorities if they ever get cyberbullied. More importantly, teach them to be kind to people on the internet. We may never be able to completely eradicate internet trolls but change starts with one kid at a time. 

Final Thoughts 

The internet has brought a lot of goodies our way, from free math lessons to entertaining videos. However, amidst the euphoria of this world wide hub, it’s important to keep your kids safe from its dark side. Install parental controls on your kids’ devices and teach them not to give out personal information. Most importantly, educate them about cyberbullying. They’d certainly thank you for it!