Help for parents of teenagers Online safety Help for parents of teenagers

It’s normal for your teenager to have an online life… Remember that most teenagers want to talk with friends or game online Their preferred methods for this are usually their phone and their games console (Xbox or Playstation) The social media apps and games that teenagers use fall in and out of favour all the time- it’s a good idea to try to keep up with what they are doing Try to keep up with what they are doing- and keep an open dialogue, Use some of the same services as your child- such as Instagram or Facebook, and make friends with them there. Deploy the parental controls on your TV, games console or internet provider

Make house rules around internet time The family rules around the internet need to suit your parenting and family style Here are some ideas for rules around internet use REMEMBER- THEY ARE JUST SUGGESTIONS! No phones at the dinner table or in bedrooms Limited access to home wifi- control the timed access of your child’s device No access to home wifi- if a phone data package runs out, then wait until next month for more. Homework should be done on a computer in a room where the screen faces into the room There should be 5 mins off screen for every 45 mins on- and off screen for an hour before bed

Online bullying Remind your child that they should have secure passwords for every device- change letters with numbers which look similar to make them more secure and don’t share with anyone- “ALPHABET” could become “&lPhA83t” If you are bullied online, screenshot evidence and close accounts down- real friends won’t mind following you to a new account Try to make social networks safer for your child by being friends with them yourself or having trusted young adults such as cousins to keep you in the loop if they feel something is wrong Don’t give personal details such as phone numbers, pictures, account details or addresses away. Don’t use your full name in online identities

Remember the following: If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, don’t say it online If you wouldn’t want your gran, dad or headteacher to see it- don’t post it- because it could easily get back to them Remember that when things are written down they can look worse than if you spoke them aloud As soon as you post something, it’s no longer under your control Employers routinely check the “digital footprint” of their staff or potential employees, so how you present yourself online is important- and public

Photo sharing As soon as a photo is shared online, you have no control over where it ends up You can remove your name from photos if you’ve been “tagged” in them and you don’t want to be There’s really excellent advice for teenagers and parents about the law around sharing photos here: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk The golden rule is that your image is precious- if you put any picture of you online, it could end up anywhere  Remember- possession of indecent images is illegal- even if the picture is of you.