Social media is a great place for kids to interact with friends and even make some new friends as well. That being said, it’s also dangerous since it has lots of maleficent people lurking there, ready to steal private information and even gain access to the parent’s accounts for identity theft. That’s why social media safety is extremely important, and we encourage you to focus on it as much as possible. Here are some great social media safety tips for kids and parents.
Teach your kids about the dangers of social media
Let them know that posting anything online can be very dangerous. Share how data can be stolen and used for maleficent purposes. Your child will most likely understand the situation and find a way to avoid any dangerous situations. It all comes down to honest communication. Once you tell your child what’s wrong, he will most likely listen to you. Presence on social media has several positive effects on your teen, so you must not deny their access to the social media sites.
Adjust your child’s privacy settings on social media
Normally you want to keep your child’s profile private. This way he can still use that account but strangers will not be able to add him. It’s a great idea to consider and it definitely brings in front some amazing results and benefits in that situation.
Don’t share any address info and personal details
This is a good tip for both parents and kids alike. Keep your data private and avoid sharing it as much as you can. Make sure that every piece of private info is actually private. The last thing you want is this type of data to fall into the wrong hands. That’s the reason why you have to focus on keeping images and personal info private. There are numerous social engineering attacks, such as phishing, in which a user’s personal information is exploited against them in order to steal vital information. Hence, it’s necessary that both the parents and kids are aware of all of these social media attacks. You could learn more regarding these by searching online for “what is social engineering” or other related keywords.
Use a strong password
One of the main social media safety tips is to always use a strong password. Hackers will always try to impersonate people, be it kids or adults, and they do that via stealing accounts. But if you have a very strong password and you change it often, that will make it a lot easier for hackers to gain access to your own account.
Ignore friend requests from strangers
If you do decide to accept them, connect with those persons before you let them talk with your child. It makes a lot of sense to protect your child this way, even if it seems too much at first. At the end of the day, your child’s wellbeing and protection are imperative, and you have to take them into account at all costs.
Every piece of social media safety advice can do wonders here. Remember that your child’s safety and even your reputation can be at stake on social media. Don’t treat it as a joke, because it shouldn’t be one. It’s something serious and you need to do everything in your power to get the best results. It can definitely be tricky to reach the results you expect, but if you stick to these tips you will do just fine!