Community Corner
BBB Advises: Smart Tips for Raising Digital Citizens
The Internet is a wonderful place for learning and entertainment, but like the world around us, it can pose dangers.
Allowing free access puts your child, your computer and your personal data at risk. In recognition of Data Privacy Day on Wednesday, Jan. 28, Better Business Bureau along with the National Cyber Security Alliance offer the following tips:
- Remain positively engaged: Pay attention to and know the online environments your children use. Surf the Internet with them. Appreciate your children’s participation in their online communities and show interest in their friends. Try to react constructively when they encounter inappropriate material. Make it a teachable moment.
- Keep a clean machine: Safety and security start with protecting all family computers with a security suite (anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall) that is set to update automatically. Keep your operating system, Web browsers, and other software current as well and back up computer files on a regular basis.
- Know the protection features of the websites and software your children use: All major Internet service providers have tools to help you manage young children’s online experience and may have other security features, such as pop-up blockers.
- Review privacy settings: Look at privacy settings on social networking sites, cell phones, and other social tools your children use. Decide together which settings provide the appropriate amount of protection for each child.
- Teach critical thinking: Help your children identify safe, credible Web sites and other digital content, and be cautious about clicking on, downloading, posting, and uploading content.
- Explain the implications: Help your children understand the public nature of the Internet and its risks as well as benefits. Be sure they know that any digital info they share, such as emails, photos or videos, can easily be copied and pasted elsewhere, and is almost impossible to take back. Things that could damage their reputation, friendships or future prospects should not be shared electronically.
- Help youth be good digital citizens: Remind your children to be good “digital friends” by respecting personal information of friends and family and not sharing anything about others that is potentially embarrassing or that is hurtful.
Start With Trust®. For more tips and information about cyber security, visit staysafeonline.org and go to bbb.org.
