Each week we will release a NetSafe article that may be helpful to ensure your child is safe on the internet

5: START WITH THE BASICS

Most social media and gaming organisations have a safety centre. Look at the safety centres with your child and teach them how to use the tools available. Start with how to block people, how to report content and how to use privacy settings. Teach your child to capture screenshots or URLs in case something goes wrong and this information is needed.

One of the other things parents will think about at some stage is whether their child needs a device. If you’re considering getting your child their own device, check out the advice.

The Five tips to help your child thrive are some of the best online safety tools you can teach:

1. Keep it locked: Passwords and Pin codes help protect your child’s profiles and accounts. Set up pins and passwords with them, – and reinforce they shouldn’t share it with anyone except you. Get more information on how to choose a good password

2. Keep it private: Some information when shared publicly online can make your child more vulnerable to identity theft or grooming. It’s important to be cautious when sharing:
   a. Passwords
   b. Address
   c. Birthdate
   d. Bank account details
   e. School details
   f. Sharing their location on apps
   g. Personal information that can be used to guess security questions

3. Keep it helpful: A digital footprint is the trail of ‘electronic breadcrumbs’ you leave behind online and it needs to be managed carefully. It can last long after they think something has been deleted and may follow them into adulthood. Learn more about digital footprints

4. Keep it Real: It can seem like common knowledge to adults, but it is hard for children to understand that not everyone is who they say they are. It can be exciting when people want to friend, communicate or follow them. Talk to your child about invites or conversations with strangers, why this is not safe and how they should handle it

5. Keep it Friendly: Teach your child to be kind and respectful online, and to be careful talking to, or sharing information with, people they don’t know

CONTACT NETSAFE

If you need help or advice, about any online issue you can contact Netsafe.

Call tollfree on 0508 638 723 – Email help@netsafe.org.nz – Report at netsafe.org.nz/report