Parents’ Guide: Summer digital security tips for kids

School’s out and kids are relishing in the summer vacation, at camp, having sleepovers, visiting relatives or traveling with family.

What can all of this mean in terms of cybersecurity? With schoolbooks closed, kids have even more screen time and activities that create additional chances for them to get caught in dangerous situations, in the digital and physical world alike.

Therefore, there’s no better time than now to educate your child and the importance of internet safety and highlight the consequences of risky online behaviors and habits.

Here are our top summer digital safety practices that will help keep young children and teenagers safe:

• Remind kids to be cautious of the things they post or share online. Sharing private information such as real name, phone number and address can give strangers access to your child outside the digital world. It’s crucial for parents and guardians to always ensure kids understand that any personal information should be kept private.
• Underline the importance of not connecting with strangers online. Fake online profiles riddle the internet, and many malicious individuals make use of them to engage in conversations with kids. Check privacy settings on platforms your kids use to ensure that their profiles are not made public. While we’re on the subject of online accounts, kids need to understand that social media is not suitable for kids under the age of 13, and they should not feel peer pressure to create one and share personal videos, their interests and photos.
• Urge your child to stay out of online chat rooms and never engage in conversations with strangers they meet online. The internet is a dangerous place for kids, and there is no way they can verify the identity of the individual contacting them. If your child is ever contacted by strangers who request their age, name, phone number, and other personal information, tell them to report the incident to you or another family member. They should immediately block the person so you can assess the incident to make any reports necessary.
• Remind kids of the importance of being kind and not responding to rude comments or online harassment. They should always think twice before they post anything on the internet so as to not hurt others. Being respectful online and standing up for someone who is cyberbullied are the first steps to becoming a smart and mindful cybercitizen.
• Tell your kids to never use the check-in feature on social media and never share their location.

As an extra precaution, parents and guardians should monitor the platforms their kids use and create a strict set of rules about how they can use smart devices while on summer vacation. Have your kids use their smart devices in a family area where you can closely monitor their activity and ensure that your child does not take smart devices in their room at bedtime.

Last but not least, let your children know that they can always turn to you for guidance and support, no matter what.

Parents also need a break once in a while. Let us take care of you and your family devices this summer and beyond so you can have peace of mind while your child engages in digital activities.

Bitdefender solutions provide parental control tools that give you peace of mind by allowing you to limit screen time, and easily block websites or apps entirely to keep your young ones safe and focused on other activities within your household.

Parental Advisor automatically chooses the best privacy features based on your child's age. These can be fine-tuned for you and your child’s needs.

The parental control feature can be found in most of our standalone security solutions or all-in-one security products.