Top tips for online safety - Continued

By Wilmie van Tonder (Social Worker and Family Therapist)

Here are a few more tips, following on from last months post, that we can teach our children in order to create an awareness of how to be safe when using the internet (via cellphone or computer):

1. Rules rule

As a parent you should have a set of rules for online safety at home. It should be non negotiable and your children must understand that they have a responsibility to also follow these rules at school, at the library or at a friend or relative’s home. Rules keep us safe from harm.

2. Passwords protect

Relay the message that passwords protect us. It should not be given out to anyone but parents – not even friends.

3. Think before you post

The most important change in the digital era is that every person has become a potential publisher. The problem with this is that any person of any age from any background can post whatever he/she likes, without taking any responsibility for it. This may well result in problems such as cyber bullying, sexting, embarrassing posts and identity theft.

Teach your child to take full responsibility for his/her words posted on the internet, by thinking of the implication it might have before posting it. Children have the ability to think before they speak (most of the time) and this should not be any different.

4. A picture is worth a thousand words

Remember, it is a criminal offense in South Africa to take part in exploiting people via social media – even if it is ‘just’ a video in which two girls from your child’s school kiss. Your child should clearly understand that by posing for or distributing these pictures or videos on behalf of others can get them caught up in the system.

5. Stop, Block, Tell

STOP – In the event where your child is being harassed, cyber bullied or has landed up in a situation where he/she does not feel comfortable, he/she should STOP. Instead of becoming a cyber bully in turn by sending out inflaming messages to another person when he/she is angry or hurt or taking part in activities that makes him/her feel uncomfortable, STOP and do not continue.

BLOCK – BLOCK the person. Most social media allows the blocking of troublemakers. Blocking can also mean LEAVING a specific conversation, chat room or site and not returning under the same alias.

TELL – Your child should be able to trust you with the above information. Encourage them to come to you before reacting in any way. You must then assist them in handling the situation in an appropriate fashion, not avoiding it.

*I Hereby give recognition to Mrs. Carmia Crause for her contribution to this article.