Five ways to protect your child over the holidays, according to an expert

As we enter the holiday season, children may be exploring the online world more. It is worth remembering that while kids can gain some great benefits from the online world, it can also expose them to potential harm. This doesn’t mean devices are evil, but it does mean you need to stick to some key mantras with your children, according to Child Wise Managing Director Natalie Siegel-Brown.

Ms Siegel-Brown says young people are susceptible to a range of threats online, from identity theft and cyberbullying to being lured into sharing nude photographs, sexual exploitation and blackmail. She says awareness of the risks is crucial for parents and caregivers in keeping young people safe.

But parents and teachers don’t need to be digitally savvy to effectively protect children online according to Ms Siegel-Brown. While you may already know some of the basic tools like monitoring screen time, using parental control and website blocker software, discussing the risks with your children could be one of the most effective ways to prevent problems. Here are Ms Siegel-Brown’s top tips to keep your kids safe.

Let your child know they can tell you anything and you won’t judge them

Ms Siegel-Brown’s top tip is to create an environment that encourages disclosure. She says the biggest barrier to disclosure is fear of shame and judgment. “They need to know you will support them and that you won’t blame them,” she says. “Don’t force them to disclose, let them know they have all the time they need.” She says it’s important kids know you’ll believe them and help them if they come to you with information. “It’s the comfort zone to say to you ‘hey, this just happened, does this sound right to you?’ or ‘this person is creepy.’” By doing this, it gives parents a chance to intervene and stop something before it goes seriously wrong. “We need to build their confidence in disclosing without fear or shame and to know what to do when this happens. Just showing interest in their lives will go a long way.”

Check staff and volunteers are verified

Ms Siegel-Brown’s next tip is to ensure organisations are adequately verifying those responsible for caring for your kids. “If you’re looking to reduce screen time and send your child to camps and other fun activities over the holiday period, ensure that you are confident in the safeguards the organisation has in place,” she says. “There are platforms such as Oho that monitor and verify the people employed to care for your children. It’s a simple question to ask but a very simple step for organisations to miss. Are all your staff verified to work with children? And is my child safe attending here?”

Teach your kids about privacy

Having a conversation about what privacy means online is another simple step parents can take to protect kids online. “A lot of kids put content on social media, opening their deepest, most confidential world to people in what they think is a one-to-one chat. But sadly, they are posting very private material in what is actually a public forum,” Ms Siegel-Brown says. “Even if you know the person you are speaking to, screens and photos are reshared all the time. Neither children nor adults should post personal details such as their name, address, phone number or send pictures to people they don’t know.” She says parents should be prepared to explain the risks of sharing private details across social media, via text messages and public forums. “Encourage your children to use strong passwords, avoid clicking suspicious links by Googling them first to see if it’s a scam and remind them that private accounts or messages can still be shared through screenshots.”

Know the apps your kids use and check privacy settings

Knowing the apps your kids are using and their privacy settings is another useful step in protecting your children according to Ms Siegel-Brown.

“Download the app for yourself and have a play around with it before they download it themselves, so you can determine what needs to be switched on so that default settings are minimised, and the privacy settings are maximised,” she says.

“Help your child make sure that they cannot receive public solicitation. It is important to explain to them why you are doing this on their device – even if it’s uncomfortable to have the conversation about the dark side of the world. Not an easy ask, I know.”

Ms Siegel-Brown says many people agree to terms and conditions to sign up to social media platforms without reading the fine print and really knowing what information they are sharing. “Take the time to really read these. A study by Reset Australia lays the truth of this issue to bare. Also check out whether the app really has the ability for users to delete what they post (even if they can’t delete what they send).”

Teach kids about healthy relationships

Ms Siegel-Brown’s final tip is to teach kids about the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships. “That will mean they will be more alert to warning signs in both their friendships and romantic relationships online,” she says. “Creating healthy relationships at home is vital to this. Here’s a really cool resource for teens to check out.”

She recommends parents of very young kids teach their children that “private parts are for nobody else” even before they enter the world of social media. “Tell them that if someone tries to touch them, or does in fact do so, you will always believe them and help them. The same applies if anyone tries to force them to touch someone else.”

Ms Siegel-Brown says she doesn’t like the term ‘protective behaviours’ as she doesn’t want kids to feel inadvertently responsible for not protecting themselves in the event something does happen. “Let’s flip all these conversations – and make it about their own rights. Using that language will empower them – and build your relationship of trust with them even more.”