Internet Safety Advice for Parents

Internet Safety Advice for Parents

Advice from the Ministry of Education regarding how to keep safe online during the lockdown period.

Now is a great time for parents, caregivers and whānau to discuss internet safety with your children - of all ages. Agreeing with your children what they can do online including sites they can visit and appropriate behaviours including:

  • reviewing and approving games and apps before they are downloaded
  • reviewing privacy settings of sites and applications
  • checking children’s profiles and what they are posting online
  • check the sites your child is accessing
  • reminding children that anything that is posted online will be permanently on the internet
  • taking the time to understand what sites they are visiting and who they are talking with and check in regularly
  • some social media sites have age restrictions to join, check these before letting your child use them or join them
  • monitoring a child’s use of the internet and consider having them use it in an open, common area of the house
  • making sure your children know to report any activity they don’t feel comfortable to parents and caregivers straight away.

There is a unique opportunity during the lockdown of families going out together, albeit it close to home, but if your child is going out on their own it’s still important to check where they are going.

If we all work together to make sure children are safe online, we can make the internet a great tool for people of all ages.