Internet and phone safety for kids

The internet and smart mobile devices, including phones and tablets, provide endless opportunities for learning, entertainment and social connection. They also come with risks, including exacerbating youth mental health issues, exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying and online predators. To keep kids safe in the digital world, parents, caregivers and educators should take proactive steps to educate, guide and establish rules and parameters for appropriate use. There are several essential strategies that can help to ensure children’s safety online and on their mobile devices.

Delay personal smartphone access for youth

The readiness of a child or teen to manage a mobile phone of their own should be carefully considered, and deciding to get them a mobile phone is a very personal decision. Here are some questions that families should ask themselves:

• Who is initiating the conversation about the child getting a cell phone?
• How often do you, as the parent or caregiver, feel that your child needs a mobile phone for their safety?
• How frequently would having access to a personal mobile phone help the child connect with family and friends who they cannot connect with in person?
• Is your child responsible? How often do they act in a responsible manner, such as completing schoolwork on their own and without parental oversight?
• Has the child demonstrated that they are capable of following and willing to follow house rules regarding media, including expectations around TV, video games and tablets?
• Has the child consistently demonstrated that they are capable of keeping track of their belongings?
• Has the child demonstrated good decision-making when not under the supervision of a caregiver?
• Is the youth able to effectively manage their impulses? For example, consider how they manage disappointment: Are they able to do so without overreacting? Are they able to control their in-class behavior?
• How often is the youth able to admit to making a mistake and work to make things better without caregiver prompting or intervention?

Studies have indicated that there is a strong correlation between smartphones, social media use and an increase in mental health issues and disordered thinking in children and teens. For this reason, among many others, many parents and professionals are advocating delaying personal access to smartphones and engagement with social media as long as possible, opting to give their children a basic phone to call and text only, the use of a family home phone line or no phone at all. There is a popular movement regarding this recommended delay called Wait Until 8th. Wait Until 8th champions the importance of childhood and the value of delaying smartphone access until at least 8th grade to allow children to experience a childhood free of social media and digital distractions.

• When Should You Get Your Kid a Phone?
• Social Media and Youth Mental Health
• What Is an Appropriate Age to Introduce a Mobile Device?
• Statistics and Information Related to the Impact of Technology on Children’s Health

Create house rules focused on mobile phone use

If a youth is ready to take on the responsibility of having a mobile phone, it’s important that families have a personal technology plan in place that they are comfortable with and that works to help them and their child stay connected in a safe and healthy way. Such a plan could include daily limits on screen time and device-free zones. For example, you may ban smartphone use:

• in bedrooms
• at the dining table during meals
• in areas where they or a sibling is doing homework
• whenever company is visiting
• before breakfast
• after a certain hour in the evening

Parameters help to reinforce the importance of being present and engaged offline.

• Creating a Family Media Plan
• Mobile Phone Tools and Reminders for Parents
• Wait Until 8th: A Family Phone Plan

Talk openly and honestly about online threats to youth safety

Establishing clear rules for safe and appropriate internet and phone use is critical to help kids develop responsible digital habits. These rules may include limits on specific apps, limiting access to appropriate websites and guidelines for sharing personal information. Children and teens must be made aware of the dangers associated with talking to strangers online, sharing personal details and clicking on suspicious links in order to best protect themselves online.

Parents and educators should explain the risks of cyberbullying, scams and online predators, reinforcing the importance of thinking critically before engaging with content or individuals online. Setting clear boundaries and explaining the reasoning behind those boundaries help children make safer choices when using technology, and open communication helps build trust, increasing the likelihood that your children will ask questions and seek help and guidance when they face issues online.

It’s also important to talk with teens about the dangers of soliciting and sending explicit text messages and images, with an emphasis on the risks of sexting and sextortion. Sexting refers to the act of sending, receiving and sharing sexually explicit content, messages, images and/or videos using digital devices. Social media may play a role in youth sexting, as can mobile apps and text messages. Sextortion is a form of blackmail that relies on the sharing of explicit content. Those carrying out sextortion typically threaten to share explicit content that includes the victim unless the victim meets their demands. Demands could include the victim sending more explicit content, sending money or participating in inappropriate activities.

There are many ways to help protect youth from online threats. It’s important to use privacy settings to keep social media accounts private and restrict who can send messages to them. Teach children to stop and think before sharing any content online. Limit online connections to people who are known to them in real life. Children and teens should report anyone who pressures or threatens them to a trusted caregiver. That could be a parent, a teacher or another trusted adult. Blocking functions should also be used when a youth is being pressured, threatened or bullied. In some cases, contacting law enforcement may be necessary.

• Everything You Need to Know About Teaching Digital Citizenship

Stay involved with your kids’ online activities

One of the most effective ways to ensure that a child in your care is practicing appropriate internet and phone safety is by staying actively involved in the child’s digital life. Parents and caregivers should have regular conversations with kids about their favorite apps, websites and online friends. Encouraging open discussions about the digital world fosters a supportive environment where kids feel comfortable sharing their experiences and concerns.

You should also regularly monitor the child’s online activity to make sure that they are following safety guidelines and avoiding potential threats. Parents and caregivers can check browsing histories, review social media accounts and discuss recent online activities with them. Parents and their children should also friend and follow each other on social media, which allows adults to stay connected with their child’s online world. Establishing an open access policy by sharing login information with parents, while maintaining mutual respect, can also help create a safer digital environment.

• Parenting Children in an Age of Screens

Apply parental controls on devices

Parental controls are valuable tools that allow parents and caregivers to manage a child’s digital experiences by blocking inappropriate content, enforcing screen time limits, and restricting access to certain websites or apps. Many phones, search engines and social media platforms offer built-in parental controls that can be customized to fit a child’s age and maturity level. Parental control software can also provide alerts on suspicious activities, giving adults the ability to take action when necessary. These tools, along with ongoing discussions about online safety, help to create a balanced and secure digital experience for youth and encourage them to develop safe and healthy online habits.

• How to Use Parental Controls on a Smartphone
• TikTok’s Guardians Guide
• Snapchat Tools for Parents
• Meta Family Center

Keeping young people safe on the internet and as they use mobile devices calls for a proactive and ongoing approach. By staying involved, setting clear rules and expectations, monitoring activity and implementing parental controls, parents, caregivers and educators can help youth navigate the digital world safely.