How to Teach Internet Safety to Teens

The Internet isn't dangerous if you know what precautions to take. Unfortunately, not all teens know the ins and outs of Internet safety. It is up to parents and teachers to inform them of such possible dangers as predators, pornography, bullying and identity theft as well as online shopping risks. Once teens are aware of these safety issues, they will be able to take extra measures to use the Internet without serious consequence.

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil

1. • 1
     List information that is considered personal. This should include birth dates, Social Security numbers, addresses, telephone numbers and names of unique locations around you. For example, you can talk about going to McDonald's because there are thousands of them across the country, but you should not mention that you go to Jacksonville High School as that gives away your location.
   • 2
     Explain the difference between http and https. Instruct teens never to make a purchase from a website that does not have the https in the browser because the "s" on the end signifies that the site is secure from hackers.
   • 3
     Tell your teen to create a password for e-mails or favorite websites that is hard to decipher, and stress the importance of not sharing the password with anyone. Once a hacker knows your password, the hacker can access your personal information and use your account in a malicious way.
   • 4
     Discuss keeping pictures private. Photos can be e-mailed or posted on social media websites safely if the sites are set to a private/friends-only status. You also need to differentiate between photos that are appropriate to post and those that are not.
   • 5
     Explain that it is best to completely avoid strangers when using the Internet. Do not accept them as friends, and do not open any e-mails that are sent to you by someone you don't know. Many individuals on the Web are not who they say they are, and it is better to be safe than sorry.
   • 6
     Talk about cyber-bullying with your teen. Go back and forth with possible situations that may arise, and how to handle them with respect. Discuss how hurtful talking down to another teen is so that your teen concentrates on being a positive influence. Then discuss what to do if someone is trying to bully your teen. Your teen can block the bully from his or her social networking account, and if the bullying is more than minor, you can have a talk with the bully's parents.
   • 7
     List websites that are inappropriate to visit, and set parameters for your teen. Pornography can quickly become an addiction, and it is best to stay away from websites like that. Have your teen repeat these parameters back to you so you know they understand. You also may want to discuss consequences if these types of sites are viewed.