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How to support teenagers to stay safe on the internet:
I am often asked what parents can do to support their teenagers in order to stay safe on the internet. First of all: the internet is a great place! Students can be creative and communicative. Here are some ideas how you could support them to use the internet in a responsible way:
Stay involved
Keep talking and stay interested in what they’re doing. Don’t be afraid to bring up challenging issues even if some topics are embarrassing. You’ll both benefit from the subjects being out in the open.
Keeping information private
Make sure your child has up to date privacy settings on social networking sites.
Stay safe with 4G and WiFI
Filters to block inappropriate content might not be active when students use the internet “on the go”. Check Wifi settings with your child regularly and explain the dangers of “open access”
Think before you click!
Have clear rules about being responsible when children are online. Children often feel they can say things online that they wouldn’t say face-to-face. Teach them to always have respect for themselves and others online.
Talk about online reputation
The internet never forgets: make sure your child understands that anything they upload (email, messages, picture) will stay on the internet for a very long time. I like to use the phrase: “leave a positive digital footprint” and discuss if they would like their teacher, university or even future employer to see what they post: if not, don`t post it!
Last, but not least: Trust
It is very important to trust your teenager and not constantly monitor their online life. Agree on a small sum that they can spend online for games, apps, music etc. to develop personal responsibility.
If you have any doubts or questions, please feel free to contact school and ask for advice;
Other helpful sites here in Luxembourg:
https://stopline.bee-secure.lu/fr
Source: https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/14plus/
BeeSecure at St George's
Last Thursday Mr Pinchen from Bee Secure talked to students about their newest campaign: Disinformation on the Internet. During the two lessons students not only learned about how to identify fake news but also how to make sure that the information you get is correct.
We discussed what forms of disinformation you can find on the internet: financially and politically intentions. Chris gave the students a lot of interesting (and entertaining) examples.
You can find a lot more information on the following webpage:
https://www.bee-secure.lu/, photos from this talk can be found here: https://www.st-georges.lu/cf_media/index.cfm?g=827
