Online Safety
Navigating the Digital World: A Guide to Online Safety
Online Safety Statistics
Here are some statistics to keep in mind regarding child/teen interactions online according to Forbes:
- More than 50% of tweens (kids ages 10 to 12) have been exposed to inappropriate online content.
- 27% of kids admitted to doing or saying something cruel to someone else online.
- Approximately 37% of kids ages 12 through 17 have been the target of cyberbullying.
- 60% of kids have witnessed cyberbullying (and most ignore it).
Social Media Terms of Service
Most social media sites have terms of service that require users to be a minimum of 13 years old. 13 years old is the age set by Congress in the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Common Sense Media has reviews of applications, including popular social media apps, that lists the minimum age requirement, as well as what the app is primarily used for.
Teen Social Media Usage Statistics
According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, social media plays a big role in teen culture today. Surveys show that 90% of teens ages 13-17 have used social media. 75% report having at least one active social media profile, and 51% report visiting a social media site at least daily. Two thirds of teens have their own mobile devices with internet capabilities. On average, teens are online almost nine hours a day, not including time for homework.
Helping Your Child Navigate Online Interactions and Social Media
- Friending or following your child's social media accounts. This can include an agreement about whether you will or won't post or respond to their posts
- Develop "No Screen" Times such as :
- "no screens at the dinner table," "no screens in bedrooms" after a certain time of day, or "no social media use until homework is done"
- Ensure that privacy settings are turned on to limit access to personal information
- Discuss the important of not sharing any Personally Identifiable Information on social media. This can include:
- Full Name
- Address
- Social Security Number
- Banking/Credit Card Information
- Passwords
- Make sure that location enabled services is turned "off"
- Make sure that your child understands the importance of not meeting up in person with anyone they meet online - not everyone is what they seem to be.
- Exploring apps which limit internet access to age appropriate sites.
