Yahoo! is sharing Top 10 Internet Safety Tips for parents and teenagers:

1. Monitor websites visited:

Parents should review their children’s Internet browser histories and set controls to monitor the websites their children visit. They should encourage children to use positive and safe websites. Younger children should be supervised while they use the Internet.

2. Set agreements on Internet and mobile usage:

There should be a mutual agreement and ongoing communication as a family about how much time children can spend on the Internet and on mobile phones.

3. Using mobiles safely:

Children should be reminded not to provide personal information when they send emails, texts, photos or instant messages to people who are not trusted friends or family members. They should not disclose personal information that identifies their physical location. Children should be briefed to be careful about whom they should communicate with.

4. Choose a secure online identity and protect your login details:

When children are creating their identities online, they should leave out any personal information or photographs that may reveal too much information about themselves.

5. Create strong and secure passwords:

Having a variety of strong online passwords is the first line of defence against intruders and imposters. It should have at least 8 characters long including numbers, capital letters and symbols.

6. Be aware about creating a digital footprint:

Children should be reminded that their online life is public and everything they do on the Internet has the potential to create a trial of digital footprints that are permanent. Parents and children should do what they can to protect their privacy online.

7. Use social networks appropriately:

Parents should encourage children to stick with using age-appropriate social networking websites. They should educate them about the etiquette and nature of social networking and to always think before they post or share any information.

8. Avoid being a victim of cyber bullying:

Parents can educate their children on what cyber bullying is and how their children should avoid this. They should discuss known cyber bullying cases with their children and encourage them talk to you about their situation should they become a victim.

9. Be physically safe:

Teenagers have to be aware of the dangers of meeting strangers they have just befriended on the Internet. They should avoid meeting strangers in-person.

10. Be wary of phishing scams:

Children should be reminded to be careful before clicking on any links they are not familiar with. They may be involved in a ‘phishing’ scam where their information may be sent to a hacker. Children should be reminded that they should log on manually to their favourite websites by typing what the site’s URL into the browser window directly.

Please feel free to feature the Top 10 Internet Safety Tips for parents and teenagers on your blog anytime. Source: Yahoo! Safely Singapore

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