Internet Safety Resources for Kids, Teens, & ParentsInternet safety considerations for kids and teens. Resources and for parents to help children safely navigate the modern world.

A parent and child look at a computer while using the keyboard to surf the web.

Internet Safety for Kids and Teens: Resources and Tools for Parents

  1. General Internet Safety Tips
  • Considerations for Social Media
  • Most Common Internet Safety Concerns for Children and Teens
  • Advice for Internet Usage by Age-Group
  • Resources for Parents

    1. In a world where everything from entertainment to education largely takes place online, it can be difficult for parents and guardians to determine how they can keep their kids safe online without depriving them of a valuable resource. There unfortunately is no clear-cut answer for how to achieve this.

      What will work best for you depends on many variables, such as the age of your children, their internet usage needs, and evolving online risks. As such, the best option is typically to review a wide range of security resources and best practices for internet usage. Then, you can determine which of these are the most useful in your unique situation.

      General Internet Safety Tips

      Some basic steps you can take to protect kids and teenagers online include:

    • Being wary of sharing personal information;
    • Using passwords or even multi-factor authentication to protect device and account access;
    • Using separate accounts for young users;
    • Updating your internet connection to maximize speed and security;
    • Taking advantage of the most high-performance connection available in your area;
    • Securing your internet connection, routers, and home networks;
    • Maintaining an open dialogue with your children;
    • Teaching your children about safety risks online;
    • Utilizing parental controls with intuitive management options.

    Options for Parental Controls on Popular Devices and Services

    A few available parental control options include:


    However, beyond specific control options, it is also important to generally be aware of the online platforms that your child is using, especially as it concerns social media.

    Considerations for Social Media

    It is virtually impossible to anticipate and control every aspect of your child’s online experience, and therefore it can be helpful to focus on a few key points. Consider the following to make your childrens’ experience on social media safer:

    • How much personal information are they sharing?
    • What privacy settings are available?
    • Are they making check-ins online?
    • Do they know the people they are connecting with online?
    • Do the networks they use have good reputations for safety and security?
    • Do your children know how to identify suspicious behavior?
    • What options are available to reasonably monitor their activity, e.g. parental controls and friending?

    While there is a near-endless array of social media platforms online, there are a few that are particularly common in the United States. By being aware of these platforms and how they operate, you can better understand and manage your child’s online social experience. Popular social media platforms include:

    • Facebook;
    • Instagram;
    • Twitter;
    • Snapchat;
    • TikTok;
    • WhatsApp;
    • Kik;
    • Pinterest;
    • Tumblr;
    • Viber;
    • Telegram;
    • DeviantArt;
    • YouTube;
    • Reddit.

    In addition to having a general awareness of the platforms your child is using and how they are using them, it is also helpful to understand what dangers they may encounter online.

    Most Common Internet Safety Concerns for Children and Teens

    Major concerns for the online safety of children and teens include:

    • Cyberbullying;
    • Theft of information;
    • Online predators;
    • Invasion of privacy;
    • Exposure to age-inappropriate material.

    While it is helpful to have these general dangers in mind, it is also important to make more specific, age-appropriate considerations.

    Advice for Internet Usage by Age-Group

    Appropriate internet safety measures depend heavily on the age of the child.

    2- to 7-Year-Olds

    At the ages of 2 to 7, children may have difficulty differentiating between the information and images they are seeing on a screen and in reality. This could cause anxiety for some children, especially in cases where the media they are consuming is inappropriate to their age group.

    Additionally, children at this age are very vulnerable to online scams that want users to give them personal information or follow links to an unsecured website. With these concerns in mind, some age-appropriate online safety measures for children between the ages of 2 and 7 include:

    • Choosing age-appropriate media and materials;
    • Utilizing parental controls;
    • Creating separate accounts for your children on devices;
    • Being present when your child is using the internet;
    • Using kid-friendly search engines or a walled garden;
    • Restricting access to instant messaging options;
    • Not using their full name or other identifying information for their online profiles;
    • Limiting how much time they spend online;
    • Teaching your children basic rules for protecting themselves online.

    8- to 10-Year-Olds

    At the ages of 8 to 10, kids are becoming more curious about new content and more interested in testing boundaries. They are also becoming more susceptible to the influence of their peers. They may begin to seek out online friendships and online personalities who they enjoy and admire.

    They also will still be prone to anxiety stemming from exposure to age-inappropriate content, and are at risk of falling victim to online scams. With these concerns in mind, some age-appropriate online safety measures for children between the ages of 8and 10 include:

    • Choosing age-appropriate media and materials;
    • Utilizing parental controls;
    • Creating separate accounts for your children on devices;
    • Using kid-friendly search engines;
    • Not using their full name or other identifying information for their online profiles;
    • Teaching your children basic rules for protecting themselves online;
    • Creating an open dialogue about what they’re doing and who they’re talking to online;
    • Directly addressing the difference between entertainment media and real-life expectations;
    • Limiting how much time they spend online;
    • Researching their online interests so you know how to better address and manage them.

    11- to 13-Year-Olds

    At the ages of 11 to 13, children are very susceptible to the influence of their peers. They will also likely seek out online friendships and online personalities who they enjoy and admire. They will begin to value their independence more, and will become more self-assured about their ability to navigate online spaces.

    They will also likely begin to use the internet as a regular necessity for things like schoolwork, shopping, and socializing. Unfortunately, kids in this age group are increasingly at risk for cyberbullying or even predation from older people. With these concerns in mind, some age-appropriate online safety measures for children between the ages of 11 and 13 include:

    • Talking to your child about online safety concerns regularly;
    • Maintaining an open dialogue with your child about what they’re doing and who they’re talking to online;
    • Directly addressing the difference between entertainment media and real-life expectations;
    • Keeping computers in family living spaces rather than bedrooms;
    • Emphasizing the importance of not going to meet online friends in person without supervision;
    • Teaching your child how to use online spaces respectfully and ethically;
    • Teaching your child how to appropriately manage online conflicts;
    • Ensuring they are not using social media websites that they do not meet the age requirement for;
    • Restricting any video or photo postings;
    • Restricting how much personal information they are sharing;
    • Ensuring that you understand what platforms they use for educational purposes;
    • Limiting how much time they spend online.

    14- to 18-Year-Olds

    Teenagers typically utilize online resources heavily for a variety of purposes, such as socializing, shopping, entertainment, and education. They are often invested a great deal in establishing their independence and seeking out communities to foster their interests.

    Teens are also typically still very easily influenced at this age by their peers, role models, and older individuals. They may want to push boundaries while they work to develop their identity as an individual and as part of their peer groups. With these concerns in mind, some age-appropriate online safety measures for kids between the ages of 14 and 18 include:

    • Talking to your child about online safety concerns regularly;
    • Maintaining an open dialogue with your child about what they’re doing and who they’re talking to online;
    • Ensuring that your teenager can identify suspicious behavior;
    • Directly addressing the difference between entertainment media and real-life expectations;
    • Emphasizing the importance of being very cautious about meeting online friends in person;
    • Teaching your child how to use online spaces respectfully and ethically;
    • Teaching your child how to appropriately manage online conflicts;
    • Carefully overseeing online financial transactions;
    • Ensuring that you understand what platforms they use for educational purposes.

    Resources for Parents

    Ideally, parents should consult a range of resources on the topic of internet safety for their children before deciding what measures to employ.

    Some helpful resources that promote the safety of youth online include:

    • NetSmartz: This website offers a catalog of videos to help children learn how to navigate online spaces.
    • Center for Humane Technology: Makers of the film "The Social Dilemma", this website offers tools and information for building healthier relationships with technology.
    • National Cyber Security Alliance: This website offers tools and information that can help you educate others about online safety.
    • A Platform for Good: This website offers information related to the intersection between technology and social development.
    • Microsoft | Online Safety: This resource offers information regarding ethical and responsible engagement with your online environment.
    • 7 Tips to Successfully Study at Home : This article provides advice for successfully studying at home, with consideration for online usage as part of the modern studying experience.
    • Finding the Best High Speed Internet Deals : This is a guide to choosing a good quality, affordable internet plan, which is an important part of ensuring the security of online activity.
    • AT&T Internet Plans: This is a guide to available internet plans through AT&T. Good quality, affordable internet plans are an important part of ensuring the security of online activity.

    Cyberbullying Resources

    Resources related to the prevention of cyberbullying include:

    • CyberTipline: This is a tip line where you can report incidents of minor exploitation online.
    • Cyberbully411: This is a generalized resource for information about cyberbullying.
    • Common Sense Media: This is a catalog of articles relating to cyberbullying.
    • KidsHealth: This is a definitional page for cyberbullying.

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