Internet safety Top tips for parents during COVID 19 lockdown

Internet Safety Top Tips for Parents
We are all stuck at home during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, and it’s likely your children are spending a lot more time online. School, chats with friends and grandparents- so much has shifted online. Being connected helps children reduce the impact of this new (temporary) normal and encourages them to continue with their lives. It presents a new set of challenges for parents. How can you maximize all that the internet has to offer, while minimizing the potential harm?
As a parent you need to be on top of what your child is doing on-line and on their smart phones. It is very easy for things to go wrong very quickly.  We all want to protect our children from coming across unsuitable adult material either by accident or by design.
It’s also very easy for your child to become involved in on-line bullying- either as the victim or as the bully. Group chats can lead to very difficult and hurtful messages being shared.  We need to be sure that our children are not involved in posting anything hurtful to another child.  
Webwise offer free information, advice and resources to help parents, teachers and students address internet safety issues. I strongly recommend giving over some time to this www.webwise.ie
Here are some tips taking from the site

1. Agree with your child rules for internet use in your home.

 Try to reach an agreement with your child on the guidelines which apply to internet use in your home. Here are some tips to get started: → Discuss when and for how long it is acceptable for your child to use the internet → Agree how to treat personal information (name, address, telephone, email) → Discuss how to behave towards others → Agree what type of sites and activities are OK or not OK → Follow the rules yourself! Or at least explain why the rules are different for adults.

1. Restrict the use of computers and devices in the bedroom. It is recommended that you ban devices from the bedroom completely.  Charge their phones and devices in your room or downstairs at night time. This can be a helpful way of giving them a break from the internet.
2. Encourage your child to be careful when disclosing personal information

 A simple rule for younger children should be that the child should not give out their name, phone number or photo without your approval. Older children, if they are using social networking sites like Facebook, (they shouldn’t be on them!!) should be encouraged to be selective about what personal information and photos they post to online spaces. Regardless of privacy settings, once material is online you can no longer control who sees it or how it is used.

1. Talk about the risks associated with meeting online ‘friends’ in person.

 Adults should understand that the internet can be a positive meeting place for children, where they can get to know other young people and make new friends. However, for safety and to avoid unpleasant experiences, it is important that children do not meet strangers they have met online without being accompanied by an adult you trust. In any case, the child should always have their parents’ approval first.

1. For young children we recommend that parents choose safe and appropriate games. Most games have a rating you can check to see if they are age appropriate. You should also check if a game allows for player interaction and if there is a safe chat mode.

 ​