June is Internet Safety Month, a time to reflect on how we can navigate the digital world responsibly and safely. Children today are growing up in a world where the internet is everywhere. It’s a great tool for learning, playing, and staying connected, but it also comes with risks that may harm children emotionally, mentally, and even socially.
- Cyberbullying: Hurtful messages or online harassment can damage a child’s confidence and happiness.
- Online Predators: Some people use the internet to trick or harm children.
- Inappropriate Content: Kids might accidentally see things that aren’t meant for them, like violent or adult material.
- Online Sexual Exploitation: Sharing of explicit images, online enticement or sextortion.
Simple Tips for Internet Safety
Talk Openly: Encourage kids to share their online experiences. Let them know they can come to you if something feels wrong or scary.
Set Rules: Create clear guidelines about screen time, websites, and apps. Use parental controls to block harmful content.
Teach Smart Habits: Show kids how to protect their privacy, avoid talking to strangers online, and think before they post.
Avoid Clickbait: Headlines often lure users into clicking on harmful or inappropriate links. Always verify the source of a link before clicking, and avoid suspicious or overly sensationalized titles.
Report and Block: If you encounter inappropriate content, most platforms allow you to report it. Reporting helps moderators take action and ensures others won’t be exposed to the same material. Additionally, blocking users who share harmful content can protect your feed.
Don’t Overshare: Oversharing online can make you a target for harmful content or scams. Be cautious about what you post and who you interact with, especially on public platforms.
Stay Involved: Keep an eye on what children are doing online. Use family-friendly tools to monitor their activity without invading their privacy. For families, parental controls are a great way to block inappropriate content. Many devices, browsers, and streaming platforms offer settings to filter out explicit material.
Be a Role Model: Show children how to use the internet responsibly by practicing good habits yourself.
Understanding the risks of inappropriate content is key to avoiding it. Share knowledge with friends, family, and especially children about recognizing red flags, such as unsolicited messages or suspicious links.
Talking to Kids About What to Do If They Encounter Inappropriate Content
- Stay Calm: It’s natural to feel upset or uncomfortable but try to remain composed.
- Exit Immediately: Close the page or app to avoid further exposure.
- Report It: Use the platform’s reporting tools to flag the content.
- Talk About It: If the content has affected you emotionally, reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or counselor for support.
Keeping Kids Safe on YouTube
YouTube is a fun place for kids to watch cartoons, learn new things, and explore their interests. But not everything on YouTube is safe for young eyes. Sometimes, kids can accidentally see videos that are scary, confusing, or just not meant for them.
YouTube has millions of videos, and while many are great for kids, some are not. Even videos that look kid-friendly can hide inappropriate content. Plus, autoplay and catchy thumbnails can lead kids to videos they shouldn’t watch.
One example of this is a YouTube cartoon series called Jeffy in which a puppet-style cartoon could easily be mistaken for child-appropriate content. Despite the video’s child-friendly animation style, according to internet safeguarding groups these videos portray sexual content, nudity, violence, gore, profanity and inappropriate themes.
For additional information on Jeffy:
Information-for-parents-on-the-character-Jeffy.pdf
Safeguarding Children – Update on Jeffy
Here are some simple steps to make YouTube safer for your child:
- Use YouTube Kids: YouTube Kids is made just for children. It has videos picked for younger viewers and tools for parents to control what their kids see.
- Turn On Restricted Mode: On regular YouTube, you can turn on Restricted Mode. This helps block videos with adult content, though it’s not perfect.
- Watch Together: Sit with your child while they watch videos. This way, you can guide them and talk about anything they don’t understand.
- Teach Online Safety: Explain to your child that not everything online is good for them. Encourage them to tell you if they see something that makes them uncomfortable.
- Try Other Platforms: There are other apps like PBS Kids or Noggin that are designed for children and have safer content.
Be Aware of Online Sexual Exploitation and Create a Safety Plan
Online Sexual Exploitation, which can include the sharing of nude images or explicit content, online enticement, or sextortion, is extremely common. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reports that in 2024, they received over 456,000 reports of online enticement, including sextortion. It’s important that we talk to kids about what to do if they someone is attempting to exploit them. Just like we take precautions with smoke alarms and create safety plans in case of a fire, kids need guidance on how to recognize the early signs of exploitation and how to respond.
NCMEC reports that the most common tactics used to entice children online include:
- Engaging in sexual conversation/role-playing as a grooming method, rather than a goal.
- Asking the child for sexually explicit images of themselves or mutually sharing images.
- Developing a rapport through compliments, discussing shared interests or “liking” their post, also known as grooming.
- Sending or offering sexually explicit images of themselves.
- Pretending to be younger.
- Offering an incentive such as a gift card, alcohol, drugs, lodging, transportation or food.
Here are some tips for keeping kids safe and knowing how to respond:
- Encourage open communication with children, so they feel comfortable discussing any concerns or incidents they come across. Let your children know they can always talk to you.
- Talk to youth about not sharing nude photos but also talk to them about how no one should ever ask for a nude picture and by asking – this alone should be a red flag.
- Reassure them they are the victim and not in trouble.
- Report to local law enforcement and to the CyberTipLine online or by calling 1-800-843-5678.
- Conversation starters – what would you do if someone ever threatened you online? Make sure children know they can always come to you, even if it’s in the middle of the night.
The CAC has several blog posts devoted to online sexual exploitation for caregivers to learn more about how to protect youth:
CSAM: Understanding the Topic and Prevention Tips for Caregivers – Child Advocacy Center of Niagara
Strategies for Staying Safe Online – Child Advocacy Center of Niagara
Additional Resources:
YouTube tips for parents Internet Matters
Internet Safety for Kids: Online Safety Tips
