Cyber Teen Safety – Are you aware of the dangers?

I know we generally write about items of interest related to insurance, but we thought you might be interested to learn more about keeping your children, grandchildren, or even yourself safer while online.

There are ways to set up ‘Parental’ controls on your computer system, with each person using the computer has a different login.  The ‘Parent’ can then limit and/or monitor the activity of the other users.  So if you want to block certain websites that you deem inappropriate, you would do that using your ‘Parental’ control settings.

We all would like to think that our children or grandchildren will make the correct decisions, but we have to understand that they are not adults and are not mature enough to always know what that correct decision should be.  Most of us have taught our children not to talk to strangers.  You would be surprised to find out that they don’t see adding someone they don’t know as a ‘friend’ on any social media websites, like FaceBook, MySpace, MyYearbook, and many others, is the same as talking to a stranger.  They will even carry on conversations with these people.  Along with posting pictures of themselves and telling critical things like their age, where they live, or go to school.

There are ‘cyber’ bullies that can seriously damage your young person’s self-esteem.  There are also sexual predators posing as children looking to make ‘connections’ with children.  Without proper guidance, our children could be at risk.

Are you on a social media website?  Do you allow everyone the ability to see your information and photos?  Have you thought about your safety?  Recently, on Good Morning America, they had some people who had their homes broken into and stole items because they posted on their social media website that they were on vacation. One posted they were going to a concert and told when they were leaving and coming back home.  The person that broke into that home was someone she had added as a ‘friend’ on FaceBook but didn’t know.

Resources: Talking to Kids & Teens, Good Morning America – Cyber Bullying, GMA – Parenting Resource Center

Are you monitoring your young person’s internet usage?  If not, will you start now?

Do you have a social media website?  Will you change what you post or allow it to be viewed?