Safer Internet Day is Tuesday, February 7th! What is it and why should you care?
Safer Internet Day has been around since 2004, when the internet looked a lot different (for context, that’s the same year Facebook was created). The day aims to educate people about internet safety – everything from cyberbullying to identity protection.
I love that we call it Safer Internet Day, rather than Safe Internet Day, because the truth is none of us – teachers, parents or cybersecurity experts, can make the internet completely safe, just like we can’t make the world entirely safe for our kids. There isn’t a silver bullet or a one size fits all answer that you can install on your child’s iPad for $9.99. Instead, promoting internet safety among youth is similar to so many other safety issues – it requires hands-on education and ongoing, transparent conversations.
Anyone who cares about youth, should care about making the internet safer. But what exactly does that look like? Of course there are plenty of actions that corporations can take or laws our government can pass to make the internet safer, but today let’s focus on what we can control in our own households and classrooms.
Hands-On Education
Children learn by doing. It’s important to create opportunities for children to be on the internet in controlled and supervised environments at an early age, so they can begin to practice these skills.
In a recent episode of National PTA’s Notes from the Backpack podcast, social media expert Laura Tierney shared a great analogy when it comes to teaching your children about these issues: Think about social media like a sport, and rather than having them “go pro” and jump into TikTok at age 13, start them off on the JV team. Plan their activities on the internet, and particularly social media, intentionally.
Laura shares, “The minimum age limit for some of the more iconic apps like Instagram, TikTok, etc. is 13 years old and it's not 13 years old because a bunch of psychologists sat down in Silicon Valley to understand the prefrontal cortex, it's because of privacy. And most parents don't know that, so they withhold a platform until 13 and they're like, great, now you can go pro and jump into this app… Think about rookie, varsity, pro and build your milestones as a family, and as you're building those milestones, I think you build mental muscle with your children.”
Transparent Conversations
When it comes to having open and honest conversations about the internet, it’s important to have them early and often. These conversations should happen at home and in the classroom. Kids need to know that the internet is a powerful tool. It can be dangerous and they need to be cautious, but it can also help them learn new skills, build relationships, and connect with the wider community.
Share how the internet helps you and your family! Perhaps you are part of a social media “Buy Nothing” group, where you lend and borrow items to neighbors. This is a perfect example of how the internet can help you save money, make environmentally friendly choices, and build community.
Be honest about your own internet mistakes. Maybe you purchased something from an Instagram advertisement and it didn’t live up to your expectations and was difficult to return. This is a learning opportunity for your children – and will make it easier for them to come to you when they make a similar mistake.
So what's the bottom line? We can keep our kids safe on the internet in the same ways we keep them safe elsewhere: provide opportunities for them to practice problem-solving and talk openly and honestly with them about difficult situations when they arise.
Relevant Resources
National PTA’s Notes from the Backpack podcast episodes, Social Media & Cyberbullying 101 featuring Sameer Hinduja and Social Media 201: Embracing the Digital World.
Common Sense Media has helpful articles and tools for families on Online Safety, Social Media & more.
Comments