Internet Safety Guide for Kids

If you thought it was tough to keep kids off the internet before COVID-19, it’s almost impossible now.

Between mandated online school and playdates via video chat, chances are you and your kids are spending a lot more time online in quarantine than ever before. For some, it may be the first time you’ve explored this new frontier with your little one.

Unfortunately, it’s not all academia and family connections—the internet can be a risky place, especially for children.

But you don’t have to go it alone. SafeWise has identified the top online threats to kids and tips for keeping kids safe, especially during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

There are a number of potential dangers in cyberspace, but these are the top online security risks that most kids face.

Whether you and your kiddos are internet pros or getting online for the first time due to stay-at-home orders, we’ve got the tips you need to navigate this strange new world safely.

You can instantly tell if any website is safe by looking for one letter: “s.” Every website address starts with the letters “http,” but you know a site is secure when you see “https.” That means the website itself is taking measures to keep users and their information secure while they use the site.

If you’re directed to any websites for school or entertainment that don’t have that extra “s” at the beginning of the address, steer clear.

This can get tricky when your child needs to be identified for schoolwork or classroom discussions, but personal details need to be guarded closely.

Chances are, your child probably already has a student identification number. Those kinds of identifiers are a great way to protect personal details from leaking on the internet.

None of the following information should be used to identify your child in class, on a list of posted grades, or in an online discussion.

• Full first and last name
• Social security number
• Birthdate
• Address
• Phone number
• Photograph

Your little one should also have a secure username and password to log into courses, lectures, and assignments.

You don’t have to purchase parental control software to protect your child during online learning. There are already a lot of helpful tools built into your device hardware, software, and internet browser.

Find tutorials here to help you maximize built-in privacy settings and content blockers.

• Parental controls for Apple products
• Parental controls for Google Play
• Parental controls guide for Chromebook
• Content restrictions for Windows 10 and Xbox One
• Parental controls for YouTube Kids
• Content filters on SafeSearch for Google
• Parental controls on Amazon FreeTime
• Parental controls on Netflix

If you want the extra reassurance of parental control software, we tested a bunch of them and picked our favorites. Almost every brand we recommend has a free version available, so you can probably upgrade from built-in parental controls without reaching for your wallet.

It seems too simple to be so effective, but one of the best ways to keep kids safe online is to make sure that all devices, software, and firmware are up to date. 

Updates can seem like a pain, but one of the biggest reasons companies come out with new versions is to deploy security patches that address the most recent and innovative threats out there. 

Plus, an outdated operating system or old version of software can render your parental controls and privacy settings useless. 

• Cybersmart Detectives
• Digital Citizenship Resources
• Family Contract for Online Safety
• FBI Press Release about Online Child Exploitation Due to COVID-19
• Download our Video Chat Safety Guide

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and learn how to protect your home, loved ones, and belongings.

• Pay attention: Look for signs of cyberbullying, like spending more time online or texting, hiding the screen from others, emotional responses to online interactions, and sadness or seclusion.
• Ask questions: Gently ask your child what’s going on and how they feel about it. Find out if they’ve responded to the bully and what that response was.
• Acknowledge their feelings: Your child may feel frightened, angry, sad, or even betrayed if the bully is someone they trusted. Let them know it’s okay to feel whatever they’re feeling.
• Block the bully: Immediately block (or “unfriend”) the abuser. Use tools like site blockers and privacy settings as extra layers of protection.
• Report it: Alert website and email administrators to the bully. Most social media platforms offer options to report a user or flag dangerous posts. If appropriate, report the abusive activity to school or law enforcement officials.
• Assess the damage: If your child’s emotional response is extreme and protective measures don’t seem to help, seek the help of a professional.
• Enlist reinforcements: Talk to other adults who can help protect your child (other parents, teachers, school administrators, coaches, etc.) and bolster your child’s positive friendships.

• Look: If your child sets up new email or social media accounts without your knowledge, makes snarky remarks while online, or starts to hide their online activity, they could be picking on someone.
• Listen: If you’re concerned, gently broach the topic with your child and then allow them the room to answer. Be open-minded and don’t blame. Bullies are usually in some kind of pain as well.
• Monitor: Double your efforts to track your child’s online activity. If you’re not already using parental control software, now is the time to start using it.
• Support: Encourage your child to deal with their feelings and the reasons they’re engaging in this behavior. Suggest that they apologize to the kids they’ve hurt, and help them do it.
• Get help: It can be hard to identify why your child starting acting out in this manner. Seek professional help, and if the bullying crosses lines at school (or legally), inform the appropriate authorities and ask for resources to address the situation.

• Let your child know it’s not their fault.
• Cut off communication with the predator.
• Change online credentials, including screen names, usernames, and passwords.
• Save screenshots or copies of messages and images from the predator.
• Report the activity to website administrators and law enforcement.
• Seek professional help for your child as appropriate.

• Never share personal information online.
• Don’t respond to emails, texts, or messages from strangers.
• Don’t post or share photos online.
• Don’t click links, open attachments, or accept gifts from someone you don’t know.
• Never agree to meet someone you met online.
• Let your parents or another trusted adult know if you need help.

To grade each state, SafeWise looked at laws for both sexting and cyberbullying.^5,6 Points were assigned to states based on the types of laws currently on the books and the consequences for violating those laws. If a state has a law proposed, partial points were granted. School policies and consequences were also factors. Letter grades were determined based on the total points, with higher points earning higher grades.

This guide is the perfect starting point to make sure you know the basics for keeping kids safe on the internet. But online threats are constantly changing, and cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated. To help you stay ahead of the curve, here are some of the resources we recommend.

• CyberWise
• Cyber Safety Cop

• Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program: State Chapter Directory
• Office for Victims of Crime: Providers/Community Leaders
• D.A.R.E.: Internet Safety

• FBI Safe Online Surfing (for students and teachers, 3rd through 8th grade)
• The Best Parental Control Apps and Software
• Internet Safety 101: Rules ‘N Tools Checklist (for parents and educators)

• KidsHealth Internet Safety (for parents, kids, teens, and educators)
• Internet Matters e-Safety Advice
• Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.: A Simple Plan to Protect Young Minds
• SafeKids.com: Internet Safety by Age
• Common Sense Media: Privacy and Internet Safety

• iOS vs. Android Security: Which One Keeps Your Child Safer Online?
• What Age Should Kids Get a Phone?
• Best Identity Theft Protection
• 31 Surprising Identity Theft Statistics
• Best Antivirus for Android Devices
• Best Antivirus and Malware Software
• Best Password Manager for All of Your Devices
• 10 Cybersecurity Tips for Shopping Online
• Dangerous Apps for Kids

1. Justin Patchin, Cyberbullying Research Center, “2019 Cyberbullying Data,” July 2019. Accessed April 21, 2022.
2. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, “The Online Enticement of Children: An In-Depth Analysis of CyberTipline Reports,” 2017. Accessed April 21, 2022. 
3. Haley Zapal, Bark, “2018 Children and Teen Cyber Fact Sheet,” January 2019. Accessed April 21, 2022.
4. Kate Muir and Adam Joinson, Frontiers in Psychology, "An Exploratory Study Into the Negotiation of Cyber-Security Within the Family Home," March 2020. Accessed April 21, 2022.
5. Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin, Cyberbullying Research Center, “State Sexting Laws,” November 2018. Accessed April 21, 2022.
6. Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin, Cyberbullying Research Center, “State Cyberbullying Laws,” January 2021. Accessed April 21, 2022.