Source: US FBI
MIAMI—As students across South Florida return to school, parents, caregivers, and educators should reacquaint themselves with online threats facing children and how to keep them safe. To help keep kids safer online, FBI Miami is sharing these Internet safety tips:
- Know the devices your child has access to and familiarize yourself with the apps, sites, and games they use
- Use parental controls on your child’s device
- Teach your children to only communicate with people they know and trust in real life
- Talk to your children about the dangers of sharing personal information online, such as their school, home address, or even their class schedule
- Warn them about the consequences of posting or sharing inappropriate content, as well as hoax threats
- Teach basic cyber hygiene, such as strong passwords and appropriate privacy settings
- Remind them to talk to a trusted adult if something seems suspicious
“Parental involvement is the key to keeping kids safe from online predators,” said Brett Skiles, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Miami. “It’s important to know the signs and indicators of Online exploitation of children. The FBI offers several resources for parents to learn about online threats and what they can do to keep their kids safe. Use these resources to have a conversation with your child, discuss ways to stay safe and be aware of what they are doing online.”
To help younger children better understand online safety, the FBI also offers a Safe Online Surfing program, which is available here: https://sos.fbi.gov/en/. Students who participate can play games and take quizzes to test their Internet safety knowledge. If you or your child ever becomes the victim of an online crime, file a report at IC3.gov, or contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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