How can I protect my teen from trouble in the cyber world?

In this article, you'll find answers to questions like:

1. How can parent monitor devices?
2. What's the best approach?
3. How can parents handle social media?

Keeping high schoolers safe can feel like a full-time job. Throw in social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat - where cyberbullying and sexting can take hold - and parents may feel overwhelmed.

1. HOW CAN MONITOR DEVICES?

"Communicating with your child about the dangers of having unlimited access to the internet is crucial to ensure your child's safety," says Callahan Walsh, executive director of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) Florida Regional Office.

Brianna Coakley, an assistant state attorney and chief of Palm Beach County's Special Victims Unit, says that open communication and ongoing supervision are key to keeping children safe.

"Parents and caregivers need to be aware of the risks not just on social media but in every aspect of the internet, including games and applications geared to children," says Coakley.

2. WHAT'S THE BEST APPROACH?

Parents can look for signs of an online predator such as inappropriate material on computers or unknown numbers on the phone bill. NetSmartz, a program of NCMEC, encourages parents to take action if their teen is withdrawn, isolated, or receiving mail, money, or gifts from strangers.

 NCMEC's Florida office provides child protection education and prevention programs, case management services, and exploited child services. They work with the community to offer prevention, safety resources, presentations, Child ID kit events, and other NCMEC resources. Anyone who would like to reach the NCMEC's Florida office in Lake Park directly can call 561-848-1900 or email flbranch@ncmec.org.

 3. HOW TO HANDLE SOCIAL MEDIA?

When it comes to prevention, experts advise parents to review their teen's friend lists to see who has access to their profiles and ask them if they know all their friends in real life, according to NetSmartz. Check their friends' profiles for revealing photos or information about your teen and set your teen's profiles to private.

"Listen to your child's concerns and talk through what they may do if they receive messages that make them feel uncomfortable or bullied," says Walsh.

Approach conversations with a sense of reassurance and be open-minded, says Walsh. "It's okay to ask if they have been in a situation where they have received a sexual message, naked picture, or felt pressured or bullied to send – or receive – a nude or sexual picture. Be an informed resource and remind them of the consequences of posting inappropriate or too personal information online."

Coakley advises parents to have frank, straightforward conversations about the dangers of the internet, including the risks of sexual exploitation by strangers, people they only know through the internet, and people they know in real life. She says to report crimes to law enforcement or use NCMEC's CyberTipline rather than contact her office directly.

And if the unimaginable happens, and your child is missing, call 911, then contact the NCMEC's 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800–843–5678), located at NCMEC's regional office here in Palm Beach County.

SOURCES:

Callahan Walsh, Executive Director, Florida Regional Office Development, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

Brianna Coakley, assistant state attorney and chief of Palm Beach County’s Special Victims Unit

NetSmartz

CyberTipline