Is Your Teenager Internet Smart?

The internet is a fabulous invention. Things that used to take days or weeks, now take mere minutes. How convenient! Indian kids are nowhere behind in using the internet. And teens have their own mobile phones! But behind the benefits of the internet lurks danger. As a concerned mom, I do what I can to ensure that my children are safe online, but my best bet is to educate them about internet safety.

According to reports, about 71% of teens are using the internet and almost 50% of make friends with strangers. That is scary indeed. While I don’t want my kids to lose out in the technology race, here are tips on internet safety I teach them.

Internet Safety Quiz for Teens and Pre-Teens

Ask your teen to take this quiz to find out how much he or she knows about the internet and if they are as safe as possible.

1. You are chatting online when you are asked for your photo. You’ve only been talking to this person for 10 minutes and he seems nice. What do you do?

a) I send him my picture, he lives far away anyway, what could happen?

b) Well, I never send my picture to anyone I don’t know in person, but sometimes I will display it so they can have a look – but not possess it.

2. You are setting up a new public profile. What information will you include?

a) I write down everything. Before people chat to me they should know something about me

b) I put only the basics. My age, gender and country. Nothing that would narrow me down in a crowd.

3. You are setting up your first blog or social media profile. In addition to writing about yourself and your thoughts, you want to add some photos. How will you protect your privacy?

a) I won’t. If I didn’t want people to see me and read what I have to say I wouldn’t create one.

b) I will protect my blog/social media with a password or change the settings so that only people I allow can read it.

4. Your best friend tells you that she is meeting up with a guy she met online. What advice are you most likely to give her?

a) I tell her she needs a new outfit! She wants to look cute, right?

b) I tell her not to go. She can’t know for sure who he is just by talking to him online or on the phone

5. You’ve been getting some really nasty e-mails from people at school. You’ve even found out that there are things written about you on other peoples blogs and social media profiles. What do you do?

a) I fight back. I am not going to let anyone badmouth me and get away with it.

b) I print out everything and show my parents. Hopefully they can help me find a solution.

If you answered mostly A’s your internet safety knowledge could get you into some trouble. Don’t be too trusting.

If you answered mostly B’s you know what can be hiding in the internet and do what you can to protect you privacy.

Internet Safety Tips for Teens and Pre-Teens

Some rules for internet safety cannot be emphasized enough. Here are some from my own list:

1. No matter how long you talk to someone online, you don’t know them as well as you know someone in person. It can be a lot of fun to have internet friends if you know how to set and stand by your boundaries. Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t give out my phone number or photo.” Anyway, who doesn’t accept that answer from you, isn’t worth your time. You don’t owe anything to anyone.

2. When setting up a profile, never list your school name or after school activity centers that you attend. It only takes a little information for people to find you!

3. Try to stay out of trouble by:

1. Respecting other people
2. Not indulging in gossip
3. Blocking cyber bullies (mean and abusive people)
4. Use privacy settings so that only your friends can see your profile

4. Actively monitor what other people say about you. Change your settings so you need to approve a post when someone tags you. Approve it only if it is appropriate. Un-tag yourself from embarrassing and illegal posts.

5. Always keep your parents informed when making new friends or seeing any suspicious activity.

6. Use the social media to do something positive and contribute to the society.

7. Treat your password like a ‘toothbrush’! Don’t let anyone else use it and keep changing it every six months.

8. Avoid creating usernames or emails that can give away your real name, age, date of birth etc.

9. In general, do not give out or mention online:

1. Your school’s name
2. Your parent’s work places
3. Address
4. Age
5. Phone Number
6. Pictures of your friends without their parents’ approval

10. On the internet, it is advisable to ‘mistrust’ everyone! Always be aware that people might not be who they claim to be.