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Tips For Staying Safe Online

With technology growing every year, companies are working harder to focus on teenagers and children to reach that market. Especially with COVID being prevalent, people are spending more time on the internet than ever before. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, 98% of children currently live in a home with one or more mobile devices, and 59% of teens say they use social media frequently. As with all things on the internet safety is paramount. Dr. Channing Petrak, a medical director with OSF Healthcare, says that children and teens need to know what is OK to say on the internet and what is not.
 

 

Virtual meeting platforms can also be a problem, and the FBI and the United Nations Children’s Fund warned about an increase in online predators during the pandemic.

 

 

While boys can be targeted, females tend to be the primary target of online predators, and Dr. Petrak says that boys don’t report it as much as females do.

 

 

The World Health Organization recommends setting up parental controls such as SafeSearch or activating privacy settings. Another tip is to cover up webcams when not in use.  Dr. Petrak says the most important thing children can do is if they see something weird or that makes them uncomfortable to tell someone they trust. 

 

 

The FBI has some cyber safe tips on their website. You can visit those by clicking here.

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