CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — As children and families enjoy the summer break, there is a lot to look forward to: enjoying outdoor activities, relaxing with family and friends, sleeping late and possibly spending more time online. With more downtime, there is more time to surf the web.
Time online is a maze of perks and pitfalls, like a video game where villains lurk while heroes swoop in to save the day. Not everyone you meet online has your best interests in mind.
Parents play a significant role in the online safety of their children by being good role models, setting limits, monitoring computer usage, investing in high-quality child protection software, and most importantly, having informed conversations that help equip kids to safely navigate in a world of online predators. Parents, make sure you have regular discussions with your children about the importance of internet safety. It’s the best way to keep them away from the harm the internet can do.
With online predators getting more and more clever about how they go about their business, how do we outsmart them? In order to keep ourselves safe while using technology, we can follow the acronym SMART.
S: Stay safe!
Don’t give out your information to anyone you don’t know.
M: Don’t meet up!
Meeting up with strangers from the internet can lead to unpredictable and unsafe situations.
A: Don’t accept!
Accepting files from sources you’re not familiar with can give hackers access to your personal data or even install bugs in your device.
R: Reliable?
Check your facts before believing anything you see online. People may not always be telling the truth.
T: Tell someone!
Tell someone you trust if something doesn’t seem right in your online communications.
Remember that the internet can be a great source of information and entertainment, but there are people out there who will ruin the experience for you. It is your job to keep yourselves and your children safe online so you can continue to thrive in your virtual environment.
Written by LORI WRIGHT, CEO of Family Healthcare.
Family Healthcare is a registered nonprofit organization providing accessible, high-quality medical, behavioral and dental care to the residents of southwest Utah since 2002. Call 435-986-2565 or visit familyhc.org for more information.
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Resources
- Family Healthcare | Address: 25 N. 100 East #102, St. George | Telephone: 435-986-2565 | Website.
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