We all want a safer Internet, but we often put a lot of trust and hope in technology to deliver on that promise. The Internet is really made up of people, though. And people can make the biggest impact in creating a safer Internet. While everyone is impacted by Internet safety, children and youth are disproportionately at risk. The concept of a Safer Internet Day was born out of the desire to create a safer experience for young people.

This year will mark the 19th Safer Internet Day, and the theme is “Together for a Better Internet.” With that in mind, here are some tips for how you can make the Internet a safer place. These tips are intended for youth, but addressed to the adults in their lives.

1. Behave As If Everything is Public and Permanent

Whether it’s a social media post, an email, or a text message, kids should always behave as if that content might be made public, and consider that it might be made public in the distant future. Even if an app claims to be encrypted or private, there are always tools that allow others to capture that interaction. Remember, when Snapchat was launched, it was advertised as keeping images private because they disappeared, but in almost no time there were tools that allowed people to save snaps. Whatever that latest app is, the situation is likely to be the same.

Remind kids that before sharing something online or in a text message, they should ask themselves if they would be ok showing that message to their parents, a teacher, or a police officer. What are they likely to think about that message or post in a year, or five years? “Public and Permanent” means considering not only immediate disclosure, but also (Read more...)