Online safety for youth is critical to protect against severe risks like cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, privacy breaches, and harmful content. Proactive safety measures foster healthy digital habits, ensure mental well-being, and protect against identity theft. Education on digital footprints and open communication are essential to empower young users.
Video: online safety boot camp
Scott Walker, President of Scott Walker Media, shares helpful tips for online safety.
Digital safety 101 for youth
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Fostering healthy AI management and digital citizenship
Digital Citizenship is the safe and responsible use of technology and online behavior modeled by students and adults
Parents/caregivers set boundaries and expectations around digital citizenship, tech use and screen time.
Youth understand that it is ok to ask for help, and that they will not get in trouble for seeking help and support.
Youth understand that their worth is never tied to attention, likes or money.
Parents/caregivers and children have open, calm and judgment-free conversations about online safety and healthy relationships.
Recommended national resources
Visit The Federal Trade Commission Protecting Kids Online for parental controls and protecting your child’s privacy online.
NetSmartz empowers students to be safer online with a free collection of teaching materials for families and students in grades K-12.
FOSI (Family Online Safety Institute) offers practical guidance, and easy how-to’s on all things related to youth online safety.
Common Sense Media offers a comprehensive guide to parental controls, an age-appropriate family tech planner and a digital citizenship curriculum. (CommonSenseMedia.org).
The California Department of Education provides resources to advocate, champion and promote digital citizenship.
Lego offers free online tools and resources to empower children and families to learn good digital habits and thrive online (Lego.com).