Child safety online
Child safety online
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Children have grown up with computer technologies that many of us find baffling. But their technical ability doesn't compensate for a lack of life experience, so it's important to look out for them when they are online.
In this activity, you'll learn about some of the risks children may face and some resources and tips to help them stay safer online.
Start activityRisks to children's safety online
Children may be very good at using computers, but their technical skill does not mean they are safe from online threats.
Which of the following are risks to children online?
Getting lower school grades
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Incorrect
Bullying and harassment
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Correct
Viewing explicit materials
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Correct
eSafety Commissioner
Children can get themselves into dangerous situations online by accident.
If they tell you about anything you consider serious, you can report it to the Australian eSafety Commissioner. eSafety helps Australians prevent and deal with harm caused by serious online abuse or illegal and restricted online content.
Chat rooms
Chat rooms can be a great way to meet people and keep in touch but there are risks, especially to young people.
Unfortunately, you don't always know if the person your child is talking to is who they say they are. Don't let your child meet up with anyone from a chat room unless they're accompanied by an adult.
You should encourage your child to tell you if anything disturbing is said or done online. You can report any incidents to the chat room providers.
User accounts
There are ways to limit your child's access to the internet without limiting your own. If everybody who uses a computer has their own user account (user name and password), you can allow things on some accounts but stop them on others.
We'll now go through the steps needed to access the user account settings. We'll demonstrate using a Windows computer, but there are similar options for whichever device you're using.
Windows icon
First, click on the Windows icon in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.
Windows menu
Then click on the Settings icon - it looks like a cog wheel.
Settings panel
Next, click on Accounts from the menu of options.
Accounts
In the Accounts section, you can set up new accounts in the Email & accounts option, as well as changing what people who already have accounts can do.
Blocking offensive content
Setting user accounts on your computer, tablet or mobile phone is one way to protect your children or grandchildren from what they might see online, but it's not the only step to think about.
Online services
Many online services, like Netflix or ABC iview, have their own parental controls that allow you control what people in your household can and can't watch.
Internet connection
The company you get your internet connection from, or your mobile phone company if you use mobile internet, will have settings to help you control what your children can see online.
Devices
Some devices have a Settings feature that allows you to block inappropriate content. You can also install software that will help you control access to specific websites.
Talking about the internet
Despite all the options for blocking offensive content, you may not be able to protect your children from it all the time. Talking with your children about the dangers they could face online can be a good way to help them understand it.
They'll hear about online safety at school too, ask them to explain it to you and how they can apply what they've learned.
Congratulations!
You've completed the Child safety online activity.
You've learned some ways to help protect your family online and where to go for help.
Coming up next, if you have registered and are logged into the Be Connected website, you'll now be able to take a short quiz to finish the course. If you're not registered, you are now at the end of the course.