When Facebook was created by Mark Zuckerbeg, it initially started out as a means of connecting students enrolled in American ivy league schools. Nowadays, it has expanded into an internet giant connecting over a million users around the world.
With a simple status update, you can inform everyone on your friend’s list of your latest achievements, you can announce a break-up to the world with a change of your relationship status and more. Facebook is a quick and easy way to connect with people and to make yourself heard.
But what if the information you post on your account falls into the wrong hands and they use it against you? What if your uploading a picture of your dinner at a restaurant tells a robber that you aren’t home, therefore giving him the opportunity to break into your house?
The importance of being prudent with what you post and being careful with your privacy settings cannot be stressed enough! Especially if you have Facebook users in your household that still go to high school or are younger.
Click “next” for online safety tips…
The Philippines has 30 million Facebook users of which 15% of that number is made up of individuals ages 13 to 17. Your child may be a part of that statistic, so keep your loved one safe by constantly reminding them of the following online safety rules:
1. Login/password information and other personal information such as phone numbers, addresses, and birthdays either should never be given out online. Also, parents should know the login information as well so they can regularly check on their child’s privacy settings and etc.
This way, children are more careful with what they post because their parents will see it and because parents are assured that all is well.
2. When a profile is set to “public view”, strangers all over the world has unlimited access to your child’s Facebook account. It is important that parents make sure that their child’s profile is set to “private” so that only individuals on their friends list have access to their account.
3. Kids should be encouraged to upload parent-approved photos that don’t reveal too much of themselves. What may seem like a harmless photo of them in a swimsuit during a family trip at the beach may be click bait for an online predator.
Also, children should reminded to think long and hard of the consequences of the things that they post, is it something I’m okay with my parents seeing?
If not, better not post it then. Also, posting Facebook pictures can give away your child’s location, making it that much easier for a predator to find them.
4. According to minormonitor.com, “kids should not be allowed to accept friend requests from strangers. Instructing kids to “accept” people they know and “decline” people they don’t will greatly reduce their chances of being exposed to the many dangers that Facebook can bring about.”
5. According to Facebook’s safety tips, kids and teens are encouraged to ignore and block individuals who post or send abusive or hurtful messages to them.
As a parent, you should tell your child to bring such incidents to your attention and that if they don’t feel comfortable doing so with you, to at least bring it up with another trusted adult.
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