Just like you, it’s important when your child is shopping, playing or gaming online they are protected. Using up-to-date good quality internet security software is always a good idea but you should also protect your children in other ways.
Quick Tips
- Check: Make sure you check out any sites your children are visiting when shopping online, and see what kind of information the sites ask for. Check out safe search engines that are suitable for children.
- Discuss: Get into the habit of discussing with your child, the risks and benefits of disclosing certain information, especially in a public forum like the internet.
- Encourage: your children to use their devices within the home where you can keep an eye on them and their activity
- Install: parental controls on your home broadband or any other device that has an internet connection
- Read: Take a look at websites security setting, this should tell you how the site processes payments
- Use: the airplane mode when your child is using your device so they don’t click on inappropriate links or make a purchase in error.
Make sure that older children/teenagers:
- Take care with the information they share online and understand that it is important to keep their personal information private
- Are wary of someone they have only met online
- Are aware of unsolicited emails asking for bank card or PIN numbers and never divulge this information.
- Checks the URL when providing payment details for an online purchase; the "http" in the address bar should turn into a "https".
- Checks the lock symbol on any website's homepage to see if it's secure before entering security details.
- Is aware that purchases from private sellers may be more at risk than those from registered businesses. They should buy from well-known companies where possible.
- Are comfortable raising anything they don’t like with you or another trusted person.
- Know how to report a post or event.
Visit Fraud Smart for more information
