5 Easy Ways to Safeguard Kids’ Tech Devices from Predators

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this info, free of charge,from SDNR, for blog posting purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it



Easter break is here, and you know where the older kids will be.

Yup, tied to their computers and cell phones! 

New apps pop up seemingly out of nowhere, but instantly every single one of your kid¹s friends and classmates is using it and you find out so is your kid. The app looks age appropriate and harmless, but predators find ways to infiltrate and exploit. It is important to check your child’s phone, computer or tablet on a regular basis to make sure no inappropriate content is being sent to them. But, there are other steps parents need to take to safeguard their children.

1. Names and Usernames: one common mistake parents make is allowing their children to create a username that incorporates their name, information about their age and location or interests. These small pieces of data are enough for a predator to start piecing together a profile of a child and give predators tools that can be used to find more information to manipulate kids. By following these simple guidelines, parents can help make sure online predators are not targeting their children.

2. Don't Duplicate Usernames – Just like recycling a password is a bad idea kids should not use the same username to log into different online accounts. Having one common username across accounts just makes it easier for criminals to search for and find details about a child’s life.

3. Keep Personal Details Private – If an app or website requires kids to fill out a profile do not let them enter personally identifying details like their full name, birthdate, age or address. If they cannot use a site without supplying these details either supply a false answer to the questions or do not allow your child to use that site/app.

4. Email Addresses and Usernames Do Not Mix – Linking a username with an email address can simplify a predator’s search for personal information. Using trial and error a criminal can add common email providers to a username, run a search and pull up social media accounts and any other sites where an email address was used to create a profile. 

Create Unique Email Addresses for Each App/Site – Some email providers including Gmail, Outlook and Yahoo allow users to alter their email address into infinite number of disposable addresses. For example if your child’s email address is shauntips@gmail.com and he/she wants to sign up for a new gaming site you can alter his/her email address just for that site by adding an identifier to it such as shauntips+ABCGamingFun@gmail.com. This keeps your child’s actual email address private and can help stop criminals from being able to track online history simply by searching for an email address.

5. Stay Vigilant – Regularly checking what apps your child is using and what websites are being visited is the first line of defense. If anything looks suspicious or if you are unsure what something is, ask your child. If he/she cannot explain to your satisfaction what the app is then delete it and block it.

So there you have- all these tools are pretty applicable to adults too! 

SNDR.com gives parents tools to stay up to date on latest threats and more tips For more information about protecting your security and privacy online, check out SNDR. 
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About SNDR

SNDR is a new app that combines all the ways you already communicate into a single platform. You can text, email, share files and use social media all from one app. And, every message is encrypted and completely secure.

Comments

  1. Great tips! I try to monitor what my kids do on their electronic devices, but sometimes they download an app with out my approval

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    1. That can be a huge issue. My daughter knows if she downloads something without my permission she looses her tablet for a week(minimum). She also knows that if it cost anything (ie charged to my google play or itunes accts), she will have to pay me back from her allowance or savings. So she's really careful. You might want to think about a mini contract with those and other things in it!

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  2. It's funny I'm seeing this because I JUST had a conversation with my Mom about my nephew making videos and posting them on this site with his classmates. I don't know if my brother knows about this…but I'm going to have to talk to him about it.

    ReplyDelete

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