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Protecting Kids Online | Consumer Advice
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Protecting Kids Online
How to talk to your kids about being online, and how to help them make good decisions and stay safe.
How To Use Parental Controls To Keep Your Kid Safer Online
Talking with your kids about your family’s rules and expectations is key to helping them establish good online habits. Some parents use parental controls to reinforce those good habits — and create safer online spaces for their kids to learn and play.
Kids and Cell Phones
When you decide your kid is ready for a cell phone, here are some tools to help you think about setting limits, keeping them safe, and teaching them how to use their phones responsibly.
Kids and Video Games
Chances are the kids in your life play, or want to play, video games, including games in immersive spaces like virtual or augmented reality. Game ratings and reviews, parental controls, and other tools are available to help you learn more and talk about video games with the kids in your life.
Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online
This guide offers practical advice and ideas for getting the conversation started with kids about social networking, privacy, mobile devices, computer security, and dealing with cyberbullying.
Protecting Your Child’s Privacy Online
Here’s information about parents’ rights under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Youville
Youville is a free, downloadable, standards-based, in-class educational program. It’s designed to help kids ages 8-12 develop and apply analytical skills through a series of fun and challenging activities.
Related Scams
From Consumer Alerts
Consumer Alert
How to help protect foster youth from identity theft
BCP Staff
Identity theft can happen to anyone, including kids in foster care. But minors typically don’t have credit reports, so they might not even realize they’ve experienced identity theft until they apply for a job, housing, or credit. Because foster youth often move more often and more people have access to their info, they’re at greater risk of identity theft. So if you’re a foster parent, a service provider, or know someone in foster care, read on for ways to help protect foster youth from identity theft.
Consumer Alert
Disney settles charges that it violated children’s online privacy protection law
BCP Staff
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule) gives parents control over the online collection of their children’s personal information. Before a website or app collects personal information from a child under the age of 13, it must notify the parents and get their approval. Under a settlement with the FTC, Disney has agreed to pay a $10 million penalty for violating the COPPA Rule.
Consumer Alert
Parents versus kids challenge: Who knows more about protecting personal information?
BCP Staff
Back to school is a great time to start having conversations with your family about creating good online habits. Rather than telling kids what they should or shouldn’t do online, consider making it a parent versus kids challenge. Find out who in your house knows more about protecting their personal information online — and bring in a little healthy competition.
Consumer Alert
Helping your military kids navigate the online world
BCP Staff
It takes a village of trusted adults to help military kids adapt to new cities and overcome being the new kid in class again. Kids often need that same village of parents, coaches, and teachers to help them navigate safely online. If you’re looking for tools to talk with kids about privacy and online safety, digital citizenship, spotting and avoiding scams, and understanding advertising, Youville can help!
