{"id":4968,"date":"2025-05-23T12:44:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T19:44:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kpthrivingfamilies.org\/pediatricsblog\/?p=4968"},"modified":"2025-05-15T13:52:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-15T20:52:07","slug":"online-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kpthrivingfamilies.org\/pediatricsblog\/online-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Tips to Keep Kids Safe Online"},"content":{"rendered":"

It seems our children are often plugged into their phones or tablets all-day, everyday. They watch videos, scroll through social media, study, play, and connect with family and friends. Digital platforms provide us so many positive opportunities \u2013 but they can have a darker side. We need to talk with our kids about online safety.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do we protect our kids from the dangers of time spent online?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Tips about online child abuse sent to the <\/span>National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)<\/span><\/a> have increased over 90% since before the COVID-19 pandemic. To understand the risk, and to get ideas about how we can protect our children, I reached out to <\/span>Dr. Tricia Tayama<\/span><\/a> M.D.<\/span>, a Kaiser Permanente pediatrician and child abuse specialist.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She agrees kids are spending much more time online \u2013 and digital platforms can be used for both positive and negative purposes. She explained, \u201cWe can\u2019t simply block one app and assume we\u2019ve reduced the risk.\u201d Instead, \u201cOur children need to be knowledgeable about how to recognize risks online and empowered to speak up.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Protecting our kids starts with education. We need to educate even young children about healthy boundaries<\/a> in virtual and in-person relationships, because bullying and abuse can start at very young ages.\u202fFor example, when teaching children about what body parts are private, parents should say that no one should take or send pictures of those parts. Similarly, let kids know that it\u2019s not ok for grown-ups to have \u201csecrets\u201d with children, whether in-person or online.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Tayama offered these 6 tips to create a safer digital experience for your family:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Talk early and often with children about the risks of online activity. <\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Children need to be able to recognize risks online and feel empowered to speak up about them.\u202fBe upfront about what they should look out for, so kids can recognize any red flags before they turn into a bigger problem.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Set clear<\/span><\/b> rules your kids can follow to stay safe online. <\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

These can include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n