Digital security for children: where to start

Every parent wants to protect their child from everything bad, sad, and scary. But sometimes, by taking these measures, we only make things worse. Sooner or later, an adult child will be confronted with the negative that parents cannot anticipate and control. Therefore, admonitions are passed down from generation to generation: do not talk to strangers, do not get into a car with someone, look around before crossing the street. In this way, adults teach children critical thinking skills that help them make good decisions and deal with difficulties in the real world.

In the real world. The reality, however, is that today's children are growing up in a digital world where offline and online are inextricably linked. The Internet is a place for exploration, communication, and learning. But there is pornographic and racist content, videos with elements of violence, and other trash from which there is no escape.

Banning the use of gadgets is not a solution.

There is only one solution: to promote, to discuss, to develop emotional intelligence. It's like talking about sex. Many parents do not know how to start, and children begin to learn from their own mistakes. Sometimes from fatal mistakes.

If you want to raise a generation that is confident online and able to confront negativity online, heed the advice of Laura Higgins, director of public safety and digital civilization at Roblox:

• Be online with your kids. Sign up for different online gaming and social networking platforms, talk about what social networks are out there and what the differences are. Ask your child what services they use to play and what they like best. Show interest in anything your child likes;
• Do not deny your children communication. Let them know they can come to you anytime and talk about anything. You are their main source of confidence and wisdom. Let them know that you do not judge them but support them, that your door is always open to them;
• Teach your children to think critically. Not everything on the Internet is true. Tell them that before you believe something, you have to stop and think about whether it is fiction;
• Get to know your children's online friends. This way, you'll make their communications safe. Check the privacy settings of each social network, ask how the child accepts requests to be added as a friend, which is the policy;
• If something bad happens, do not panic. Give your child the tools to deal with abuse, cyberbullying and bad behavior from online users. Never take away gadgets: children will take this as punishment, but it's not their fault that there is so much trash and negativity online;
• Give your child the opportunity to have their own digital space. Do not overdo it with the comments on his accounts, do not expose him to total surveillance. If you want to stay on topic, ask your child to show you how they play their favorite video game, let them tell you what channels they watch, what bloggers they read. You'll learn much more about your teen if you talk to them in a friendly way about topics that interest them, rather than checking their every move online.