Google shares tips on teaching digital responsibility to kids

Being a stay-at-home momma does not mean that I was able to keep an eye out to my kids 100% at all times. My girls are homeschooled, my eldest son is currently on e-learning due to this pandemic, and they are all allowed to have 1-2hours of screen time. And as much as you want to monitor their online activity, this momma got to do others things too. And wouldn't it be nice if I can let my kids online without having to worry about the bad stuff? Good thing that DaddyO's job is related to I.T. He supervises the kids and taught them the basics of safety in web browsing, and the DO's and DON'Ts of being online.

Did you know that Google shares tips on teaching digital responsibility to kids? Here are some tips that can help parents and guardians in teaching digital responsibility to kids:

  1. Teach them to think and act responsibly online. The Golden Rule applies in the digital world. Teach kids that if it’s something they wouldn’t say or do to someone in person, then it is not proper in the online space as well.
  2. Protect passwords. Teach kids to safeguard their personal information.  Create a strong and unique password. R3pl@ce le++ers wit# sYmb0ls & n^mb3rs 1ike Thi$. Make it memorable, but avoid using personal information like names or birthdays. Use different passwords for multiple sites.
  3. Avoid sharing personally identifiable information (PII) Personally identifiable information or PII pertains to information that can reveal someone’s identity which may violate a person’s privacy. Examples of PII include names, birthdays, addresses, and phone numbers among others. Help  kids understand the importance of protecting their PII and not sharing it on social media. Teach them as well to respect the privacy of friends and family online by not identifying people by name in public profiles and pictures.
  4. Beware of dangerous sites and scammers. Make sure children avoid downloading from file-sharing websites and don’t accept files or open email attachments from unknown people. Using antivirus software is also helpful, but be sure to update it regularly.
  5. Exercise critical thinking. Help young ones learn how to verify information on social media by simply checking other sources or Google Search. For children who use online resources for homework or research requirements, make sure they understand that cutting and pasting content directly from a website may be considered as plagiarism, especially if without citation.
  6. Know where children go online. It is advisable to supervise younger children when they use the internet and tools such as Family Link can help. For older children, it is a must to have an open and healthy discussion about internet use--what is appropriate for them and not. It is important that they understand these boundaries. Parents and guardians may also set rules like scheduling online time and putting gadgets aside during meal or family hours.

Watch the first episode of Google and Mommy Mundo’s #InternetAwesomeParents webinar series to learn more about “Teaching your kids to be better netizens”. Tune in to the upcoming episodes “Ensuring your kids safety online,” on September 22 and “Setting boundaries with technology for your kids” on September 29, both at 8:00 PM.

Catch the streams on Google Philippines’ YouTube channel and Facebook page. 


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