Parents, to help your kids stay safe online, to help them make good decisions as they scroll, click, and tap, talk to them. Establish an open and honest line of communication with them about how and when they use their devices. And now is a good time to begin that conversation. The school year is ending, summer vacation is approaching, and the devices are beckoning. To get started, ask your kids to join you in taking our Privacy Pledge.
I pledge allegiance to myself and promise to protect my
privacy. I will try:
- To keep details about who I am—like my address,
phone number, the name of my pet, the name of my school—offline and off social
media.
- To keep my passwords to myself and not share
them with anyone (except parents).
- To avoid online quizzes and questionnaires (including
fun ones, like Harry Potter Sorting Hat tests)
- To check with my parents before signing up for
anything online.
- To keep photos and videos of myself and my
friends off of social media and post them only with my parents’ permission.
- To tell my parents if someone makes me
uncomfortable online
- To be kind to friends online and not teasing or
bullying.
- To say NO if anyone I meet online wants to meet
in person. And then go tell my parents.
- To check with my parents before downloading an
app, a game, or anything else onto my phone, iPad, or computer.
- To think
before clicking anything in an email or on a website.