Tips on internet privacy and security for parents

Parents need to talk to their children about online security, particularly as they approach their teens and are likely to have much more freedom and privacy. Everyone in the family should be aware of the need for strong passwords for online accounts, and they should be very wary of giving out personal details, such as date of birth, because of the risk of identity theft. Consider keeping the PC downstairs in the family room if you want to keep a close eye on them. However, teenagers will, at some point, have access to the internet when you are not around, so it is paramount that they understand the dangers of using the internet and how to protect their privacy.

Max Mosley, former president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, is a celebrity who feels very strongly about personal privacy. In what has been termed “the right to be forgotten”, Max Mosley, talking about the press, has stressed that links to webpages should be removed from search engines in certain circumstances, if that is what the subject wants. Search engines and internet articles can be very damaging because of their permanence and the difficulty in removing them, and this is something that children should bear in mind when they post blogs online for the world to see. Maintain access to your child’s online accounts and mobile phones, and explain to them that this is not about you being nosy but about keeping them safe. Often, an adult can see what a child cannot, and you are therefore trying to help them to avoid difficult situations. Talk about cyberbullying, which means bullying through the internet, and stress the importance of coming to you with any concerns straight away.

Things you can do to protect your family’s privacy and maintain security:

• Install virus protection.

• Monitoring software can be installed across electronic devices, or consider an internet filter or parental controls.

• Use a strong password for your router, and enable wireless encryption so that intruders cannot use your bandwidth or compromise your internet security by infecting your PC with malware.

• During online gaming, encourage children to use an avatar and a nickname to protect their identity, and use the parental controls that are provided.

• Install an effective safe browsing tool to flag malicious websites during browsing.

• Warn children of the dangers of downloading or installing software (such as free films or music) from certain sites. Only trusted sources should be used because of the risk of malware that could compromise internet security.

• Make sure computer programs are up to date to avoid hackers and viruses exploiting them.

Do not allow children to join social networking sites until they are old enough (13 for Facebook), and talk to them about the dangers of posting photographs and details, such as their full name, date of birth, address, holidays, or details of when they are away from home. Talk to children about online predators and stalkers and the danger of people pretending to be somebody they are not in order to gain your child’s trust. Maintain an open, healthy dialogue with children – you want to keep your relationship strong and maintain their trust so that you feel confident about them using the internet and making the right decisions.