Beckley, WV (WOAY) The internet is a part of modern life, but it can still be a dangerous place, especially for children.
Newswatch spoke with an expert about what parents can do to not only protect their kids but help them safely navigate the web themselves.
Today’s children are often exposed to the internet and its potential dangers at a young age. Ria Mitchell, the Project GRACE Coordinator at Just for Kids Child Advocacy Center, says parents of kids who are online must help them learn how to stay safe:
“The internet provides a lot of anonymity for people, and children often believe just because they’ve talked to somebody for a long time and they’ve sent them a picture, that that is the real person. And we’re dealing with children [whose] brains haven’t developed yet. And one of the last things that develops in your brain, anyway, is logical decision-making. So it really is on us to protect them and then to prepare them for the online landscape, because again, it’s about preparing them, not scaring them.”
Many parents use tools like the Bark app to keep track of their kids’ online activity. However, Mitchell says these tools are only a small piece of the safety puzzle. The best thing is to help give kids the confidence to stay safe on their own and tell someone if anything happens.
“I always talk about the connection piece and keeping children safe in a dangerous world, and that looks like preparing them for interactions, finding out where they are online, just like you would in person. Who are they hanging out with? What are they doing? If you are in a game, for example, what other places can you go in that game? …I think that a lot of parents would be shocked at the content, especially user-generated content, that lives with games.”
It can be hard to start a safety conversation with your child, but there are resources available online and locally that can help you get started.
“Just for Kids just compiled a bunch of information for a Body Safety Toolkit. And within that, there are internet safety tips, and we would love to share that with the community. Our office number is (304) 255-4834. And if you’d like to give us a call and ask for Caitlin, then she’d be more than willing to send that over.”
