Facebook is the most popular social media website at the moment, so it shouldn’t surprise you that many kids and teens are using it to communicate with their friends. But this website can be a dangerous place as well. If you are a parent and your youngsters are old enough to have their own Facebook profiles, you should do your best to protect them.
Talking about the dangers they might encounter on social media is just the beginning. After all, it is better for them to know that there are many individuals who shouldn’t be trusted. Then make sure your kids know about the following Facebook safety tips, and apply them to their profile.
1.Check the security options
The first thing you need to do is ensure your kids have their security options in order. This means their profiles need to be visible to friends only, as well as the content they post. This process is quick, and it can be done with just a few clicks. They should also take a closer look at the apps that are connected to the profile. Your kid might have used their Facebook login to quickly gain access to a mobile app, and it could be collecting the data from their profile. Go through their personal information and see if they revealed any details about themselves such as the full date of birth, their personal e-mail, or their phone number. That information shouldn’t be available to the internet, so delete the data that might be abused by any individual.
2. Secure friends list
Your kids shouldn’t add anyone they don’t know offline to their friend list. As you already know, there are many people on Facebook who get into private profiles in order to collect the personal information. Therefore, your kids’ friends list must be for acquaintances only. They should connect with their family, school friends, etc. So if you notice any unfamiliar name on there, suggest them to delete that person. All of their friends should be real because you never know the intentions of an unknown person who sends your kid a friend request.
3.Selective photo sharing
Tell your kids to be mindful of the content they share, especially the photos. Revealing too much information such as your location can be dangerous. Also, speak with them about the vacation photos. This is one of the best Facebook safety tips because it might prevent break-ins or robberies. Your kids shouldn’t announce to their entire friend list that you are leaving on a holiday. Instead, suggest them to post the images once you come back home. Yes, letting their friends know that they are traveling the world does seem exciting but make sure they know that safety should be their priority.
4.Don’t like a page just because it has a goofy name
If your kids are very active on Facebook, they are probably members of numerous groups, communities, and pages. However, they should tone it down a bit, and choose the pages they really want to follow. They might be attracted by interesting names or the content of the pages. However, liking a page is very similar to accepting a friend request from someone they don’t know. The page does get access to their profile which might contain the information which is not for everyone to see. Therefore, your kids need to add the pages they trust, and not just any community.
5.Re-check the privacy often
Even if you think your kid has spotless security on their profile, Facebook does tend to go back to the default settings often. Therefore, it is smart to check the visibility after every profile update and see who has access to it. Your kid might post something publicly without even realizing it. This can happen after each Facebook update so if you notice any changes to the general look, point out to your kid that they should check their settings as well. It takes just a couple of minutes to make sure their posts are private.
Conclusion
Facebook is an amazing tool that allows us to stay in touch with our friends and family. But with so many young users, the best thing you can do is point out a couple of Facebook security tips that will keep them safe online. These are not complicated but might help out in the long run.
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