Gifting an Internet-enabled Device? Three tips to make sure your children are safe online this holiday season

How to prevent internet predators from targeting your family

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This holiday season, Americans are set to spend record amounts on gifts, and that includes many types of Internet-enabled devices. These devices, like tablets, phones, wearables and game consoles, pose a threat of exploitation online if parents don't know how to protect their kids. Every year, thousands of vulnerable children around the U.S. become victims of online exploitation because predators use the anonymity of the Internet to target them, warns Raven, an organization that protects children from victimization.

"Devices make really fun gifts, but it's important that parents know how to protect their kids online and that means putting some guardrails in place," said John Pizzuro, CEO of Raven and former Commander of the NJ Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. "For any kid using a device, I always advise parents to understand the threats and make sure their kids can't be contacted or tracked on whatever platform they are using."

Before you hand that new device over to a child, here are three things you should do to help keep them safe:

• Establish clear boundaries: Before giving a child access to an internet-enabled device, make sure to establish a clear and consistent set of rules, laying out which behaviors are and are not acceptable. Make sure they understand the risks that can come with internet usage, how to avoid them, and feel comfortable confiding in you if they encounter a situation that makes them feel unsafe.
  
  
• Use parental settings: Most Internet-enabled electronic devices possess some form of parent control settings, allowing parents to monitor and control the way their children use the device. These settings can usually do everything from limiting screen time to controlling which apps can and can't be downloaded. They are a simple and effective way to make sure the child is using their device safely and responsibly.
  
  
• Don't talk to strangers or share your location: The Internet is a big place, and not everyone on it has a child's best interests at heart. To keep them safe, ensure that your child is only using their device to speak with people they know and trust. Do not let your kids talk to anyone they do not know in real life, even if you think it's a harmless teammate in a video game. Closely monitor social media usage and have regular check-ins with your child to understand how they are spending their time online.

Raven is a 501(c)4 founded by the nation's leading child exploitation investigators, retired ICAC Commanders, sex offender treatment providers, technology innovators, and policy experts. The organization is dedicated to bringing years of law enforcement experience to bear to protect children from victimization by raising awareness of the threat of online child exploitation, increasing resources and funding to law enforcement, and lobbying for policy changes on the local and federal level.

SOURCE Raven