MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau released a series of Back-2-School online safety tips Friday.
The release details potential threats parents and students should be aware of, such as creating accounts on websites without permission, threats hidden behind contests and giveaways, file sharing sites and phishing scams.
These are some of the tips the release shared on how families can manage online privacy: The Children’s Advertising Review Unit’s self-regulatory program provides detailed guidance to children’s advertisers on how to deal sensitively and honestly with children’s issues. These guidelines go beyond the issues of truthfulness and accuracy to consider the uniquely impressionable and vulnerable child audience.
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act protects the personal information of children under 13 on websites and online services— including apps. COPPA requires those sites and services to notify parents and get their approval before they collect, use or disclose a child’s personal information. However, if your nine-year-old tells Instagram they are 13 (the age requirement to use the app), this law won’t protect them.
The Family Online Safety Institute brings an international perspective to our online lives’ potential risks, harms, and rewards. The Good Digital Parenting web portal is an excellent resource for families looking to educate online safety measures in the Internet age.
Don’t share your location. Nearly every app automatically tracks a user’s location. From placing an online order for groceries or fast food to playing an online game, review the apps on all your devices to see which ones are tracking your location. Then, if it’s not needed, look in the settings to see how to disable this feature. Advise a friend or family member to avoid geo-tagging their posts with their location. For example, you don’t want to announce that your family is vacationing out of state while the house sits empty. A simple review of the geo-tagged post will reveal where you are.
Use parental controls if necessary. Although the best way to keep a child’s online privacy safe is to teach them to manage it themselves, it doesn’t hurt to have their backs by using parental controls. Today, Android, iOS and most web browsers offer built-in features that allow parents to monitor their children’s online activities, but third-party apps are also available. Research the option that works best. Follow through with the child to explain why you’re monitoring their activities.
Share with care, and remember, personal information is like money. What is posted online can last a lifetime: parents can teach children that any information they share online can easily be copied and is almost impossible to take back. Talk to them about who might see a post and how it might be perceived, and show them how anything they do online can positively or negatively impact other people. Sharing personal information can also give online thieves an idea of what login information or passwords might be used for banking or other online accounts.
For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
