Discuss our theme The internet starts with “I” and ends with “T.” What does that mean and how does it apply to your family? Make this a conversation, not a lecture or inquisition. Parents might discover that their kids know more about privacy, safety, civility and security than they realized.
Have fun with your kids’ favorite apps and services! Record a family TikTok (inspiration here and here), play Roblox together (Adopt Me! is fun for families), have your kids show you around Snapchat, or play Google’s visually stunning online adventure game Interland, which teaches younger kids important digital safety skills. Bonus: If you understand — even appreciate — the apps and services your kids use and can talk about them with genuine interest, not fear, your kids will be more likely to come to you when they need help.
Jumpstart family discussion about digital safety and civility. Some conversation starters:
You see a post or fact online that just doesn’t seem right. How do you check if it’s true? Do you share it, correct it or just ignore it?
An ad pops up while you’re doing a search—you click on the ad—it takes you away from your original search. What do you do?
You’re using an app that you have permission to use, but while using the app you get a message from someone you don’t know. What do you do?
You post a picture of a friend or classmate and they ask you to take it down. What do you do?
