Demelza Leonard
As children are forced to stay home, authorities are warning parents of heightened risks as children spend more time online to socialise with friends. There are several things parents can do to protect their children from unwanted and dangerous predatory behaviours. Social media expert Demelza Leonard shares her tips for families: 1. Create a family social media use plan in consultation with your children and stick to it. 2. Enforce age requirements based upon app recommendations. 3. Learn about the sites your children want to use so you know what they can and can’t do and the potential issues that could arise. 4. Educate them on catfishing, cyberbullying, grooming and what constitutes inappropriate on-line behaviour. 5. Check privacy settings on apps regularly and install trusted security with controls on children’s devices.