Suggestions for safely using technology at home
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- Teenagers need boundaries around the amount of time they spend on these kinds of sites and on their phones.
- If they don't, they are 'always on' and
thinking about what's happening, making them more distracted - harder
for them to be present. Additionally, if a child is being harassed then
there is no break from this, leading to significant levels of anxiety.
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A significant amount of negative experiences with peers happens through
social networking sites. Whilst a lot of good interactions happen too,
people are more inclined to say harsh things through electronic
communication, rather than face-to-face. Talk with your child about
dealing with conflict in appropriate ways rather than over the internet.
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Make a habit of checking out your child's website - not just by
visiting it, but asking them to show you. Keep it as a topic of
conversation, rather than an area of secrecy.
- Don't allow computers (and phones) to be used in bedrooms or places without others being present.
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Make it a habit that phones and other connected devices have a curfew
and are switched off and placed in a central area of the house until
the morning.
- Talk about the kinds of things that
should/shouldn't be posted on these sites: the kinds of profiles, the
kinds of photos, the kinds of messages.
- Explain to your
children that the things that are posted on the internet, even when
removed, are often still present or have already been accessed -
nothing is private. So if they say things that are considered
harassing, or post things that are inappropriate, consequences usually
follow.
- Anyone in possession of inappropriate photographs of
any person under the age of 18 is considered by the law to be in
possession of child pornography and can be charged - even if the image
was sent to them by a willing participant.
The above
information may seem quite negative but, with appropriate supervision
and education, teenagers are able to navigate their way through these
issues with maturity. Without appropriate supervision and the support
of caring adults, the consequences are often negative.
Well Being Team
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