Online Safety Tips for Parents: How to Keep the Conversation Open

You don’t need to understand every app, game, or online trend your child enjoys. Start by showing genuine interest.

Ask your child to show you their favorite game, explain a feature they enjoy, or tell you what they like watching online. Try questions such as:

• “What do you enjoy doing online the most?”
• “Which games or apps are your friends using?”
• “Have you seen anything online that confused or upset you?”
• “What do you do if someone sends you a message you don’t like?”

These questions can help you learn about your child’s experiences without making every conversation feel like an investigation.

Children may not always realize how much information a photo, profile, or casual conversation can reveal.

Explain why they should be careful about sharing their home address, school, phone number, passwords, live location, or other identifying details.

Discuss privacy settings together and review who can contact them, see their posts, or access their information.

You can also remind children that something shared online may be copied or forwarded, even if the original message was intended for just one person.

Rather than expecting children to remember every rule, revisit these topics regularly as they begin using new platforms.

Children may communicate with people through games, group chats, social media, and messaging apps. Help them understand that an online profile doesn’t always tell the whole story about a person.

Discuss warning signs such as someone asking for personal information, pressuring them to share photos, offering gifts in exchange for secrecy, or insisting that a conversation must be hidden from trusted adults.

You can ask: “What would you do if someone you met online asked you to keep your conversations secret?”

Listen to the answer, then explain that a request for secrecy that makes them uncomfortable is a good reason to pause and talk to a trusted adult.

Make sure your child knows they won’t be left to handle a concerning interaction alone.

Cyberbullying can leave children feeling embarrassed, isolated, or worried that the situation will get worse if they tell someone.

Talk about what respectful online behavior looks like, including not forwarding humiliating images, joining in with hurtful comments, or sharing another person’s private information.

If your child experiences cyberbullying, listen to what happened and how it affected them. Avoid immediately dismissing the situation or asking why they didn’t simply ignore it.

Depending on the situation, you may need to save relevant messages or screenshots, block or report an account, contact the school, or seek additional help.

Most importantly, reassure your child that they don’t have to solve the problem by themselves.

Clear boundaries help children understand expectations and give parents an opportunity to explain the reasons behind them. Discuss topics such as:

1. 1 Which apps, games, and websites are appropriate for your child’s age.
2. 2 When devices should be put away, especially around bedtime.
3. 3 What information and images should never be shared.
4. 4 What to do when someone sends an uncomfortable message.
5. 5 When your child should ask permission before downloading an app or contacting someone new.

Whenever possible, involve your child in the conversation. Ask what rules they think would help them stay safe and why.

Review the rules as your child matures. The goal is to build good judgment, not just compliance.

Parental controls can help manage screen time, restrict certain content, and adjust privacy settings. They are useful tools, but no setting can guarantee that a child will never encounter something harmful online.

Combine technology settings with regular conversations, age-appropriate boundaries, and an understanding of the platforms your child uses.

Explain the purpose of the controls so children understand that the goal is their safety and well-being.

As children grow, involve them in reviewing the settings and discussing what level of independence is appropriate.

This may be the most important of all online safety tips for parents.

Children sometimes hesitate to disclose online problems because they fear losing their phone, disappointing their parents, or getting into trouble for something they did.

Tell your child directly:

“If something happens online that worries you, you can come to me. Even if you made a mistake, we’ll work through it together.”

If they do share a difficult experience, pause before reacting. Thank them for telling you, ask what support they need, and work together on the next steps.

If there is an immediate safety concern, take appropriate action to protect them and report serious incidents to the relevant authorities.

Technology changes quickly, and children will encounter situations that adults cannot predict. Teaching them how to pause, recognize discomfort, protect their information, and ask for help prepares them to navigate those situations more confidently.

Trust Buddy was created around the importance of helping children communicate with trusted adults. Safety tools can support families, but children also need to know that someone will listen when they reach out.

Start a conversation tonight: Ask your child, “Have you ever seen anything online that you weren’t sure how to handle?” Listen without judgment. That conversation may open the door to many more.

Learn more about Trust Buddy: trustbuddyapp.com

Additional resource: FBI guidance on keeping kids safe online.