Safety Tips for Caregivers
- Set the family computer up in a busy area like kitchen, living room, or dining room table where you can monitor its use.
- If your child has their own laptop/computer, limit time on the computer or create rules that the computer can't be in their room after a certain time.
Share an email account with your young child so you can monitor messages. - Encourage children to report things that make them feel creepy to a trusted adult.
- Check the online services for their “kids only” controls. This includes your TV controls as well as your video gaming systems.
- Install a blocker purchased at the computer store.
- Report inappropriate activity to your Internet Service Provider.
- Discuss with your child to not provide any personal information to anyone online such as their full name, address, city, parents names or school attended.
- Obtain passwords for all accounts including email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Hidden Apps
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"Vault apps store photos, videos, and other apps, and they require password authentication to open. Then there are hidden apps which look innocuous — like a calculator — but are used to hide pictures and messages that teens don’t want their parents to see. Like vault apps, they typically require a password to access the content inside." - Bark.us
Ask.fm- This app allows users to interact in a question and answer format- with friends, peers, and anonymous users alike. Kik Messenger- This app allows users to text with friends at a high speed and with a more “face to face feel”. Users can text people beyond their phone contacts by having a username. Whisper- This app allows users to share secrets, express themselves, and meet new people. Users set up anonymous accounts and it shows the user location. Omegle- This app puts two strangers together in their choice of a text or video chat. There is no registration required with this app and you have to be “geotagged” to work. Calculator%- This app allows the user to hide messages, photos, videos and other apps. Vaulty- This app allows the user to store photos and videos. It will also take a photo of anyone who tries to access the vault with the wrong password. Tinder- This app allows the user to hook up and rate other users. It allows hookups via GPS tracking. Blendr- This app is another hook up type app that allows the user to message, exchange photos, and rate the “hotness” of other users. Reddit- This app allows the user to access inappropriate material. The user must only click a button saying they are 18 to access it, but there is no varication process. Tumblr- This app allows the user to have a streaming scrapbook of text, photos, and videos. A number of inappropriate videos and photos are easily accessible. Houseparty- This app allows the user to connect via live video. The video is not saved so the content can be inappropriate. Monkey- This app allows the user to connect for 10 seconds to live video chat with strangers. They are connected through their Snapchat account. **Adapted from LSSI YOUTH WORKS Ogle County program |
Making Your Account Private
- Personalize your privacy account settings. These specific links below direct you to online help for your privacy settings. Notice what is shared publicly and privately.
- Think before you post. Ask yourself if you would be comfortable sharing the status post or picture with your grandparents or parents. If not, you might want to re-think posting. Once you share something online, it doesn't come down, even after it is deleted.
- Turn off location services. When location is on and you post a status, anyone can see where you're located. Burglers know you aren't home, potential preditors know where you are and that you may be alone. Click these links to help you get started...
- DO NOT post revealing pictures online or on snapchat. Even if you trust the person you are sending it to, they can potentially show someone else. Plus, if you are under the age of 18, you are distributing child pornography and could be subject to charges. For more information on this law, visit The Department of Justice website to learn more.
