How can families get the conversation going around technology? These conversation starters to the rescue! We’ve divided them by the most important topics to cover.
Questions About Connecting Safely
Talk about the various ways kids can connect to the internet (e.g., dial-up, Wi-Fi) and why it matters.
- What method(s) do you use to connect to the internet? Let’s learn more about how that method works (e.g., watch a video online).
- Why do you think sharing personal information, like credit card numbers, over an unsecured network is risky?
- Why is it important to be careful about sharing our family’s Wi-Fi password?
Questions About Privacy Settings
Make a point of talking about privacy settings and how kids can control what they share.
- How are you using privacy settings to protect your information?
- Did you know that images may contain metadata telling when and where they were taken? Let’s see if your digital device/platform has a way to turn that off.
- Do you ever use location services to check-in to places? What steps are you taking to protect your location when you don’t want to share it?
Questions About Passwords
A strong password is one of the simplest ways to protect the information we share online. Help your child create a password that is at least 7 characters long; uses a random mix of letters, numbers, and symbols; and contains no personal information.
- Have you ever felt pressured to share your password with someone? What did you do?
- Why is it important to have a different password for every account?
- How can we make sure your privacy is respected? How can we make sure I have the tools I need to keep you safe?
Questions About Sharing Information
To help your child master the basics of sharing personal information, teach them that context matters. In some cases, they may have to share information to gain access to some apps and websites, such as their names, email addresses and birth dates.
- What personal information are you cautious about sharing online?
- What clues do you look for to tell if a website/app/platform is trustworthy?
- What can you do if someone you’ve shared personal information with breaks your trust?
Psst…don’t forget to check out Messenger Kids—we’re loving it as a way for kids to connect with grandparents and other relatives during this time.
