Teaching your kids to be safe on social media is very important. Most kids and teens spend hours online each day and we need to understand what they are experiencing and help them stay safe.

June is National Internet Safety Awareness Month. All month, we will share ideas on how to keep the internet a safe resource for you and your family. See other articles about online safety.

Before you let your children surf the web, make sure they have a full understanding of how to be safe online, particularly on social media. Below are some ideas, adapted from the article “10 Tips to Teaching Your Kids to Be Safe on Social Sites:”

1. Be careful what personal details your children are giving out online.
2. Use privacy settings. Check the privacy settings for each social network they use.
3. Teach your children to think before they post.
4. Avoid in-person meetings.
5. Be honest about their age.
6. Remember that social media sites are public spaces. What you post available for everyone to see.
7. Avoid posting anything that could embarrass them later or expose them to danger.
8. Teach your children that people they meet online aren’t always who they say they are.
9. Check your children’s history. Keep tabs on what they are doing online, who they are talking to, what they are posting, and which sites they are visiting.
10. Avoid inappropriate content and behavior. Teach your children what to do if they encounter something inappropriate and make sure to report it to the social media site.

What internet safety tips would you add to this list?