When we think about our children's media use, terms such as addiction, inappropriate content and cyberbullying immediately spring to mind. But digital media also raises questions about safety. Like us adults, our children must learn to deal with the fact that not everyone in the digital world has our best interests at heart. Parents need to take action on several levels to protect children and young people from harm and enable them to use digital media safely.
Children need to develop a healthy scepticism when they encounter offers that seem too good to be true. This could be an invitation to click on a link to claim a prize for a competition they are supposed to have entered (even though they don't remember doing so). Or it could be someone who wants to give them a gift but asks for their name, address and place of residence in return.
High media literacy, strong self-confidence and critical thinking are the most important pillars in the fight against the dangers of the internet.
When children get their first mobile phone, parents should use the technical options offered by operating systems to restrict access and applications. As the examples above show, parents should make their children aware of these issues. Who can you trust, and what are reliable sources? And last but not least: what does your gut feeling tell you?
Don't punish, teach instead
The dangers for children and young people are manifold: cyberbullying, grooming (adults gaining the trust of children and young people on the internet in order to sexually abuse them), but also data misuse and data theft. Parents are challenged because they too are often overwhelmed by the tricks used online. New scams are constantly emerging, fuelled by the growing possibilities offered by AI.
Parents' evening on the topic of safety
If children fall for a con artist's tricks, reveal too much about themselves or are careless when sharing their own photos, we as parents must not just be referees showing yellow cards. We also have a role to play as coaches: high media literacy, strong self-confidence and critical thinking are the most important pillars in the fight against the dangers of the internet. Parents should support their children with understanding, competence and trust.
It's easier to do this together. On 18 November at 8 p.m., we're organising another edition of our online parents' evening, this time on the topic of safety. I'll be chatting with experts Claudia Lässer, Manu Burkart and Dieter Studer, and parents can ask their questions directly in the studio. The parents' evening will be streamed simultaneously on blue TV and YouTube.
Participation at: swisscom.com/parents' evening
Interactive learning modules on Swisscom Campus:
swisscom.ch/campus
