Teens & Screens Part 1: Raising Smart Cyber-Citizens in Social Media

By Sue Scheff for The Canteen on MyJewishLearning.com

The following is the first in a three-part series on how to help safely navigate the world of social media with your kids from Sue Scheff, a mother, author, parent advocate, and expert in internet safety education.

Do you consider yourself a savvy digital parent? While your kids are away at camp during the summer, it can be a great time to get caught up on learning about the cyber-lives of youth today. The more you know, the more you can better communicate with your kids regarding their digital lives.

The results of a recent 2014 study by McAfee titled, Teens and Screens, should be a wake-up call for parents. Some of the staggering findings include:

• 59% of tweens and teens engage with strangers online
• Cyberbullying has tripled, yet 24% of the respondents admitted they don’t know what to do in the event of online abuse
• Tweens and teens are still over-sharing their personal information, with 14% admitting posting their home address

Exactly what do you know about your child’s online life? Most know about cyber-safety 101:

Continue reading.


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