The moment your child enters the digital or online world; they will have a digital reputation. This is the view that others will form of her based on their actions and behaviours online.
The Office of the E-Safety Commissioner highlights that a poor digital reputation can affect friendships, relationship and even job prospects – so it’s essential that you and your young person are aware and protect their digital reputation
Key tips to help them manage the risks online and with her mobile phone include:
- Talk often.
- Tell your child to speak up if they are ever worried and can come to you regardless.
- Promote confidence and respect for others.
- Encourage them to think before they post messages or images online or on their phone.
- Help them set her profiles to private.
- Ensure they know that any information posted even with her friends on private settings can be shared broadly.
- Make sure they understand the legal age, terms and features of social networking sites they are accessing.
- Teach them about how they may be committing a criminal offence when /if sharing, producing or creating provocative or sexually explicit images of themselves or others.
- Teach them it is ok to say “no” to requests made.
Keeping an open and honest dialogue with your child will also help. Although we want to teach our children to be accountable, it can be beneficial to have a ‘no-blame’ policy.
The Office of the eSafety Commissioner suggests 4 points you and your child can do on a regular basis:
- Stop and think about any content before you post or send.
- Treat others online as you would like to be treated.
- Set your profile to private—and check every now and then to make sure the settings haven’t changed.
- Keep an eye on photos tagged by your friends and remove ones that are offensive.
If parents have further questions about protecting your child’s digital reputation, please visit https://www.esafety.gov.au/
To find out more about Stuartholme and how we educate please download a prospectus.
