How to protect your kids online

With a mix of backgrounds in risk, compliance, fraud, and law enforcement, the team understands the reality of the situation as well as urgency around education and action. Their mission is “to empower parents to educate children about online safety” and “promote responsible digital behavior and empower children to navigate the internet safely.”

The thing that was most disturbing to me to learn in one of ISB’s workshops was that every single day, there are over 500,000 online predators active [1], and 89% of the sexual advances that take place online are directed at children. In 2023 alone, the National Center for Abused and Missing Children received over 36 million reports of online child sexual abuse material [2].

While there are numerous additional statistics to keep you up at night, this one is incredibly unsettling to me because it is absolutely something that we can teach our children safe practices around: 75% of children are willing to share personal information online in exchange for goods and services [3].

There are two broad topics when it comes to next steps now that you’re sufficiently uncomfortable with how little you’ve done so far (I was there too):

• Protect and monitor; and

• Educate and communicate.

When it comes to protecting and monitoring, some quick actions that ISB recommends are: set parental controls [4] on your router, add parental controls to minors’ devices (iOS [5], Android [6]), install kids’ version of apps if possible, and lock minors’ credit reports so they can’t be abused.

Credit bureaus haven’t made it easy to lock your child’s credit report, but this is something that seems like a no-brainer given that in Q1 2024 there were 841 data compromises [7], a 90% increase over the same period last year. Given that a child’s stolen credit can go unnoticed for years (typically until they first apply for credit), minors are particularly vulnerable to identity theft.

Here’s how to do it: Go to your internet browser and type “freeze minor credit report Experian” (or TransUnion or Equifax - you will have to make each request separately). Make sure you are clicking on the actual domain URL of the credit bureau you are searching for and not some other website.

If you try this search, you’ll find that you have to gather numerous documents as well as write and print a letter that needs to be signed and physically mailed, potentially with a printout of an online submitted form. Yes, it is laborious and yes you will receive a letter in the mail confirming the freeze has been performed. This will prevent anyone from using your child’s social security number until the freeze is released.

As for education, the resources are numerous. As a starting point, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency [8] (CISA) has numerous tip cards and resources. But as we have embarked on this journey with my oldest, I’ve become very aware that especially in this situation our tone sets his tone. We want him to be aware of its dangers and how to navigate situations while also not being afraid of the internet.

At 10 years old, it felt like a delicate balance to maintain and I’ll be the first to acknowledge that a year later our practices are more restrictive than many others (no YouTube, no open network gaming, and no social media unless a trusted adult is present). The most important thing we wanted to prioritize was that he could and should talk to us about anything that he sees online, and I think we’ve done that. The next step in our journey is expanding boundaries while continuing education and communication.

As parents and guardians, our reality is that we cannot always be there to protect our loved ones from the dangers that lie ahead, both in the physical world and online. What we certainly can do is guide them with the information, decision frameworks, and support that they need in order to navigate difficult situations in the moment — but many times we must first educate ourselves.

Annie Tsai is chief operating officer at Interact (tryinteract.com), early stage investor and advisor with The House Fund (thehouse.fund), and a member of the San Mateo County Housing and Community Development Committee. Find Annie on Twitter @meannie.