The world has drastically changed since the time you were a child. With the advent of the internet, the old adage of "stranger danger" still holds true, but takes on a very different outlook and way of preparing your children to be safe and proactive internet users.

No longer do you have to physically go out and meet new people. It can be done right from the couch or your bedroom while online. Being safe online has never been more important. So what are five of the most important things that you should teach your kid(s) about online safety?

• Never Share Private Information Online
• Never Agree To Meet An Online Friend In Person Without Talking To An Adult
• The Things You Say Online Can Never Be Taken Back
• If Something Doesn’t Seem Right, Tell Someone
• The Internet Can Be Highly Useful When Used Safely

Never Share Private Information Online

Most children know that they shouldn't give out their address or their phone number to a stranger they meet in public, so the same should apply to their online experiences.

Explain to the child that although it can be exciting to make new friends online, not everyone has your best interest in mind or even is exactly who they say they are. Set some ground rules about things which should never be shared online such as their full name, address, phone number, passwords or even email address.

Behind the scenes, you can make sure your network at home is utilizing a VPN which will encrypt all internet traffic and make it harder for those will poor intentions to gain access to this information. VPNs like Surfshark are the perfect way to keep your child safe online.

Then, as they get older, you can explain in more detail about how exactly a VPN works and why it's so important to use.

Never Agree To Meet An Online Friend In Person Without Talking To An Adult

Online is a great place to keep in contact with friends from school or sports teams and it can even be a great place to meet new people. Unfortunately, online forums can also be a place where people with ill intentions hang out as well.

Teach your child about some of the red flags that can arise when talking to new people online. This can include things like the other person asking them to keep their conversations a secret from their parents or even asking to secretly meet in real life.

Explain that if someone asks to meet you that you need to immediately tell your parents. This way, they can help you decide if this is truly a person that you should be hanging out with or not.

In some cases, the internet can actually connect people with very similar interest that end up being lifelong friends. Then, close out the conversation by making sure that they know you are proud of them for listening to the rules meant to keep them safe.

The Things You Say Online Can Never Be Taken Back

Much like the words they speak, it should be explained to children that everything they say online is now there forever no matter how many times you may hit the delete button.

You can explain this by mentioning a time when your child has called someone a mean name at school or even has been called a mean name themselves. Although the other person or the child may have apologized, it is still a memory that doesn't make you feel so great. The same thing applies online when talking with anyone.

Once you've said something or shared something, you can't take it back. This is especially important information for children who have social media accounts as these types of posts and messages can follow the child well into adulthood.

If Something Doesn’t Seem Right, Tell Someone

Perhaps one of the single most important things to make sure that your child understands is that they can come to you with questions or concerns at any point if something doesn't seem right or makes them feel uncomfortable while online.

Explain that the internet is a very large and complicated thing and you may come across some things that you don't recognize. In these cases especially, it is important that they come to you as a parent or guardian to ask for assistance. Be sure to also let them know that you are once again proud of them if they do come to you with questions.

If you act annoyed with them and punish them for being places that they shouldn't be online, then they are far less likely to come to you in the future which could potentially lead to some very dangerous situations.

The Internet Can Be Highly Useful When Used Safely

Explaining all of these safety measures to your children can be pretty scary for them and understandably so. After all, there are certainly people there who do not have their best interest in mind when logging on. For this reason, it is important to end your conversation with your child by making sure that they understand all of the many benefits of the internet.

It is full of entertainment, knowledge, and answers to almost any question you could ever have if you are willing to look hard enough. Do your best not to vilify going online. Instead, stress the idea of internet safety so that they get to continue to enjoy all of the wonderful things that the internet has to offer without getting into trouble.

Safety is your biggest goal when it comes to your children. Now, in the age of technology, there are more reasons than ever before to be cautious of your children's activities even if they're just inside on their phone or computer. Developing trust and understanding with your child will make it easier to discuss these types of situations and increase the probability that they will come to you if they have a problem while interacting with others online.