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Parents’ Back to School Online Safety Guide

Parents’ Back to School Online Safety Guide

Keeping Texas Kids Safe Online

The rise of social media and other internet platforms has created new, unique threats to the safety of the most vulnerable Texans: our children. Every day, kids and teens are exposed to content online about suicide, eating disorders, drug use, and other topics that are often not suitable for children. At the same time, online bullying and harassment run rampant, and the statistics on teen suicide and mental health paint an alarming picture for the next generation.

Sen. Cornyn is a cosponsor of two landmark, Senate-passed child online safety bills, the Kids Online Safety Act and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act. You can learn more about this legislation here. 

As kids go back to school across the state, here are some ways parents, educators, and school leaders can help promote safe internet and social media use:

  1. Discuss ways that dangerous people or predators may present themselves online, including as a friend, acquaintance, or public figure.
  2. Encourage kids to think twice before accepting a social media friend request or communicating with individuals online.
  3. Warn children about the dangerous consequences of drug abuse, including the use of substances that could contain fentanyl.
  1. Make sure children make time within their daily schedules for offline activities.
  2. Introduce screen time limits or automatic timers on social media apps to combat overuse of devices, which could lead to negative mental and physical side effects
  1. Hackers, stalkers, and predators alike will search for and utilize personal information such as home addresses, frequently visited locations, and personal data shared on social media to track down or victimize individuals of all ages.
  2. Never share your current location, little-known facts about yourself, when you’re out of town, or information that could be used against you online.
  3. Lock down social media accounts to ensure children’s personal information and posts are not public.
  1. Check-in on your children and monitor their online activity for potentially harmful content.
  2. Create a safe environment for children to discuss what they might be struggling with, whether it’s a mental health concern or harmful content they have come into contact with while online.

For more information and safety resources, please visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.