[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Madelaine called me on a Tuesday. She needed advice for her fifth-grade project on Internet safety. With her teacher\u2019s help, she put me on speaker phone and asked my permission to record the conversation. Her questions were important. Among them: \u201cHow can kids stay safe online?\u201d and \u201cWhat advice do you have for teachers and parents about how to teach kids to be safe on the Internet?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Toward the end of our conversation, Madelaine\u2019s teacher noted that it is difficult to know what resources to use, or who to ask for advice on Internet safety. Her comments made me wonder whether other teachers feel this way, so I decided to use my post this week to share research that can help teachers and parents to minimize risks, while also preparing kids to be smarter, savvier, and safer on the Internet.<\/span><\/p>\n How can kids stay safe on the Internet?<\/b><\/p>\n In my conversation with Madelaine, I emphasized the importance of parents, teachers and kids talking openly about what safety means, the kinds of sites or activities that might pose a risk, how to avoid risks, and what to do if they find themselves in a situation that makes them feel upset. <\/span>In a landmark study published in 2011, Sonia Livingstone, \u00a0Leslie Haddon, Anke G\u00f6rzig, Kjartan \u00d3lafsson and members of the EU Kids Online network<\/span><\/a> found that 12 % of kids had experienced situations online that made them feel bothered, or uncomfortable. Interestingly, a much higher percentage — 55% — agreed that there are things on the Internet that would upset <\/span>other<\/span><\/i> kids their age. So even if children haven\u2019t experienced risky activities themselves, the majority seemed aware that sexually explicit images, mean comments from other people, or hateful user-generated content were indeed part of what they could encounter or experience online.<\/span><\/p>\n At the same time, the study found that although more Internet use predicted higher probability of exposure to online risks, students who used the Internet more and for more diverse purposes at school and at home also seemed to acquire a more diverse set of digital skills that allowed them to take advantage of online opportunities. Plus, <\/span>in another analysis, Sonck, Livingstone, Kuiper and \u00a0de Haan<\/span><\/a> found that digital skills may actually protect students from risks, even as they continue to be more active online. So, teaching digital literacies skills like how to block unwanted messages, delete browser history, and find information online may mitigate risks and their impact. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What can teachers and parents do?<\/b><\/p>\n