Help Your Teenager Protect their Online Identity

Children and young people use the Internet to learn, communicate, create, socialise and to have fun. Through it they have access to a greater sense of community and the wider world.

It is important to encourage them to share their thoughts in a considered and thoughtful way.

However, the rise of social media has made it easier for young people to be exploited. In October 2013, Facebook announced plans that impacted on millions of young people aged between 13 and 17, who now have the choice to post comments and images publicly.

Previously their posts could only be seen by ‘friends’ or ‘friends of friends’.

Adding the option to share publicly, brings Facebook in line with other social media sites popular with teenagers. It highlights the growing need for young people to manage their privacy settings and control what they publish online.

According to Facebook, the National Crime Agency believes the changes will “help young people understand the need to manage their privacy settings carefully and to control who they share their information with.”

Teenagers will ultimately make mistakes online and the likelihood is that they will not realise the consequence of their actions, so guidance is necessary.

Click here to read the survey by the Family Online Safety Institute.

If you would like to discuss any issue of with personal reputation management please contact me for a confidential discussion.