Safe Zone: Children and Online Safety (#AskTheExperts)

Each hour children spend online increases their exposure to safety risks. Yet, for most families, exhaustively monitoring their child’s internet activity several hours a day is an unattainable goal–and may not be the best way to prepare youth for more independence. In this #AskTheExperts webinar, a panel of internet safety experts discussed what parents and caregivers can do to equip youth with the skills and protections needed to keep themselves safe online. Panelists provided important information for adults and youth about popular platforms and recent technological developments affecting child safety.

*Children and Screens’ #AskTheExperts Panel:*
*Sherri Hope Culver,* Director, Center for Media and Information Literacy and Professor at Temple University
*Titania Jordan,* Chief Parent Officer, Bark Technologies
*Sonia Livingstone,* OBE, FBA, Professor of Social Psychology, London School of Economics and Political Science and Director, Digital Futures for Children Centre
*Fareedah Shaheed,* Internet Safety Expert, Sekuva

*Moderated by Marc Berkman,* CEO, Organization for Social Media Safety

*Timestamps:*
[00:00:12] - Introductions by Executive Director of Children and Screens Kris Perry
[00:01:04] - Moderator Marc Berkman discusses how internet and social media harms are real, severe, and pervasive.
[00:05:16] - Sonia Livingstone shares risks to children’s safety online and what steps can be taken to protect children through parenting practices and legislative approaches.
[00:17:47] - Follow-up: Have there been positive impacts from current regulations in Europe?
[00:19:58] - Sherri Hope Culver discusses using media literacy to ignite critical thinking online.
[00:29:40] - Follow-up: What about age-of-entry standards for different types of media or age-verification processes?
[00:32:19] - Titania Jordan covers children’s safety on social media, sharing specific tools and strategies parents and youth can use.
[00:43:52] - Follow-up: Are there safe phone options available for children?
[00:44:45] - Fareedah Shaheed addresses online safety risks in video games and strategies for both children and their parents.
[00:53:47] - Follow-up: Are there considerations for using built-in safety technology vs. third-party/subscription-based apps?
[00:55:48] - The panel addresses questions from the audience:
[00:55:54] - What is one top takeaway for parents looking to improve their child’s safety online?
[01:00:11] - How can parents know when to use monitoring vs. mentoring strategies and how to transition from the oversight role to more of a mentoring role as children get older?
[01:04:54] - What resources are available for youth specifically to enhance safety?
[01:09:09] - What are some red flags that could signify that children are engaging in unsafe experiences online?
[01:13:57] - What are some considerations for using monitoring apps if youth don’t want them?
[01:24:14] - Wrap-up with Children and Screens’ Executive Director Kris Perry.

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