Virtual World Child Safety Tips for Parents on Privacy
In this article, we take a look at all the security recommendations suggested by the European Network and Information Security Agency or ENISA. These tips should be key privacy virtues that kids actively playing in virtual worlds should know by heart. Parents will need to take an active role in ensuring that these guidelines are implemented for the safety of their children.
1. Teach your children:
Simply because the online worlds and the World Wide Web fit into the New Media arena, there are entirely new shifts within the usual conversational paradigms that harmful people can take advantage of due to the relative naivety of non-technical people. This is when reading and writing in the media matters. It is vital that parents and guardians teach children about the nature of virtual worlds and also the online community. Consider an opportunity to let them know about its joys, advantages, and even risks and dangers.
2. Tell the kids not to set up a meeting with a person they put online:
One of the main risks that children can face is as simple as breaking the path between virtual and real life encounters. This is possible through a real meeting organized in the virtual worlds. Show your children that this is very harmful and let them tell you immediately if they come across this.
3. Prevent children from sharing their personal data:
Allowing dangerous people to access your private information is a very harmful thing that could happen in virtual worlds for children. Information such as address details, credit card numbers and personal mobile accounts can be stolen. Parents should make sure to strictly remind their child not to share this no matter what the scenario within the online community.
4. Photos and personal images:
Make sure children are fully aware of what it means to post photos on the virtual world website, including the use of webcams. Regarding the previous suggestion, posting a real photo of a person also allows children to face risks as mentioned above. Tell your kids or even your teens that it’s just a game within the online community and they don’t need to see their faces.
5. Warn children about showing emotions to strangers:
Although virtual worlds tend to be a great place to rehearse social skills, others really don’t have a right to know about children’s particular emotions, especially personal or home-related ones. Let them know that strangers can be very dangerous sometimes.
6. Examine the child’s web page or user profile:
You may also need to see the types of information your child or teen is posting in their open and public user information. Is there disturbing or personal data there? This is an excellent indicator to determine if your child has been wrongly affected in the virtual world.
7. Follow the age limits:
Make sure children follow the age limits on the website. Age limits serve a purpose, as virtual worlds, with all their large numbers of users, are not shipped for one age, but for age groups. What might be suitable for 12-year-olds might be too fancy or extravagant for 6-year-olds. Therefore, make sure your children abide by the rules.
8. Make Sure Kids Don’t Use Full Names:
Like important details like credit card numbers and addresses, full names are among the simplest gifts a child can give to strangers in virtual worlds. For this reason, some online virtual worlds for children set pre-approved names regarding user details. Make sure your son or daughter understands that full names are not necessary.
