Talking to Teens About Safe Internet Use

Talking with your teens about appropriate behavior is just as important online as it is in the real world. Having an open dialogue is the best way to help your kids make safe choices in relation to their use of online communities.

After you've looked around the site and you know a little bit about why your teen is using Star Search Casting, you can begin a discussion with them about their profile and their use of the site. Ask them what kind of information they have posted. Ask them to show you what their Star Search Casting page looks like and to identify their top friends. Have them take you through what they typically do on Star Search Casting. These are the same questions you ask when they come home from school—just applied to a different space.

Remind your teen that the rules for the online world and the offline world are very similar. For example, your teen knows to be wary of strangers when they leave the house, and they should do the same for those they meet online. Your teen would never blindly open the door to the house without first verifying who is knocking and why, and they should do the same for those they meet online before adding them as friends. The rules you have taught your teen about staying at the mall or walking home from school do translate to the online space, so be sure to have these conversations with your teen.

Please remember that your role is critical when it comes to communicating and enforcing safety guidelines.