Three tips for keeping children safe online

Sally Frank, a specialist on Internet Crimes Against Children who has built her career working to protect children from exploitation and abuse, has some suggestions:

1. Don’t just shield your kids from the online world. Prepare them for it.

There are plenty of great tools and apps that can help you enforce the boundaries your family has set. They can limit the time your child spends online, the content they can consume and apps they can access. Many apps even have parental controls and privacy settings built in. 

But eventually, these tools alone will not be enough. Inevitably, children are going to be exposed to the internet in ways that are out of your control. And, when they are, they will more likely be safe if they are prepared for what they might encounter.

In an age-appropriate way, it can be helpful to begin the discussion of what the risks are and what warning signs to look out for. Thorn has a useful guide filled with talking tips and conversation starters to help you get started.

2. Move beyond "Stranger danger”.

Adults say it to children all the time: “Don’t talk to strangers.” But this concept doesn’t begin to address the nuances of the internet (or, if we’re honest, real life).

Children must learn that unlike real life, time never equals trust when speaking to a person online. Even after months of conversation, that person on the other side of the screen is still a stranger.

This is challenging, and even adults are commonly deceived by people on the internet who pretend to be someone they are not. If adults are susceptible to these lies, children are even more vulnerable.

Though it may be a difficult conversation to have, kids need to know that there are people online who don’t have good intentions and may try to force them into doing something that could harm them. But with proper guidance and open conversations with adults they trust, they can learn to stay safe.

3. Safety rules are not a replacement for open conversations.

Just like the rules we grew up with as kids, families can and should create clear boundaries around internet and social media usage. Just like we broke rules as kids, children today will also invariably stray.

The most important thing a child can do when they are in danger is talk to a responsible grown-up. But research shows only 6% of children aged nine-17 turned to a trusted adult after being sent a nude photo by someone else they thought was an adult. (Thorn, Responding to Online Threats: Minors’ Perspectives on Disclosing, Reporting, and Blocking, 2019)

No child should ever be victimised, even if they have broken a rule or engaged in risky behaviour. Children need to know that their safety is more important than anything else, that you will always be on their side, and that it is never their fault when someone else does something to hurt them.

As best as you can, normalise open conversations with your child built on a strong foundation of trust. Let them know that they can talk to you about anything without fear of being judged or shamed. It’s also helpful to identify with them which relatives or friends are trusted adults they can turn to when they don't feel comfortable talking with you.

Looking for other ways to help keep children safe online? Donate now to our appeal and have your gift DOUBLED* to stop livestreamed child abuse.

If you’re concerned about a situation with your child online, don’t hesitate to call the police or a helpline.

*New donations given in June and July 2025 will be doubled, up to a combined $5million across the world, thanks to a generous donor.