We see how every time there is a new channel or technology platform impostors try to claim ground on someone elses identity.
When I first started using Twitter many celebrities had the issue of other users claiming their names. Over time Twitter corrected this event by validating celebrity identities and validating certain accounts so you could know that the person behind the account was not an impostor.
We see how there is a need to validate celebrities but for the rest of us, we have to rely on the integrity of a person behind the account when interacting with them.
Impostors with Bad Intentions
Just as there are people posing to rob your identity and harm you as an adult, there are many other individuals who are trying to get a hold of children to take advantage of them.
Creating Awareness
It is very important that your family knows of the many risks these individuals can pose. When you create awareness you might have to go into a subject or two that might not be comfortable to speak about with your kids but it will highly benefit them.
Monitoring Your Kids Contacts
Although it is great that you give your kids the trust to judge which people they interact with online, it is never a bad idea for you to monitor and check up on the conversations those contacts are having with your kids and other online contacts. As an adult you might be better prepared to catch suspicious behavior than a child.
Keeping Open Communication is Critical
If you are constantly communicating with your kids not only does it help in creating awareness of the possible threats but it also helps when it comes to getting an idea who your kids are interacting with. Make it a fun daily or periodic exercise to talk about their ideas, what they have been talking about, what are there plans, and which people they have met lately. By doing this exercise you will have better communication and it also opens it up to being able to identify any possible threats that your child might not be aware of.
Overall the fact that, on the internet, many people hide behind a username with their own motives, can clearly put any individual or parent at a huge disadvantage.
How do you certify that your family’s contacts are safe enough for them to continue interacting with them? Do you take a different approach?
It would be great if you could share any ideas with the alliance.
photo credit by db Photography | Demi-Brooke
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