Tips to Help Children Stay Safe Online This Summer

As the school year winds down, many kids will soon swap their pens and pencils for game consoles and cell phones to enjoy their summer break. To ensure their safety online, a new federal program aims to keep kids protected and informed of potential online dangers.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched the “Know2Protect” (K2P) campaign in April. The initiative focuses on educating children, teens, parents, and policymakers about online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) on social media and in web-based video games.

DHS is launching a week of action this week highlighting the program during June’s National Internet Safety Month. It was established in 2005 by the U.S. Senate to raise awareness of internet dangers. 

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas emphasizes the timing of the campaign as summer begins. 

“We use it as an opportunity to further boost the efforts that are already underway,” he tells Parents. “It comes at a pivotal time because it’s the beginning of summer. And the youth of today do not spend their summers like I did out on the playground 15 hours every day.”

The educational push also comes with the disturbing rise of reports of suspected online exploitation, which has been growing each year. 36.2 million cases were reported in 2023, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, representing a 360 percent increase from just 10 years ago. Globally, child sexual abuse material has increased by 87% over the past five years, according to the WeProtect Global Threat Assessment.

“We felt that the models of the past were not meeting the moment,” Secretary Mayorkas explains. 

“What we decided to do based on experience was really develop a public/private partnership to raise awareness of the prevalence of this criminal activity,” the Secretary continues. “And a partnership to really educate both potential victims and the parents and others around them who could prevent the harm from manifesting.”

Steps Parents Can Take to Protect Kids

Secretary Mayorkas says the most important tip he tells parents to help keep children safe is to know who their children are communicating with and to maintain open conversations. 

“You know, I was taught, ‘You don’t speak with strangers that you run into on the sidewalk.’ This is the analog [version],” Secretary Mayorkas explains of the Know2Protect program.  

The website offers suggestions on how to talk to your child at different ages and stages. For example, with younger children, a parent can work with them to come up with steps they should take if they see inappropriate content. That may be as simple as looking away and telling a parent or trusted adult.

For older tweens and teens, parents can talk to them in a bit more detail by telling them things like “safe adults” won’t be asking them online to keep any secrets or disrespect personal boundaries.

Overall, the site offers 10 Tips all parents can take to protect their children, especially during the idle time of summer. They include:

• Password-protecting control access to your child’s app store and gaming downloads.
• Set all apps, games, and devices to private.
• Turn off location data on social media and nonessential apps.
• Set time limits for the use of devices.
• Create an agreement with your child regarding behavior.
• Warning your child not to leave a game to chat with someone they don’t know on another platform.

“This collective effort can foster a safer online environment by encouraging proactive participation from kids, teens, and their parents to take an active role in creating a safer online experience for themselves and their families,” agrees Jeff Wu, Chief Safety Officer at k-ID, a kid’s safety and compliance technology platform for games.

Beyond the awareness campaign, Wu suggests additional measures to enhance digital safety. He advocates for the mandatory incorporation of online safety education into the core school curriculum, which he emphasizes should start in the early education years and be age-appropriate.

He also says gaming and social media companies should take more proactive steps by “developing and implementing true safety and privacy-by-design technologies.” These technologies should aim to prevent kids and teens from abusive or risky interactions based on their age, jurisdiction, and digital maturity.

Additionally, Wu suggests that technology companies and governments should “rethink the onboarding process for video games.” He says the goal is to encourage and empower kids to engage in age-appropriate experiences and communities without restricting their ability to learn, play, and explore in a manner suitable for their digital maturity.

What is the ‘Know2Protect’ Program?

“Know2Protect” is the first federal campaign focused on education and the prevention of CSEA. It’s website, Know2Protect.gov, is a comprehensive resource for both children and their caregivers. It includes a portal designed specifically for kids ages 10 and older. The K2P portal provides information geared towards children on how exploitation happens, learning the signs of exploitation, and how to report it to law enforcement and their parents. 

“There has also been a reduction in the age of individuals accessing social media,” Secretary Mayorkas says. “We, as a society, have not put into the bloodstream an awareness of the dangers. And so it is not top of mind necessarily for every parent, nor for every child, nor for every teacher.”

Project iGuardian is an educational programming component of “Know2Protect” which provides information for schools, community groups, corporations, and nonprofit organizations about the ongoing threats of online predators. The initiative features presentations by Homeland Security special agents who investigate online child sexual exploitation and abuse, who then offer first-hand knowledge about the threats posed by online predators. 

To amplify its reach, the campaign has partnered with national sports leagues, youth-serving organizations, gaming, technology, and other private sector organizations, like Roblox, Snap, Google, and Meta. Secretary Mayorkas emphasizes that these partnerships are crucial for disseminating educational materials to a wider audience.

Google is donating ad credits for Google Display, YouTube, and Google Search, which aims to bolster the reach of the campaign. Roblox Corporation is displaying in-game billboard advertisements for users of its online platform. Snap Inc., is providing in-platform ad credits on its Snapchat platform and conducting research to gauge users’ awareness and familiarity with a variety of sexual-related online risks. Major League Soccer will highlight the campaign during the July 24, 2024 MLS All-Star Game.

How to Report Online Exploitation

The “Know2Protect” website provides guidance for parents about what to do if their child becomes a victim of online exploitation. 

“It’s very important that no blame is placed on the child. The child is not responsible for the crime, the criminal is. The exploiter is,” Secretary Mayorkas advises, saying that placing blame on the child could lead to mental health ramifications. 

Parents and their children should immediately stop communicating with the online predator and save all evidence in its original form, such as images, videos, and messages. It is especially important not to alter, change, or delete anything. Contacting law enforcement is also imperative, as one of the goals of the “Know2Protect” program is to hold perpetrators accountable and to prevent future exploitation. 

The always-on, interactive, and social nature of these global platforms makes it much easier for malicious actors from anywhere in the world to connect with kids and teens while hiding behind anonymity,” says Wu. 

“Kids are often targeted because their natural curiosity, lack of online experience, and desire to connect make them more susceptible to manipulation,” he explains. 

“The long-term solution is two-fold: building safety-by-design measures that proactively help keep kids and teens safe online while also empowering them with the knowledge and tools to navigate these online spaces safely and responsibly,” he says. 

Parents can call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline.