Important and easy-to-remember online tips for children were shared by the Flow Foundation in their Kids’ Talk session as the organisation continued its advocacy for online safety during Safer Internet Week, February 8-12.

Following a successful virtual Teen Summit and Senior’s Forum, the Foundation took its Kids’ Talk to free-to-air TV on February 12 as it moved to reach even more children and their parents.

Moderated by Dr Terri-Karelle Reid, the Kids’ Talk offered SMART tips for children and parents, received support from the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) and included a discussion with Flow’s Safer Internet Ambassador Asha-Rae Morgan, and her mother, Renae Hamilton.

During the discussion, the five SMART tips on internet safety shared includes:

Safe – Keep your personal information safe. Don’t give out your address and other personal data to anyone online.

Meet – Do not meet up with someone you only know online.

Accepting – Think carefully before accepting and clicking on links. They may contain a virus that can harm your computer or steal your personal information.

Reliable – Make sure your source of information is trustworthy. Confirm before you share, like and engage.

Tell – Tell an adult if someone makes you feel uncomfortable.

Dr Reid, the mother of a nine-year-old, shared that she always has a watchful eye on her daughter’s internet activity and that her daughter must “ask for permission before downloading any app”.  She indicated that she regularly researches the apps, including reading the reviews to see what other parents are saying and suggested setting “rules”, “boundaries” and “tech-free zones” as additional ways to manage your child’s digital activities.

The tips were endorsed by Annadjae Roberts, Ananda Alert Officer, at the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), who delivered a recorded message during the live show.

“At the click of a button or the share of a picture you can be at risk. So, you have to always be smart and be mindful of how you are acting when on the internet. Think of the pictures that you are sharing, the websites that you are visiting, because not all websites are for children, as well as the conversations that you are having with persons. If you are going to post something, ask yourself would my parent feel embarrassed? Or if my teacher saw this, would I feel ashamed?  Use that to guide your actions,” she advised.

Roberts further advised that children or parents can contact the CPFSA if they ever experience bullying or threats online by calling 211.

While it is good for adults to monitor their children’s activities online, it is remarkable when children also practice online safety and inform their peers about it. Asha-Rae Morgan is a passionate Safer Internet Ambassador and encourages children to choose safety over popularity.

“It’s always about popularity.  You want views, you want likes, you want shares…but what about safety and what about cyber bullying?  What about all of these things?  We have to be extra careful because we (children) don’t know everything.  Sometimes we think we know it all, but we don’t,” she explained.

Asha-Rae, who is also the Head Girl at Half-Way-Tree Primary School, encouraged children to inform parents about the apps they are using, such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and others. Her mother, Renae Hamilton, explained why this is important.

“You have to want to know what is happening with your child on the internet. I have all their passwords to all their social media platforms, and I try to ensure that they state it [their account] is being monitored by a parent. I always try to find out what is happening and who is it that you are talking to if I feel suspicious about someone or something,” she shared.

Internet safety and awareness is important to every age group.  Through its Foundation, Flow has been a long-standing advocate of online safety over the years with various programmes and initiatives, including its Safer Internet Ambassador Programme under which the company has trained over 600 pre-teens.

As it continues to encourage more persons and organisations to work “Together for a Better Internet”, the Foundation has partnered with several private and public entities for its week of activities including The Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology (MSET), The Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team, The Jamaica Constabulary Force, The National Secondary Students’ Council, The Child Protection and Family Services Agency, The National Council for Senior Citizens, UReport, The Jamaica Observer and Our Today.