Online Safety for Kids: Questions Every Parent Should Ask
Kids spend a lot of time online, whether they're connecting with friends, playing games, or completing schoolwork. While technology provides plenty of opportunities to learn and connect, it also creates situations that children may not know how to navigate on their own.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, an important reminder that bullying doesn't just happen in person. But preventing cyberbullying is only one part of keeping children safe online. Parents also need to help their kids recognize potential risks, protect their personal information, and understand what it means to be a good digital citizen.
At Oregon Charter Academy (ORCA), students use technology every day to learn, so digital literacy is a fundamental component of their education. Here are answers to a few of the most common questions parents ask about online safety for kids.
How Can I Keep My Child Safe Online?
Unfortunately, there’s no magic tool that can keep kids safe online. Instead, cyber safety for students comes from three different things working together: age-appropriate settings, clear expectations, and a child who feels comfortable coming to you when there’s a problem.
Parents should regularly review the apps and platforms their children use to ensure privacy and safety settings match their ages. This also means teaching basic cybersecurity habits, such as using strong passwords, recognizing suspicious links, and keeping software updated.
But no parent can monitor their child every minute of the day, which is why conversations about online behavior are just as important as the technology meant to protect them.
Children need to understand how their actions affect others, recognize when something isn't right, and know they can turn to a trusted adult for help. Keeping those conversations open makes it easier for kids to speak up before a situation becomes more serious.
What Personal Information Should Kids Never Share Online?
Children often don’t understand online privacy or how even casual conversations can reveal more personal information than they intended. That’s why parents should teach their kids the information they should never share online, including:
Their full name paired with their school.
Home address.
Phone number.
Passwords.
Real-time location.
Photos that give away details, like a house number, school logo, or street signs.
Kids also need to understand how their digital footprint could impact them later in life. Posts or pictures can be screenshotted, saved, and resurfaced years later. A good rule of thumb to share with your kids is for them to ask: Would I be comfortable if a teacher, grandparent, or future employer saw this?
One great way to teach kids about these issues is to walk through their privacy settings together and turn off location sharing for any apps that don’t need it.
What Should My Child Do If a Stranger Contacts Them Online?
Not everyone online is who they claim to be. Children may encounter strangers through social media, gaming platforms, or other online communities, sometimes without realizing they're communicating with someone they don't know. When parents talk about online safety for kids, they should include specific instructions on what to do if a stranger contacts them.
Children should know not to share personal information, click suspicious links, or continue conversations that make them uncomfortable. If something seems wrong, they should stop engaging and tell a trusted adult who can help them block or report the account.
It's also important to explain that someone they've only met online should never ask them to keep secrets from their parents or other trusted adults. The key message should be simple: You won't get in trouble for telling me when something online makes you uncomfortable.
How Can I Help My Child Recognize Online Scams or Fake Information?
Children aren’t immune to online scams. In 2025, the FBI logged more than thirteen thousand complaints from people 17 or younger, with nearly $13 million in reported losses. These stats make it clear that parents must take an active role in teaching their kids how to protect themselves from online scams or fake information.
Skepticism is a healthy trait to bring to any online activities. Parents should teach their kids to pause first because scams and fake content work by creating urgency or a strong emotional reaction.
Red flags to watch out for include:
Pressure to act immediately.
Offers that seem too good to be true.
Requests for gift cards or login details.
Links in unexpected messages.
What Should Parents Teach Kids About Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is a destructive behavior that too many kids deal with. A 2026 Pew Research Center report found that about three in ten teens on Snapchat have been called an offensive name, been physically threatened, or had a rumor spread about them.
During National Bullying Prevention Month, parents should take time to discuss what cyberbullying looks like, how to recognize it, and what their children should do if they experience or witness it.
If a child experiences cyberbullying, parents can give them a simple plan: don't retaliate, save screenshots of the behavior, block and report the account when appropriate, and tell a trusted adult. But preventing cyberbullying also means teaching kids to think about their own online behavior.
Something that seems like a harmless joke to one child may be hurtful to another. Sharing embarrassing photos, excluding someone from a group chat, or spreading rumors can all have consequences.
Parents should encourage their children to think before posting and consider how their words might affect someone else. If they witness cyberbullying, they can support the person being targeted, avoid sharing harmful content, and report the behavior.
Being a good digital citizen isn't just about protecting yourself. It's also about treating others with respect, even when communicating through a screen.
Join Us for a Virtual Information Session
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a great time to start a conversation around online safety for kids, but these efforts can’t end in November. Parents should check in whenever their child starts using a new app, game, or AI tool. At ORCA, digital citizenship plays a central role in how students learn, and our teachers and counselors are partners in keeping them safe online.
To learn more about ORCA’s approach to online learning, join one of our upcoming virtual information sessions.