As the new school year begins and students head back to school, it is important to consider planning online safety for your family. While the internet is a great resource for research and information, parents must be aware of the dangers of unsupervised online activity. Surfing the web can lead to viruses, scams, and inappropriate content. Below are tips to avoid these dangers:

• Browse carefully and be cautious on social media sites. Do not give out or post personal information, accept friend requests from strangers, or send photos to strangers.
• Teach kids what to do if they encounter inappropriate content or online users.
• Bookmark your kid’s favorite sites so they can access them easily without going to other sites.
• Monitor kids access and use of websites as needed and use parental controls where available.
• Choose screen names that are not personally identifiable (i.e. don’t use names, birthdays etc.)
• Shop, stream and download only from trusted brands and sites. Unsure if the site is trust worthy? Enter the URL at https://safeweb.norton.com or do a Google search and see what others are saying.
• Be cautious when adding toolbars and other browser add-ons. They slow down your web surfing experience and can lead to spyware and viruses.
• Always password-protect your devices including computers, laptops, tablets and cell-phones. Keep these passwords secure – Don’t have them written down near your computer.
• If you receive an unexpected email asking you to log in to a website that contains personal information, contact the company before logging in to ensure that the email is legitimate.
• If you think your email or any other account has been hacked, change your passwords to all important sites such as banking.

For more information and tips on internet safety, stop by your local Northland office or call Northland at Greenwood.