Tips for good use of the internet and preventing cyberbullying

From the Barça Foundation we propose a series of recommendations for kids during these days of confinement.

fcbarcelona.com

Club

04 May 20

Healthy habits for internet connection and prevention of cyber-bullying for girls and boys

Sleep away from electronic devices. You don’t need your cellphone for sleeping.
Never ‘go online’ during family meals.
Monitor your connection time, and try not to stay online for more time than necessary.
Remember that there is time for everything: doing sport, laughing, reading, studying, playing music…

Activate the parental control option in all the apps and devices you use.
Turn off or cover the camera of your cellphone or tablet.
Do not trust any ‘amazing offers’ or ‘presents’ that you may receive from unknown sources.
Keep your profile private at any social networks you use.
NEVER share or provide your personal information: your name, your address…

Have a safe password and change it frequently.
NEVER lend your cellphone or device to other people.
Keep the geolocalization (GPS) in your device(s) turned off as much as possible.
Configure your privacy settings in all your online profiles: social networks, apps…

‘Grooming’ consists on an adult person approaching with sexual intentions a child or youngster through a fake profile in the social networks and/or online games or apps.
When using social networks, it is important for children and youngsters to NEVER accept strangers as friends and NEVER chat with strangers.
Parents should speak with children and to keep informed about their virtual friends and acquaintances.
Parents should check if their kids consider some online gaming colleague as his or her friend.

These days are the perfect time for us to familiarize with the digital world that our children are in.
Let’s surf the Internet, chat and play through the social networks with them so that we can see the places they usually visit.
Let’s help them detect the sites and the practices that are not appropriate for their age.

Children must be careful when it comes to publishing /uploading content online (not only their own content but also if it belongs to others).
The content that is uploaded must be respectful.
It is very important for them to have a private profile in order to avoid suffering cyberbullying.

Children victims of cyberbullying usually do not speak about it, neither to their parents nor to their teachers. Consequently, it is important to speak regularly about this topic with them.
The bullies can be blocked online and if necessary their actions can be reported to the authorities.
You can call the Children’s Assistance Telephone: 116 111 if you require assistance on this matter.

In front of a computer screen it is a lot easier to say things that we wouldn’t dare say face to face.
It is also a lot easier to become the spectator of bullying and of humiliations.
We need to inform the children that all that happens online is recorded, which can have consequences, even legally.

The moment that any content is published or uploaded to the Internet, we lose control over it.
Such content can circulate around the Internet and reach some people we would not want to have it.
It is important for children not to publish or upload content that they could feel ashamed of in case it reached other people.

Força Barça