Digital Literacy and Online Safety for School-Age Children

Teach children never to share personal information (full name, address, school, phone number) online. Use strong, unique passwords. Understand privacy settings on social media and gaming platforms. Don't accept friend requests from strangers. Be cautious with links and downloads. Report inappropriate content or contact. Establish open communication where children feel comfortable telling you about uncomfortable online interactions.

Teach children to question online information: Who created this? What's their purpose? Is it fact or opinion? What evidence supports it? Where did the images come from—are they real or manipulated? Discuss how social media is curated and doesn't show reality. Learn about misinformation and deepfakes together. Model critical consumption yourself. Help them distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources.

Follow Australian guidelines: no screens under 2 years, 1 hour daily for 2-5 year-olds, reasonable limits for older children. Prioritise sleep, physical activity, and face-to-face interaction. Screen-free zones: bedrooms, dining areas, family time. Screen-free times: before school, before bed, during meals. Use parental controls and monitoring tools appropriately. Monitor content rather than just time. Quality matters more than quantity.

When children are ready for social media, delay as long as reasonably possible (research suggests 13+). Discuss digital citizenship: treating others online as you'd face-to-face, thinking before posting, managing your digital footprint. Explain that nothing is truly private online. Discuss cyberbullying—how to handle it and how not to participate. Review privacy settings together. Know their usernames and follow their accounts. Maintain trust through open conversation, not surveillance.

Digital literacy includes creating content, understanding copyright, using technology for learning and creativity, and digital citizenship. Encourage coding, video creation, digital art, or blogging as productive digital activities. Teach basic technology troubleshooting. Help them use technology to solve real problems. Balance consumption with creation. Digital skills are essential for future success—guide them toward healthy, purposeful use.