Campus Journalist 
Parent's contribution to protect children from cyber crime
In today’s world teens use some form of social media and have a profile on a social networking site and visit these sites every day as it has become part of the daily lives.
There are no. of of good things about social media — but also many risks and things kids and teens should avoid.They don’t always make good choices when they post something to a site, and this can lead to problems. So the parents should tell their children.
How Social media can help kids?
It helps us as we can stay connected with friends and family,volunteer or get involved with a campaign, nonprofit, or charity,enhance their creativity by sharing ideas, music, and art,meet and interact with others who share similar interests, communicate with educators and fellow students
Bad About Social Media?
The flip-side is that social media can be a hub for things like cyber bullying and questionable activities. Without meaning to, kids can share more online than they should.
Some children post photos of themselves online or use their real names on their profiles and reveal their birth dates and interests or post their school name and the town where they live
This can make them easy targets for online predators and others who might mean them harm.
In fact, many teens say they have been contacted online by someone they didn’t know in a way that made them feel scared or uncomfortable and received online advertising that was inappropriate for their age or lied about their age to get access to websites
Concerns and Consequences:
Besides problems like cyber bullying and online predators, kids also can face the possibility of a physical encounter with the wrong person. Many newer apps automatically reveal the poster’s location when they’re used. This can tell anyone exactly where to find the person using the app.
And photos, videos, and comments made online usually can’t be taken back once they’re posted. Even when a teen thinks something has been deleted, it can be impossible to completely erase it from the Internet.
Posting an inappropriate photo can damage a reputation and cause problems years later — such as when a potential employer or college admissions officer does a background check. And sending a mean-spirited text, even as a joke, can be very hurtful to someone else and even taken as a threat.
Spending too much time on social media can be a downer too. Seeing how many “friends” others have and the pictures of them having fun can make kids feel bad about themselves or like they don’t measure up to their peers.
What Can Parents Do?
It’s important to be aware of what your kids do online. But snooping can alienate them and damage the trust you’ve built together. The key is to stay involved in a way that makes your kids understand that you respect their privacy but want to make sure they’re safe.
Tell your kids that it’s important to:
Be nice. Mean behavior is not OK. Make it clear that you expect your kids to treat others with respect, and to never post hurtful or embarrassing messages. And ask them to always tell you about any harassing or bullying messages that others post.
Think twice before hitting “enter.” Remind teens that what they post can be used against them. For example, letting the world know that you’re off on vacation or posting your home address gives would-be robbers a chance to strike. Teens also should avoid posting specific locations of parties or events, as well as phone numbers.
Follow the “WWGS?” (What Would Grandma Say?) rule. Teach kids not to share anything on social media that they wouldn’t want their teachers, college admissions officers, future bosses — and yes, grandma — to see.
Use privacy settings. Privacy settings are important. Go through them together to make sure your kids understand each one. Also, explain that passwords are there to protect them against things like identity theft. They should never share them with anyone, even a boyfriend, girlfriend, or best friend.
Don’t “friend” strangers. “If you don’t know them, don’t friend them.” This is a plain, simple — and safe — rule of thumb.
Make a Contract
Consider making a “social media agreement” with your kids — a real contract they can sign. In it, they agree to protect their own privacy, consider their reputation, and not give out personal information. They also promise not to use technology to hurt anyone else through bullying or gossip.
In turn, parents agree to respect teens’ privacy while making an effort to be part of the social media world. This means you can “friend” and observe them, but don’t post embarrassing comments or rants about messy rooms.
Parents also can help keep kids grounded in the real world by putting limits on media use. Keep computers in public areas in the house, avoid laptops and smartphones in bedrooms, and set some rules on the use of technology such as no devices at the dinner table. And don’t forget: Setting a good example through your own virtual behavior can go a long way toward helping your kids use social media safely.
Article By Tanya Sharma
Editing By Mahima Gupta
With teens and young adults attracted to websites on the Internet, they may encounter content that isn’t community friendly. They may end up adversely affected by such content, end up compromising their privacy or fall prey to cyber bullies or stalkers. Parents should take measures against adverse uses of social media and Internet. They should take such measures as early as possible, but without putting unnecessary limits or hindrances on their children’s usage of the Internet. As mentioned above, a social media contract and making your children aware of the dangers posed by abusing the Internet can go a long way to keep children safe as well as safeguarding their privacy.
With children increasingly venturing into the uncharted territory of the Internet due to curiosity, it is probable that they may encounter content that adversely affects them, gets them to compromise their privacy or makes them victims of cyber bullying or stalking. By adopting some of the measures above like social media contracts, limiting the use of the Internet, making kids aware about the dangers posed by excessive online activity can go a long way towards protecting children from the dangers lurking on the web as well as safeguarding their privacy.
With teens, we always need to come up with creative ideas to make them do something. This article explains how we can build that trust with teenagers without making them annoyed.