This question is for my ASL …

Guidelines for Appropriate Internet Use

Even before they are old enough to use the internet, initiate conversations about internet safety. Be sure to keep this an open dialogue with your teen. You will likely need to have new discussions as their online activities change and new safety concerns arise.

Some important topics to discuss before your teen goes online include:

• Privacy: Teach your young adult about the importance of maintaining privacy online. Make sure they know to never share personal information, such as physical addresses and phone numbers, with strangers online. Ensure they know to never share any of the passwords to their accounts, even with their close friends.

• Strangers: Let them know that the same rules apply to strangers online as they do in-person. Make sure they know they should be careful about, or avoid altogether, talking to strangers online. Tell them that you don’t always know what someone’s intentions are, and some people may try to befriend you in order to hurt you.

• Permanence: Remind your teen that once something is put online, it cannot ever be truly deleted — even if the post is removed. Let them know that they cannot anticipate or control who may eventually see that content, so they must think very carefully before sharing things online.