What parents need to know about their high schooler's experience online

Tom's Guide

a day ago

If we're being honest with ourselves, high school students present the ultimate problem for parents in the cyber age. They think they're on the cusp of adulthood, so they resent most rules and restrictions you place on them. Just think back to when you were in high school. There are probably a litany of situations that you look at completely differently in hindsight. (Yes, Mom, I should have called when I was staying out too late hanging out with my friends. I get it now.)
Whether or not they'd like to admit it, high schoolers still need protection against the worst the web has in store. At this point, they're old enough to take responsibility for their actions online, so having guardrails up for their final few years before they head out into the real world can be vital. Norton 360 Deluxe with Parental Control will equip you to make the process as painless as possible. Just because they're on the verge of being grown doesn't mean they're there yet. You've still got time to prepare them to make good choices in the real world. Because we all know it doesn't get any simpler after graduation.
This is what it all boils down to. I know it's easy to say, but raising a child who is actually willing to talk through problems with you is priceless. As they're getting older, chances are their problems are nuanced in ways they weren't a couple of years before, sometimes without simple explanations. There's a lot happening in their lives that you may need to work to understand, but you can let them know you're a constant resource. If they need reassurance, you're there. If they need guidance, you're there. One of the great joys of parenthood is raising someone you enjoy talking with, so find the time to talk. Even when things get hard, they'll know you're there.
In elementary and middle school, you may be slowly introducing devices. A phone here, a tablet there. By the time they reach high school, they've got the full complement of gear, and each one plays a role in their lives, from the ubiquitous phone to their school laptop. Norton's services cover Windows, iOS and Android devices, with the brand's Safe Search extension available on several major browsers. Norton 360 Deluxe covers up to five devices, but with a high schooler, you might need to upgrade to the ten-device package.
Your kids are growing up in a digital world, and the importance of remembering their passwords is paramount. That said, bad actors are always on the lookout for a way to access your devices, so using "password" or the name of your pet is out of the question. A major key to safe online journeys is to always have strong passwords and keep them confidential. Here, Norton 360 Deluxe's Password Manager can help by storing an unlimited number of credentials in encrypted form and consolidating them into a single incredibly complex password that's very hard to crack. While you're at it, make sure two-factor authentication is enabled.
As referenced earlier, high schoolers might, occasionally, stay out too late. I know — shocking. But your kid might start driving any day now. It's good to know where they're at. Norton 360 Deluxe's map tool shows you their real-time location. It also gives you a 30-day history of their phone's location, so you can make sure they're actually going to play rehearsal instead of over to a friend's house to play video games, something the author of this piece is not at all guilty of. You can tag approved locations and get alerts when they leave the boundaries, so you can get a heads up when they're on their way home from their after school job. They might blanch at the thought of you tracking their location, but I'm sure you can convince them that it's a small price to pay for a little more freedom.
Honestly, there are rules we previously spoke about in the middle school version of this article that are still super helpful here. Topics like social media monitoring and cyberbullying are as prevalent for high schoolers as they are for the younger set. Still, you've probably done a good job of setting them up for success when it comes to internet safety. If you ever have a question about how to handle a situation, keep the four C's in mind. Content – Keep access to objectionable material limited.
Contact – Avoid real-world meetings.
Conduct – Respect others online and keep away from illegal downloads.
Commerce – Be careful who you give payment information to. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
If you have other questions, The Smart Talk has solutions. Co-developed with Norton and the National PTA, it has a ton of guidance that you can utilize, even if you think you've got it all figured out, just like your high schooler.