The TeenSafe Digital Manifesto covers everything a parent needs to know to keep their child safe online; from the dangers they face, to how to teach appropriate online behavior and supervise your child's digital life - just like you would on the playground! To learn more, visit TeenSafe.com

1. TECH SAFETY
The
ParentingGuideTo

2. of teens are on a
social network.73% send messages to
friends every day.37%
Hi! :)
Hello!
MONITORING is MANDATORY
IT KEEPS YOU IN-THE-KNOW

3. 1IN3 1IN31IN5
IN A POLL OF 600 USERS...
are envious of what they
see on other user’s
accounts.
feel diminished when
people don’t respond to
their posts.
feel frustration with the
entire social process.
THE AVERAGE TEEN HAS
201Facebookfriends.

4. THE DIGITAL ERA CAN BE A DANGEROUS PLACE...
Cyberbullying
had been harassed
through social media.
through text messages
and direct messaging.
IN A STUDY OF 500 CHILDREN AGES 14-16,
UGLY!
#!*X
I HATE U!
Over
12% 23%
of teens have been
bullied online.
of teens have engaged
in cyberbullying.
@#*!!
@#*!!@#*!!@#*!!@#*!!
/1
2 Over /1
2

5. Sexting
40%
MESSAGING
20%
17%
of middle-school aged children have
engaged in sexting.
Joking
34% To feel
sexy 12%Peer
Pressure
For girls, sexting is about...
of sexters share their
message with
someone else.
I’M
SEXY!

6. OnlinePredators
Online Sex use social networks to gain information about their victims…
82%Likes and dislikes.
65%Home and school.
LIKES DISLIKES
HOME SCHOOL
Posted personal
information
Interacted with
online strangers
Placed strangers on
their buddy lists
50%
45%
35%
Sent personal
information to strangers
Visited X-rated sites
Talked about sex
with strangers
26%
13%
05%
?
Of kids who have received sexual solicitations online…

7. AccessingAdultContent
Only 1IN 3young people view pornography intentionally.
However, young people
who look at violent
X-rated material are
into sexual behavior.
more likely to
force others6times

8. A TEEN’S BRAIN CAN’T HANDLE THESE SITUATIONS
The prefrontal cortex of the brain isn’t fully developed until the mid 20s.
ThePrefrontalCortexcontrols...
Short-term
decision-making
Concentration
Goal oriented
thinking
Judgement
Impulse control
Long-term
decision-making
Focus
Learning

9. Teen’s emotional response mechanisms develop faster than
judgement and logic.
THEY CAN’T MAKE THE BEST DECISION
FOR THEMSELVES.
Yes?
?
?
?
No?
MONITORING HELPS YOU
PROTECTTHEM THEMSELVESfrom

10. SMARTPHONE MONITORINGI S I M P O R T A N T
Why

11. Can be more
independent.
Will better connect
with their peers.
Learn about
boundaries and
rules.
Get the guidance
to make good
decisions.
Protect their teen
from outside
influences.
Know when
their child is
in need.
Will be able to
stay current with
emerging tech.
Can reach their
child anytime.
Teens Parents
I can...
I can't...

12. PrivacyFirst Social“Permanence”
GossipGetsAroundNoRegrets
The importance of holding
back personal information.
Never send a text of photo
you’ll regret sending later.
You can end up a bully even
if you don’t mean to be.
Once it’s on the web, it’s
there forever.
PARENTS SHOULD USE MONITORING TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN
HOW TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN THE NEW “SOCIAL” WORLD.
POST
REGRET

13. COMMUNICATION IS A TWO-WAY STREET
77% of teens claim to have an honest
relationship with their parent.
72% Drugs/
Alcohol 69%Friends
45%Girlfriends/
Boyfriends
Subjects teens talk about openly with parents:

14. 20%
43%
of kids think their parents have no
idea what they’re doing online.
of teens say they would
change their online
behavior if they knew
that their parents were
watching them.
However,

15. Understand the technology they
use and be supportive of the issues
they face.
Make yourself the person they come
to when they are in need.
Use current events to initiate
conversation.
Don’t make it to personal.
Analyze, don’t criticize.
TalkingToYourTeen
Learn THEIR Perspective

16. When asked how they would feel if their parents were
monitoring them, teens replied...
Offended Shocked and
hurt
AND BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS.
38% 25%
Help Them Understand YOUR Perspective
YOU NEEDTO EXPLAIN IT’SYOUR JOB KEEPTHEM SAFE,to

17. DEVICE USAGE
Age6-9 Age10-12IPAD/TABLET USE MONITORED
SMARTPHONE USE
It’s not about depriving or withholding,
it’s about empowering parents to best teach their children
how to use digital mediums.
SET LIMITATIONSand BOUNDARIES

18. CREATE A SMARTPHONE CONTACT
Make it a collaborative process, so your kids can feel like
they have some control.
Let them know when, where, and why
you are monitoring.
CONTRACT

19. Setboundariesupfront,suchas:
No phones in
the bedroom
No phones
overnight
Phones stay in
common areas
No downloading
apps without
approval
Parents have to
approve and review
apps before they're
installed.
What are the consequences if they
break the rules? Have these in writing!
APP STORE

20. Children first turn to technology when their social-emotional
needs aren’t met.
BUT TECHNOLOGY IS ONLY A PROXY THAT LEAVES
US UNFULFILLED.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE

21. GIVE YOUR KIDS YOUR
FULLATTENTION
A study at Northwestern
found that children with
tech-obsessed parents were
more likely to become
dependent on various
technology as they grew up.
Disconnect
GOODBYE

22. DESIGNATE TIMES FOR FAMILYACTIVITIES LIKE:
“Phone-freetime”
Hiking
Board Games
Reading
Together
Camping
Sporting
Events
Live Music

23. BUT NOTTOO FAR BACK
Denying them access to digital media
cuts them off from their generation’s
main social channel.
Drawtheline

24. it’saboutfindingabalance
SOURCES:
SMARTPHONEMONITORINGPROVIDESTHESOLUTION
LIKE ALL PARENTING DECISIONS,
http://www.internetsafety101.org
https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-sexting
http://www.keepyourchildsafe.org/teens/teen-family-life.asp
http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html
http://facebook-parental-controls-review.toptenreviews.com/30-statistics-about-teens-and-social-networking.html
BETWEEN KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE, AND EMPOWERING
THEM AS INDIVIDUALS.