Top 5 Online Safety Tips for Parents and Students This Summer

Summer break is a time for fun, relaxation, and new experiences. However for kids and teens, it often means spending more time online. Whether it’s gaming, social media, or streaming videos, the internet is a big part of how young people connect and entertain themselves during the warmer months. While the web offers countless opportunities, it also comes with risks that parents and students need to be aware of.

To help keep your family safe, here are the top 5 online safety tips for parents and students this summer.

1. Set Clear Boundaries and Screen Time Limits

With more free time, kids can easily spend hours glued to their screens. While technology is a great resource, excessive use can lead to fatigue, decreased physical activity, and exposure to inappropriate content.

How to manage:

  • Set specific daily or weekly screen time limits.
  • Create tech-free zones or times, such as during meals or right before bed.
  • Use parental control features or apps that help monitor and restrict screen time.

This approach helps kids develop healthy habits and ensures they have a balanced summer.

2. Educate About Privacy Settings and Personal Information

Sharing is part of social media fun, but oversharing can put kids’ privacy at risk. Personal details like full names, addresses, school information, or phone numbers can be exploited by strangers or used in identity theft.

What to do:

  • Review privacy settings together on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
  • Encourage kids to keep profiles private and think twice before sharing anything personal.
  • Talk openly about the importance of protecting personal information and what is safe to share online.

Empowering students with this knowledge reduces the chances of unintended exposure.

3. Be Cautious with New Online Friends and Strangers

Online interactions can lead to wonderful friendships but can also be a gateway to risky situations. Predators and scammers often try to befriend young users through games, chat rooms, and social apps.

Safety tips:

  • Remind kids never to share personal details with people they don’t know offline.
  • Teach them to recognise red flags, such as requests for private information or invitations to meet in person.
  • Encourage them to report uncomfortable conversations to a trusted adult immediately.

Maintaining open communication helps protect children from potentially dangerous contacts.

4. Use Strong Passwords and Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Passwords are the first line of defence for online accounts. Weak or reused passwords make it easier for hackers to gain access, putting personal data and online identity at risk.

Best practices:

  • Use complex passwords that combine letters, numbers, and symbols.
  • Avoid using the same password across multiple sites.
  • Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible for an added layer of security.
  • Consider a password manager to keep track of all passwords safely.

These steps make accounts much harder to compromise.

5. Stay Alert for Cyberbullying and Report It Immediately 

Unfortunately, cyberbullying can increase during the summer months as kids interact more online. It can take many forms, mean messages, exclusion from groups, or spreading rumours and can seriously affect mental health.

How to handle it:

  • Watch for signs like mood changes, withdrawal, or reluctance to use devices.
  • Encourage open dialogue so kids feel comfortable sharing any negative experiences.
  • Report cyberbullying on social platforms or school channels and seek support from trusted adults or counsellors.

Being proactive helps prevent escalation and supports emotional well-being.

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Helpful Online Safety Resources

1. NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)

2. Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP)

3. Childnet International

4. Internet Matters (UK)

  • Website: https://www.internetmatters.org

  • What it offers: Age-specific advice, parental control guides, and resources for managing screen time and online risks.

5. UK Safer Internet Centre

  • Website: https://saferinternet.org.uk

  • What it offers: Tips, advice, and guides for parents and teachers on keeping children safe online, plus reporting tools for harmful content.

6. Parent Zone

  • Website: https://parentzone.org.uk

  • What it offers: Expert advice on digital parenting, screen time, and the latest apps and trends kids use.

7. Thinkuknow

8. Ofcom Online Safety Hub

Conclusion

Summer is a great time for kids and teens to enjoy the benefits of the online world but safety must always come first. By setting clear boundaries, protecting privacy, staying vigilant about strangers, securing accounts, and addressing cyberbullying, parents and students can have a fun and secure summer online.

What to find out more or want to share feedback? Why not message me via my social media page @MrJSmithson_Edu, via LinkedIn or my contact page. 

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Keep Up To Date This Summer

Online safety doesn’t go away that’s why I have put together a live resource hub around all things Online Safety this summer. Click on the link below or the EdTech Insights image to head across and check it out. 

Content on the resource hub will be constantly updated throughout the summer with all of the latest information, guidance and support.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

This work by Jordan Smithson is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

MrJSmithson_Edu | 2025