Online Safety for Children Against Cruelty By: Benny Arredondo

In today’s digital world, children and youth face serious risks while using the internet. The United Nations reports that many young people encounter hate speech and violent content, with over a third of youths in 30 countries saying they have been cyberbullied. This highlights the urgent need for better online safety measures to protect children.

Joaquin Castro, a current Hillgrove student, shares his thoughts on the biggest dangers kids face online. He points out, “Bullying and threats from other kids can be really harmful.” He believes that children should wait until they are at least fifteen to start using social media. “Knowing middle school kids, I think they’re not ready for it yet,” he explains. He also thinks parents should know their children’s social media passwords to keep an eye on what they’re doing online.

Reagan Guendulain, another current Hillgrove student, suggests using parental controls as a keyway to keep kids safe. “Parents can install controls on devices to block harmful websites,” she says. She emphasizes the importance of teaching kids about online privacy and warns them not to click on strange links or ads. “Just be careful and don’t follow weird links,” she advises.

When it comes to online gaming, both Guendulain and Castro agree on the need for caution. Guendulain mentions that children should keep their social media accounts private to avoid unwanted attention. “I had random older people trying to follow me when my account wasn’t private,” she recalls. Castro adds that kids should be respectful online and remember that “once you post something, it’s there forever.”

Raaluke Pechi, third attending Hillgrove student, talks about the risks of in-game purchases, noting that they can lead to addiction and overspending. He believes it’s important to teach kids about the dangers of sharing personal information. “You can tell them stories about what happened to people who leaked their info,” he suggests.

This stresses that community support and government action are important for promoting online safety. Pechi says communities should encourage kids to report suspicious interactions. “They should feel safe to tell someone if something feels wrong,” he explains. He also believes that stronger laws are needed to punish cyberbullying and hacking.

Overall, as generations come, technology is advancing at rapid paces with no brakes. The world is entering into a dependence on the online world and internet where children can be exposed to anything in a matter of seconds. It is dire and imperative for us to learn how to keep the young generations safe and away from threats and inappropriate content as much as possible.