How to keep your teen safe online - 10 practical tips

Jun 1, 2025
6 min read

Updated: Jul 22

Teens spend a lot of time online, both studying and socialising. Do you know whether they’re safe? What they’re doing? Who they’re talking to? What can you do as a parent to make sure your teen doesn't fall victim to fake news, leave a digital footprint they’ll regret later, become addicted to gaming, or get bullied or exploited?

In some ways, online safety is a bit like crossing the road. It’s potentially fraught with danger and there’s no failsafe solution, but with sensible strategies and common sense it’s possible to navigate the dangers safely.

How to keep your teen safe online - 10 practical tips

1. Be practical

Phones and laptops are powerful tools, more powerful than the computers that sent people to the moon. Make sure your teen has reliable software installed to protect against online attacks and security threats. We store a lot of information online, and identity theft is just one of many reasons hackers might try to access our technology. Bitdefender, McAfee, Norton, PC Protect, Scanguard and Total AV are well-regarded providers of online security.

Don’t forget the hardware either. Phones, laptops and tablets have become increasingly portable, which means they’re easier to steal. Remind your teen not to leave their technology lying around, for example on the table if they take a break in a café. They’re probably used to slipping a phone into their pocket, but may be tempted to leave a laptop on the table, as it’s a hassle to pack up and it protects their seat.

We recommend investing in a laptop lock, made of cut-resistant cable and secured around something fixed such as a table or chair. They’ll need to check compatibility with their laptop’s lock slots. There are options on Amazon, such as this one for Dell or universal ones.

They should make sure their screen is password protected, and not leave applications running without the screen lock activated when they're away from the device, even, or especially, at school.

2. WiFi

Your teen should be very careful when accessing public WiFi, as online security and protective settings can all be breached on public systems. We recommend tuning into their own network hotspot or government safe-certified sites (marked Friendly WiFi) when accessing personal information such as online banking. Your teen can check whether the internet they're using is Friendly compliant by running the free filter test.

3. Time online

It doesn’t necessarily follow that the more time they spend online, the greater the risk. A teen who spends a lot of the day researching and browsing may be less at risk than one who spends an hour or two a day accepting invites from people they don't know to increase their followers. Don’t get caught up battling over how much time they spend on their devices; instead, focus on understanding what they’re doing online, whether they know the risks associated with the activities they enjoy, and how to take appropriate precautions.

4. Keep talking

Your teen won’t want to give you details about what they’re doing online, but you should have a general idea of the types of things they enjoy (which social media apps they use, whether they game, whether they use buying and selling apps). If you can be open and non-judgemental in conversations about how they spend their time, they’re more likely to come to you if something makes them feel uncomfortable. This includes discussing challenging subjects such as sexting, pornography and cyberbullying.

Recommending open conversations might be easier said than done. Try using TV, films and soaps to explore difficult topics; it takes the pressure off by allowing the conversation to be about someone else. Storylines in soaps and dramas regularly cover issues like online image leaks, teenage pregnancy, sexual identity, self-harm, eating disorders and bullying, which can all be useful springboards for a conversation.

Don’t forget, challenging though this is, if you’re not having the conversations it doesn’t mean nothing’s happening. Find out more in The Parents' Guide to RSHE.

5. Deleting doesn’t always mean it’s gone forever

It’s vital for teenagers to understand that short-term thoughtlessness can have long-term consequences. Make sure they’re aware that delete doesn’t always mean delete. Their online history could last much longer than they expect, even if they’ve deleted the post or the entire app. Phone apps can track former users long after they’ve deleted their accounts. Your teen should avoid posting things they wouldn't want a future partner or employer to see, whether that’s about themselves or someone else.

6. Restrict access to people they know

Where possible, make sure your teen has set their security settings so only people connected to them can see their posts. Some social media apps automatically set new teenage accounts to private, but it's worth checking. If they make their accounts private, the photos and content they post are only visible to people they approve, not to anyone (as with public settings, where content can be found and viewed by anyone). They still need to be sensible about who they approve, and not accept requests from strangers to increase their follower numbers.

Make sure their web browser protects against unsafe websites, and if they take part in chat rooms, make sure they stay in public ones rather than switching to private areas.

ThinkUKnow provides information for parents on protecting children online.

7. Online exploitation

It’s easier to be harsh and cruel behind a screen than face to face, and worse still, online bullying can go on 24/7, so there’s no respite.

Online communications can feel removed from face-to-face ones, so it’s easier to be lured into behaviours that wouldn’t happen without the protection of a screen. There’s also the illusion that new online friends can be trusted, when in reality they know little, if anything, about them.

Teach your teen to respect themselves online by not doing things they wouldn't do face to face, whether that’s making hurtful comments or sending inappropriate images. They should not be on the receiving end of these things either.

8. Not everything is as it seems

Make sure your teen is aware that things aren’t always as they appear online. There’s no verification process before publication; in the main, people can post anything they want. This makes it easy to present an opinion as if it's factual, and enables emotive, reactive comments to be shared immediately without thought for their impact or whether the original source is correct. Not everything they read is true, even on places that look official.

Algorithms are also very powerful. If your teen shows interest in a certain type of content, they'll be presented with more and more of the same. This can give the false impression that a particular viewpoint is the only one.

If they’re keen on social media and want to expand their following, they might reach out to lots of people they don’t know. Or if they’re gaming, they might be susceptible to praise from other players. Teach them to be mindful of boundaries if they engage with people they don't know, especially outside public spaces. It may feel safe because they’re not physically changing location, but they should understand there's a difference. If they find themselves in these situations, it helps if they can trust your reaction to be measured and supportive. If they think you’ll get cross and take away their technology, they’re unlikely to confide in you.

9. Great resources for parents

There are some great resources to help parents stay in touch with what their teens are doing online and understand the issues they need to address. Our favourites are:

Childnet - advice for parents covering key topics, downloadable resources and how to have conversations.
Common Sense Media - reviews and information for parents about games, apps, TV shows and websites.
Internet Matters - help on using parental controls and privacy settings so you can control what your child sees.
NSPCC - a good range of general advice for parents.
ThinkUKnow - information on how to use parental controls effectively.
UK Safer Internet Centre - advice for parents covering key topics, including details about individual social media sites.

10. Reporting concerns

If you or your teen are worried about online sexual abuse or the way they're being communicated with online, you can report it to Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP), which is part of the National Crime Agency.

Final words

The internet is an amazing, life-transforming resource, and this blog isn't meant to make you lose sight of how useful it is. Like driving, it can be empowering and liberating; but without the right advice and training, there's the potential for danger. We want to raise your awareness of positive, constructive actions you can take to increase online safety for your teen, so you can both maximise the benefits and minimise any concerns.