How old is too young to go online?

Microsoft recently conducted a survey to find out the age at which parents and non-parents would allow children access to technologies such as mobile devices, social sites, and Internet services, unsupervised, and at what age they would talk to children about online risks.  The survey results are in—and overwhelmingly, parents said they let their children use technology (specifically computers and gaming devices) unsupervised at the age of seven.  Furthermore, 29 percent of parents allow their children to use a mobile phone unsupervised, and 40 percent allow their children to use a computer unsupervised.

Now more than ever, it’s important for parents or caregivers to have the safety talk with their kids. Microsoft has put together a few tips to help start that online safety conversation with the goals to engage educate, enforce and evaluate the best rules for your family:

Think before clicking

• When kids get unexpected or odd messages, even from friends, tell them not to open photos, songs, or other attachments or click links in those messages. Instead, they should first check with the sender by some means other than hitting “Reply.”

• Help kids choose apps that are appropriate for their age and maturity.
• Get apps that are well reviewed, and from reputable stores.
• Review the privacy policy together to find out what the app will do with location and other sensitive data.

• Show kids how to make social network pages private.
• Ask kids to think twice about who they accept as friends. Consider adding only those whom they or close friends have met in person or with whom they have friends in common.
• Encourage children to promote a positive image online, and be respectful with comments.

Read what parents had to say about how they talk to kids about online safety, and find more information about both the results and mobile safety tips on www.microsoft.com/safety. For additional survey findings check out the Microsoft On the Issues blog.