3 simple habits for children to remember about online safety
MANILA, Philippines – When a digital world runs parallel to the world where we live in, sending our children to school with just “Ingat ka!” and “Don’t talk to strangers” is no longer enough.
As much as we try to shield our children from criminals, child molesters, bullies, scammers, and other unscrupulous elements and dangers that the physical world poses, the same exists in the digital world, probably even on an escalated scale. Danger lurks in every corner of the digital world, and when our children launch into it unarmed, they may just fall prey to hackers, fake accounts and identities, online strangers out to make easy money out of innocent individuals, cyberbullying, misinformation, malicious and manipulated contents, pornographic sites, sex and love scams, groups sowing hate and violence, and other suspicious links and who-knows-what-else is out there.
The scary thing is that our children often enter and navigate the internet alone, without safety nets set in place, without our guidance or that of other concerned adults, in the guise of gaming, online classes, study and research, and use of social media. They tend to let their guard down and talk to strangers — thus breaking the “Ingat ka!” and “Don’t talk to strangers” warnings that we bombard them with. They sometimes even do it consciously, as an act of defiance to authority, because they do not see any danger in doing so.
Still, we parents should persist in being vigilant for the sake of our children’s safety. Just as in the physical world, we need to ensure that our children enter and engage with digital spaces that are age-appropriate and child-friendly. Before letting children go online and access apps, it is a must to check and enable available parental controls, privacy settings, content restrictions, and other safety features to reduce risks to children.
After doing so, it would be time to teach them to spot the warning signs, because online risks do not always look dangerous at first glance. The truth is that they may even seem harmless, as they may appear as a message from a classmate asking for a password, an offer of free game credits, a viral video presented as fact, or a friendly stranger inviting a child to continue chatting privately.
But then again some messages create pressure by claiming an account will be suspended, a prize will expire, or someone needs urgent help. Others may come from fake or hacked accounts that look familiar enough to earn a child’s trust. This is why children need more than a list of rules. They need a simple habit to use whenever something online feels unusual. They have to be taught to follow this simply guideline: Pause, Check, and Tell.
1. Pause means literally pausing for a while before clicking or replying to an online message.
Children are naturally curious, especially when a message promises free game currency, prizes, exclusive content, or access to something popular. We need to teach them to pause before clicking a link, opening a file, downloading an app, replying to an unfamiliar account, or sharing information.
They should also avoid acting on messages that try to frighten, pressure, or excite them. Scammers often rely on urgency to keep people from thinking carefully. A helpful family rule is simple: When a message says “act now,” the more they need to pause and think first.
2. Check means finding out exactly who (the person) they are dealing with, what the message is, and whether or not it comes from a reliable source.
Children should learn that not everything online is as it seems, that a message may display the name or photo of someone they know but still come from a fake or compromised account, that a video may look convincing but may have been edited or generated using artificial intelligence, and that a viral post may also present opinion, fiction, or incomplete information as fact.
Children need to be taught to ask thought-provoking questions, such as, "Who sent this? Do I know this person in real life? Why are they asking for private information? Does the link or account look unusual? Is the information reported by a credible source? Could the photo, audio clip, or video have been altered?”
Checking does not require advanced technical knowledge. It begins with simply slowing down and questioning what they see on screen. Does everything seem right?
3. The “tell” part of the safety guideline means telling a trusted adult when something feels wrong.
Children should know they can approach a parent, teacher, or trusted adult when something online makes them feel confused, pressured, threatened, embarrassed, or uncomfortable. They should also be encouraged to speak up even if they have already clicked a suspicious link, replied to a stranger, or shared something they regret sharing. Fear of punishment can lead children to hide mistakes, which may give scammers, bullies, or online strangers more opportunity to continue contacting or manipulating them.
Parents can build trust by responding calmly, focusing first on the child’s safety, and solving the problem together. Children who knows that they will be heard is more likely to ask for help early.
Our children also have to know that, aside from us, cases or suspected cases of child abuse, exploitation, or other threats to a child’s safety may be reported to the MAKABATA Helpline 1383, the government’s national hotline for concerns involving children.
Raising children in the digital age can feel overwhelming, especially as online threats continue to evolve. We parents may encounter new scams, unfamiliar apps, AI-generated content, and online behaviors we did not experience growing up. But we do not have to navigate these challenges alone. Help has now been set in place.
Among the helpful tools is PLDT Home’s Online Alerto. Since 2022, it has provided Filipino families with a space to exchange experiences, learn about emerging digital threats, and discover practical ways to build safer online habits at home. The community helps parents learn from real-life situations, share warnings about scams and suspicious online activity, and become more confident in guiding their children.
Parents or guardians can arm their children with habits that recognize danger. Before they click, reply, share, or trust, they have to Pause, Check, and Tell.
With such precaution at the back of their minds, children get to explore the online world with greater confidence, caution, and care.
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