CHAMPAIGN — In an effort to raise awareness of online safety during Child Abuse Prevention Month, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) is offering tips on how parents can guide their children on making safe choices while using the internet.

“The internet has become a vital tool during this pandemic,” Bennett said. “While screen time is on the rise, this is a great time to talk with your kids about digital dangers.”

In addition to the economic and social stressors and uncertainty, parents are now faced with added challenges in keeping children safe online. While it is important to talk to children of all ages about online safety, the Crimes Against Children Research Center has found that teenagers are most vulnerable to online predators.

Common tips to teach children about online safety include being cautious about who to send personal information to, being careful about what they post to social media and reminding them that not everyone online is who they claim to be.

“It’s extremely important to ensure children’s online activities are safely monitored right now,” Bennett said. I highly encourage anyone with children to take a moment to set some guidelines.”

For more tips and information, please visit the Crimes Against Children Research Center at http://unh.edu/ccrc/internet-crimes/safety_ed.html.