Internet Safety: Parenting Tips for Teenage E-Commerce Safety

A 2008 study by OTX and The Intelligent Group, found that 58% of teens have purchased something online. The average amount they’re spending is $46 per month, but 26% of teens are spending $50 or more. As you might suspect, the most popular items teens buy online are clothes and music. Here are 7 tips for parents to help their kids have a safe online shopping experience:

1. Explain the dangers of identity theft and the risks involved from giving out personal information like a birth date or social security number.
2. Educate your child about how to ensure an e-business is legitimate (look for seals like BBB, VeriSign or Truste).
3. Make sure your teen uses a computer at home for purchases, and not a shared computer like one in a public place such as at school or Internet cafes.
4. Make certain the business website protects personal data with a plural url (https instead of http).
5. Keep your web browser updated and use a filter that will warn you about questionable web sites.
6. Teach your teen about password protection. Request that they change passwords often on any online retailer account they may have.
7. Talk to your child about financial responsibility. Consider getting a prepaid credit card for him/her to help put a cap on spending, and explain why using debit cards for online purchases can be dangerous.