Did someone say homework? Online safety tips for back-to-school week
From Kaitaia to Bluff, thousands of students across New Zealand headed back to school this week. Along with new books and uniforms, many students will be getting new devices and exploring new things online. It’s an exciting time for students, but parents and carers might be looking for some tips on encouraging responsible online behaviours - in and out of the classroom.
Managing privacy and security
The new year and the lead up to Safer Internet Day is a great time to check in with the privacy and security settings on your account (or your child’s). My Account gives you quick access to settings and tools that let you safeguard your data, protect your privacy, and decide how your information can make Google services work better for you. You can update your password, check out your personal information and change your account preferences.
More parental controls
So the kids are home from school and ready to relax… many families are already enjoying the YouTube Kids app, and now you can have more control over what your kids watch in the app. A new parental control feature gives parents the tools to decide what content is right for their family and the option to block videos or channels. Because you’re logged in, the videos and channels you block in YouTube Kids will remain blocked across all your devices. You can also tailor the experience for based on age and set a timer to limit screen time for your kids, so the app alerts when the session is over.
Google in the classroom
Our back-to-school update wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t share some updates about Google for Education tools, which more than 70 million students and teachers around the world use every day. We’ve introduced a new generation of Chromebooks, launching later this year, with new features such as stylus, world facing camera and easy access to Android apps, and our education team is working with schools around New Zealand to support ‘bring-your-own-device’ programs. Google Classroom has been upgraded to make it easier for teachers to give individual attention to students. Stay tuned for more updates on this…
So, a bit of homework (completely optional, of course)! Hope these tips help you and your kids to stay safe and make the most of the web as the school term begins.
