Want to keep your kids safe online? Try this 7-step framework.

Kids today grow up with the internet woven into every part of their lives. From schoolwork to hobbies, they play, learn, and connect through screens as naturally as they do in person. While exciting, this new reality also brings new challenges for the parents, relatives, and teachers guiding them. If you’ve ever felt a step behind the apps, games, and tech they use, you’re not alone. 

Luckily, there are practical ways to catch up – and to help guide the next generation toward a healthy balance between security and online exploration. That’s why we were thrilled to sit down with Alana Powers, Research and Program Specialist at the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), for episode 15.3 of Random but Memorable. FOSI is an international nonprofit that works with businesses, governments, and other experts to make the internet safer for children and families. Earlier this year, 1Password became a FOSI member. 

Check out the full episode to hear Alana's tips on the practical, realistic ways you can help your family navigate the online world more safely. Together, we walk through FOSI’s 7 Steps to Good Digital Parenting, with insights you can put into practice right away. Below, you’ll find each step paired with highlights from the episode, along with links to additional resources so you can dive deeper into the topics that matter most to you.

1. Talk with your kids

Many online safety issues can be avoided by discussing them early. FOSI recommends making conversations about online life – including cybersecurity risks, like fraud and scams – as routine as talking about the day at school. However, knowing when and how to start those conversations isn’t always easy.

To get started, the American Academy of Pediatrics offers age-specific guides to help parents talk with their kids about online life, plus a video series that explains how teachers and healthcare professionals should talk about safe, healthy internet use. Net Smart Kidz also has many resources to inspire conversations with younger children, including cartoons and games. 

“Bring up conversations (...) in a more casual way,” says Alana. “Ask your kids questions, and listen to their opinions as well. This can help take the pressure off and make them feel included in the conversation. Children have been online their whole lives in a way that many parents have not. It's a subject that they have really valuable input about.” 

Try this: Chat during car rides, walks, or dinner – anytime there’s less pressure and more room for back-and-forth. Make it a two-way conversation. Listen and engage with what they say. 

2. Educate yourself

It’s difficult to guide kids through a digital world you’ve never set foot in. That doesn’t mean you need to conquer the entire internet – and it’s probably best if you don’t try to master the slang. Focus on what the kids in your life actually use, and try to approach it with curiosity rather than dread. FOSI’s online safety programs are a great way to get started, and Common Sense Media provides helpful guides to the most popular platforms. 

Alana says: “Let your kid educate you. Sit with them as they’re online. Have them talk through what they're doing, how they're doing it, and why they like the content.”

Try this: Ask your kid to give you a “tour” of their favorite app or game. Then spend 10 minutes exploring a new feature on that platform. 

3. Use parental controls

Parental controls let you set guardrails so kids can explore safely. The most common and effective controls restrict access to apps, sites, or content based on age ratings. These parental tools aren’t perfect but they’re a low-lift way to make your child’s online environment more age-appropriate. 

Luckily, learning one device or platform’s controls makes it easier to set them up elsewhere. To make things easier, many services – including TikTok Family Pairing, Instagram Family Center, and Google Family Link – put all the controls in one place. 

“Start with the platforms and devices that your kids use the most,” Alana suggests. “If your kid plays Fortnite on their PlayStation a lot, start there! Figuring out one device or one platform's parental controls makes it easier to then learn about the others as well.”

Try this: Pick the device or app your child uses most and spend 15 minutes exploring its family or safety settings. 

4. Set ground rules and enforce consequences

Kids are more likely to follow rules when they know exactly what’s expected and exactly what happens they break those rules. Create clear, agreed-upon limits to turn abstract ideas about online safety into a shared family standard. 

Common ground rules include: finishing responsibilities before recreational screen time, keeping devices out of bedrooms at night, and setting tech-free zones like the dinner table. These boundaries work best when they’re tailored to your family’s routines and explained in terms of why they matter – not just because “that’s the rule.”

“Restrict certain apps or platforms depending on what the misbehavior was,” Alana says. “And when you're setting any of these ground rules, it's really important to make them clear.”

Try this: Write a short family tech agreement and revisit it every few months. As your child grows, involve them in updating the rules so they feel ownership of the changes. 

5. Friend and follow, but don’t stalk 

There’s a line between keeping yourself informed and surveilling your children. Cross it, and you risk pushing family members toward secret accounts, borrowed devices, and other ways to hide what they’re doing.

The goal is to be present, not intrusive: Research shows that parents who stay engaged with their children’s internet habits while also giving them some autonomy help reduce peer problems and online risks. If you’re unsure what level of independence is appropriate for different age groups, The Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School provide age-specific guides. 

“If parents are watching their child's every single move, this sows seeds of distrust that could damage your relationship, or even lead your child to get kind of sneaky and start to engage in the digital world behind your back,” says Alana. 

Try this: Be your child’s first follower when they join a new platform. Let them know you’ve done this for their safety, not to monitor and critique everything they post – and prove it by giving them space. 

6. Explore, share, and celebrate

The internet is a great place to bond, not just something to police. Joining your kids in their favorite space helps you understand what draws them in and allows you to celebrate the positive side of their online life. 

Exploring together can reveal shared interests you didn’t know you had. Maybe you enjoy the same YouTube channel, get hooked on a puzzle game, or swap funny TikToks. Those moments build trust, which makes it easier for your child to come to you if something online does go wrong. 

“It's a really great way to bond," says Alana. "You might come away with a shared hobby or an experience that enriches your overall family life. Maybe your child really likes to play a certain game and now you have a new thing to do together.”

Try this: Ask your child to recommend an online activity they love, like a game, channel, or creative tool. Then spend 20 minutes doing it together. 

7. Be a good digital role model

Kids pay as much attention to what you do as what you say. If they see you checking your phone at the dinner table or scrolling late into the night, they’ll take that as the norm, no matter what the “official” rules are. 

Model the habits you want them to adopt: healthy screen limits, respectful interactions online, and a willingness to unplug. Sometimes you’ll need to bend your own rules for work or other responsibilities – and you should also explain why, to help them understand the difference between a justified exception and bending the rules. 

“Parents are adults with adult responsibilities, and maybe they have to be on their devices because they need to pay the bills. If something like that is the case, explaining to your child why you're breaking the rule is really important.”

Try this: Set the same screen-time limits that you set for your child, and stick to them. Set up a family media plan that you all agree to. 

Keep the conversation going

You don’t need to tackle all seven steps at once. Start wherever feels most urgent, whether that’s learning about a new platform, establishing a tech-free zone, or just asking your kids what they’ve been watching lately. The key is to make online safety part of everyday life, so it’s less about rules and more about shared understanding. 

If you want to dive deeper, listen to our full conversation with Alana in episode 15.3 of Random but Memorable. And join the discussion in our Community Hub – we’d love to hear what’s worked (or not worked!) for your family.