Online safety for teens: 11 practical tips every parent should know

For children born in the digital age, the internet is just part of everyday life. Don’t believe us? Try switching off the WiFi at home and see how long it takes the young ’uns to notice—our guess? Less than 30 seconds! 

Whether you’ve got toddlers exploring apps, primary-school kids discovering games and videos, or teenagers joining social media for the first time, helping your family stay safe online can feel a bit tricky.

• Regular chats about privacy, online friendships, and digital hygiene can help your child build their own judgment and come to you when something feels off.

• Strong passwords, two-factor authentication, parental controls, and privacy settings make a big difference without taking away independence. 

• From cyberbullying and phishing scams to AI-generated deepfakes, knowing the warning signs helps parents and teens react quickly.

• Encourage healthy screen time, regular breaks and offline activities so digital life stays positive and manageable.

As a parent, you don’t need to be a tech expert to help your kids stay secure. What matters most is keeping the conversation open, setting sensible boundaries, and knowing the practical steps that really work. 

Below are 11 easy, effective tips you can use to guide your teen towards safer, more confident online habits, without taking away their independence. 

1. Keep personal info private

Encourage your child to keep private details: full name, address, phone number, school off public profiles on Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat. Sharing too much can make you a target for scammers. Switch on two-factor authentication wherever possible and help them create strong, unique passwords.

Pro Tip: Sit with your teen while they create or update passwords. Using a password manager together can make it easier to remember strong, unique logins. 

2. Help them choose who they connect with online

Teens are naturally curious about whom they connect with online. You can help by having open conversations about friendships and followers, and by encouraging them to think about whom they accept requests from. Talk through the benefits of reviewing privacy settings so they control who sees their posts, photos, and stories.  

Pro Tip: If they ever get messages from people they don’t know, especially with links or attachments, encourage them to pause, think, and come to you if they’re unsure.

3. Talk about online relationships

Some scammers pretend to be someone their age, then ask for money or gifts. Instead of instructing your child on what to do, share the signs to look out for:

• People who quickly declare friendship or romance 

• New friends who avoid video calls or meeting in person with repeated excuses. 

• Requests for money, gift cards, or sensitive information. 

Pro Tip: If any of these happen, advise them to stop contact, block the person, and tell you or another trusted adult.

4. Think before you click

Phishing emails, dodgy links, and fake apps are everywhere. Scammers often design messages to look like they're from well-known companies, complete with convincing logos and urgent language. Talk to your child about common warning signs such as unexpected messages asking for passwords, misspelled web addresses, and messages that create pressure to act fast.

Help your teen understand the risks and show them how to double-check links and only download apps from trusted stores like Google Play or the App Store. 

Pro Tip: Keeping devices updated is another layer of protection, and discussing it as part of general digital hygiene keeps it collaborative rather than controlling. 

5. Help them manage their digital footprint

Every post, photo, and comment shared online leaves a trail. Deleting a comment doesn't always erase it; screenshots, cached pages, and backups often linger long after the original is gone.

Explain to your teen that colleges, jobs, and even strangers can find this information, so encourage your child to pause before sharing pics or comments and to search their own name occasionally to see what’s public.  

Pro Tip: Do a fun “Google your name” challenge with your teen to show how publicly visible content can be and use it to talk about responsible sharing. This will make them feel responsible for their online reputation rather than being monitored. 

6. Recognise cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can take many forms, from hurtful comments and rumours to being deliberately excluded from group chats. Discuss the signs with your child and make sure they know it’s okay to speak up.

Model empathy, explaining that even small jokes can hurt if they're shared repeatedly. Make it clear that home is a safe space to talk about anything that happens online, without fear of losing devices or internet privileges.

Pro Tip: Suggest keeping evidence, reporting the behaviour through the platform, and reaching out to a trusted adult. 

7. Stay safe while gaming

Online gaming can be fun and social, but it also exposes players to strangers and potential scams. Remind your child never to share personal information during chats and to avoid “free coin”, "bonus skins", or suspicious links.

Make sure your child knows how to block, mute, or report players who are rude or aggressive, and don't forget to switch on password protection for any credit card linked to the account to prevent surprise spending.

Pro Tip: You can add an extra layer of protection with the Xbox and PlayStation 4 built-in parental controls. Find out more about how to apply parental controls on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 to prevent unexpected purchases, inappropriate content, and chatting to strangers.  

8. Encourage healthy screen time

Excessive screen time can lead to stress, anxiety, and poor sleep. Help them set healthy limits on daily screen use for social media, games, and video streaming. Suggest having regular breaks, outdoor time, and device-free meals.  

Watch for signs of digital burnout, such as mood swings or difficulty focusing, and consider using apps that help track and limit usage. 

Pro Tip: Set “device-free zones” like meal times or the bedroom. Teens respond better when it’s framed as balance for wellbeing rather than punishment. 

9. Secure devices

A lost or hacked phone can expose a huge amount of personal information. Use strong passcodes or biometric locks like fingerprint or facial recognition, and turn on device-tracking features so they can locate or wipe your phone if it’s lost. Remind them to back up important data to a secure cloud service or external drive to prevent losing photos, schoolwork, or other files to theft or ransomware.  

Pro Tip: Teach your teen to back up photos and schoolwork automatically. Losing data is stressful, and practising backups early builds a lifelong habit. Position these as practical steps to avoid stress if a device is lost or hacked. 

10. Watch out for AI-generated fakes

AI technology can create very convincing fake images and videos. These are called deepfakes and are becoming easier to create and harder to spot. Explain how to spot warning signs, odd lighting, mismatched voices and lips, or details that look slightly off. Show them how to double-check stories with reputable sources and news sites or fact-checking services like Full Fact before sharing.  

Pro Tip: Turn spotting deepfakes into a fun challenge. Look together for unnatural facial movements or mismatched lighting. It makes critical thinking a game rather than a lecture. 

11. Know where to get help

Make sure your child knows they can come to you first if something online feels wrong. With our helpful resources, you can get the knowledge and information you need to talk to your kids with confidence, helping them to stay safe online. 

Pro Tip: Keep a small list of trusted online safety contacts visible: UK Safer Internet Centre, NSPCC, Childnet, so your teen knows where to turn immediately if needed. 

At Virgin Media, we know that supporting your teen’s online life takes more than good advice; it also takes the right tools. Every broadband package comes with Essential Security at no extra cost, blocking phishing sites, viruses, and dodgy pop-ups before they ever reach your devices.

Our Parental Controls and content filters give you simple ways to manage what your children can access, while our Online Safety Hub is packed with step-by-step guides and tips for spotting scams, deepfakes, and other digital risks.

By following these tips, teens can enjoy the digital world while protecting themselves from scams, cyberbullying, and privacy risks.