We are living in the digital age where the internet is no longer considered a safe place anymore. There is a possibility that the content we share on the social media platforms can be accessed by anyone on the internet even if we have set privacy controls on them.

Gone are the days when parents used to feel uncomfortable while sending their teens alone outside homes. Now, the children are not even safe within the confines of their homes. The presence of online dangers on the internet has become rampant and is affecting young children in a negative way.

Parents are always concerned about their children whether they are outside of their homes or inside. They may never know what sort of online threats their children can get exposed to while they are using the internet. The web has brought several online threats closer to the children and has made them more accessible to them.

Let’s understand what sort of online threats our teens are exposed to on the internet these days.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is termed to be as one of the most talked about online threat which can be menacing for your teen. A teen can be bullied by someone in school or outside but he/she can also be easily cyberbullied by someone on the internet. There is a possibility your teen may be getting cyberbullied by someone on the social media platforms.

Online pedophiles

It may be a bit easier for you to protect your teen from the predator when you are the one responsible for driving them to and from their school and keeping a check on their whereabouts but when it comes to the internet, an online pedophile can easily engage with your teen and build a relationship with them without you knowing about it.

Sexting

This is a form of communication exchanged over text messages where even a shy and awkward teen can become bold. The teen can share inappropriate messages to the other person as they feel comfortable talking to someone from behind a screen.

Oversharing

In an attempt to become social media famous, teens share their inappropriate photos and videos on the platforms, making themselves land into trouble once people start over sharing them to one another. This over-sharing of their personal data can potentially lead them to serious consequences.

Pornographic Content

A teen can easily come across pornographic content on the internet, the same which is also accessible to the adults. Viewing explicit content in a young age can cause drastic psychological as well as physical changes in them. A parent would never want their teen to stumble upon inappropriate content on the internet and would do something to keep their teen away from it.

Dangerous Apps

There are a few dangerous apps available on the internet including Snapchat that helps your teen hide the inappropriate texts, videos, and text messages they share with others from everyone. The majority of teens use Snapchat because the shared content disappears after twenty-four hours. There are certain parental controls that you can set in place to restrict your teens from using dangerous apps.