Kids, Screens, and Safety: A Practical Guide to Protecting Children Online

Today’s kids spend much of their lives online—doing homework, chatting with friends, gaming, and scrolling. For Maryland families, that can feel overwhelming, especially when headlines highlight cyberbullying, explicit content, and online predators. This guide explains the main online risks for children in clear language and offers simple, practical steps any parent or caregiver can use to help keep kids safer.

Kids, technology, and why this matters in Maryland

Children and teens now spend several hours a day on phones, tablets, and computers, often switching between schoolwork, gaming, social media, and streaming without a clear line between “online” and “offline” life. When something goes wrong—whether it is bullying, explicit messages, or pressure from strangers—the emotional impact can be as serious as harm that happens in person.

In Maryland, children in foster care and those healing from abuse or neglect may be especially vulnerable, because online spaces can be used both for support and for exploitation. The Blue Ribbon Project works alongside families, caregivers, and community partners to reduce those risks, promote prevention, and support survivors when things do go wrong.

The “4 Cs plus Confidence”: a simple way to understand online risk

Experts often group children’s online risks into four main categories: content, contact, conduct, and contract (sometimes also called commerce). These categories help adults think about “what kids see,” “who they meet,” “how they act,” and “what they sign up for” whenever they go online.

For families, it is also helpful to add a fifth “C”: confidence—the adult belief that “my child would tell me if something was wrong.” Recognizing that many children hide online worries out of fear or shame is key to building the kind of trust that makes disclosure more likely.

Content: what kids see

Content risks happen when children are exposed to material that is violent, sexual, hateful, or simply too disturbing or confusing for their age. This can include pornography, graphic videos, self-harm posts, extremist messaging, or dangerous online “challenges.”

Because recommendation algorithms quickly learn what holds attention, even one accidental click can lead to a stream of similar content. For kids who have already experienced trauma, repeated exposure to frightening or sexualized material can increase anxiety, trigger memories, or normalize unhealthy behavior.

Practical steps for parents and caregivers:

• Turn on parental controls and “safe search” features on home Wi‑Fi, browsers, streaming services, and game systems.
• Keep shared devices (especially for younger children) in common areas rather than behind closed doors whenever possible.
• Check in regularly by asking open questions such as, “Have you seen anything online lately that made you uncomfortable or confused?”

Contact: who reaches your child

Contact risks involve who can reach or interact with your child online, including strangers, older teens, or adults who pretend to be peers. Groomers and exploiters may use games, chat apps, and social platforms to build trust over time, send sexual messages, or request pictures and videos.

Maryland’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigates online child exploitation and has reported numerous arrests and child rescues following proactive digital investigations. These cases underline how common and serious online contact risks can be, even when families believe “that would never happen to us.”

Practical steps for parents and caregivers:

• Know which apps, platforms, and games your child uses, and learn how each handles friend requests, chat, and blocking.
• Make a family rule that children only accept requests from people they actually know in real life, and that adults can review friend lists and chats when needed.
• Teach kids to end conversations and tell a trusted adult right away if someone asks for personal information, photos, or to keep a secret.

Conduct: what kids do online

Conduct risks arise from the way children behave online themselves, including bullying, harassment, sharing explicit images, or posting content they later regret. Because online interactions can feel less “real,” kids sometimes say or send things they would never choose in person—and those choices can spread quickly and be hard to undo.

Cyberbullying has been linked to anxiety, depression, and self-harm, and it can follow a child from school into every digital space they use. Youth who have experienced abuse or instability may be more likely to seek validation online, which can make them targets for manipulation or pressure from peers.

Practical steps for parents and caregivers:

• Talk about empathy online: “If you would not say it to their face, do not type it, post it, or share it.”
• Help kids understand that sharing someone else’s private pictures, videos, or secrets—even as a “joke”—can be harmful and sometimes illegal.
• Encourage your child to take screenshots and tell an adult if they are bullied, threatened, or pressured online, and remind them they will not be in trouble for asking for help.

Contract: data, privacy, and “free” apps

Contract risks involve the agreements children enter into—often with a quick tap on “I agree”—when they use apps, games, and websites. These services may collect personal data, track locations, push in‑app purchases, or use design tricks to keep kids online longer than is healthy.

Maryland’s Kids Code (Age-Appropriate Design Code Act) aims to push companies toward stronger privacy, default safety settings, and protections against exploitative design for children and teens. While policy changes matter, families still need to understand that “free” digital services often come with hidden costs in attention, data, and well-being.

Practical steps for parents and caregivers:

• Turn off location sharing and limit data collection in app settings whenever you can, especially for younger children.
• Use device tools (such as screen time limits and purchase approvals) so a child cannot subscribe or spend money without an adult’s knowledge.
• Model healthy tech habits by taking breaks from devices, not scrolling late into the night, and talking openly about why these choices matter.

Confidence: why kids do not always tell

Many caring adults assume, “If something serious happened online, my child would tell me,” but research and real cases show that kids often stay silent. They may worry they will lose access to their devices, be blamed for what happened, or get someone else in trouble.

For children and youth who have lived through abuse, neglect, or multiple moves in foster care, there can also be a deep fear of not being believed or of making things “worse” by speaking up. Building trust around online safety takes time but can make a life-changing difference when a child finally faces a difficult situation.

Ways to lower the “wall of silence”:

• Say clearly, “If something online ever scares or confuses you, you will not be in trouble for telling me. We will figure it out together.”
• Respond calmly, even if you feel upset inside; focus first on safety and support, not punishment or blame.
• Offer more than one “safe adult” option—such as a relative, foster parent, CASA volunteer, or school counselor—so kids know there is always someone they can turn to.

Maryland-specific help and reporting

When online harm crosses into exploitation, threats, or ongoing abuse, families do not have to handle it alone. Maryland’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force works with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and local law enforcement to investigate child sexual exploitation and related crimes.

If a child may be in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police department right away. Families can also make reports about suspected online exploitation—including sextortion, explicit images of minors, or grooming behavior—to the CyberTipline at missingkids.org or 1‑800‑THE‑LOST, and can seek emotional and practical support through child advocacy and victim service organizations.

Everyday conversation starters for families

Ongoing, low-pressure conversations protect kids more than one big “internet safety talk.” Short check-ins at dinner, in the car, or during a walk can normalize asking for help and sharing what is happening online.

Examples of simple starters:

• “What’s your favorite app or game right now? What do you like about it?”
• “Have you ever seen something online that did not feel right? What did you do?”
• “If a friend was being bothered online, what would you want an adult to do to help?”

When adults listen more than they lecture, children are more likely to be honest and to come back with questions in the future.

How The Blue Ribbon Project can help

The Blue Ribbon Project is committed to helping Maryland children—especially those in foster care or impacted by child abuse—grow up safer and more supported, both offline and online. By sharing practical tools, trainings, and resources with caregivers, professionals, and community members, the organization helps turn awareness into everyday protection.

If you are a parent, foster parent, caregiver, or professional who feels overwhelmed by a child’s online life, you are not alone. The Blue Ribbon Project can help you learn about options and connect with trusted community and statewide resources, so the children in your care can be safer, more informed, and more empowered online and beyond.