As social media becomes a mainstay, children are clamoring to join the craze. As a parent, how do you take enough precautions and establish the right limits that will protect your little ones from harm via the Internet? The answers aren't black and white, but there are many factors worth taking into account. Here’s a peek at the best ways to ensure your child’s digital safety.

Create Boundaries

Sometimes parents can be afraid to set boundaries. They’re worried their children will be mad at them if they do anything that’s seen as “uncool.” But the reality is, as long as your kids are minors, they’re your responsibility to protect. What does it matter if 10-year-old Brynn thinks you’re cool, but falls prey to danger because you were too timid to set rules? Don’t make the mistake of being excessively lenient. Start by discussing the issue with your spouse and agreeing upon a minimum age for opening a social media account in your household.

Also detail some ground rules for social media usage in your home, and share them with your brood. Some ideas include time of day they’re allowed to be on the sites, what they can post (and not post), and the agreement that your child must tell you which social media sites on which she has a presence. Create an open dialogue, and share bad examples (like robberies that have occurred because of actions taken on social media) where people have gotten into trouble, so your kids understand the power of the Internet.

Be Deliberate about Location and Accessibility

If you have a family computer, keep it in a highly trafficked place. Anything your child is willing to view with you standing close enough to catch a glimpse is probably safe. If you want your children to have their own computers, look into setting online restrictions. And once your kids are old enough to have cell phones, don’t forget that smartphones are the prime place to do social media surfing.

Help them Understand the Preciousness of Privacy

When kids are young, being famous has an especially strong allure. But since fame is probably not going to come knocking on your family’s door anytime soon, social media provides a way for young people to feel a hint of notoriety. Before your child gets caught up in trying to perfect her online image, have a frank conversation with her about privacy. Give her real examples about famous people who have lost money, relationships and quality of life because so much information was available about them. Help her to see that privacy is actually a precious commodity to be preserved whenever possible.

Be a Friend, Online and Offline

When it comes to the online world, you definitely need to be sure you’re your children’s parent, first and foremost. But you can also be a friend. Tell your son you trust him, but that you don’t trust everyone else on the Internet. Send him a friend request on his social media profiles, and keep an eye on his activity. Be sure to foster an open, safe relationship so he knows he can go to you if someone tries to bully him online or entice him to meet up in-person. If your child feels he can be honest with you, it will go a long way toward cementing his safety.

Go In-Depth with Protection

Last, but not least, your kid’s wellbeing can be safeguarded through some additional means. One way is to get your teenager a subscription to an identity theft protection service, so that her reputation and most sensitive details are under lock and key from the get-go. If you’re worried about her online activities, you can look into an app like TeenSafe that lets you monitor her social media usage, texts, calls and Web browsing history. If you’re able to trust your teen without resorting to scrutinizing every action she takes, that’s more ideal since it will make her feel you trust her. But if concerns are present, an app like this is a good method to circumvent danger.

The Internet and social media channels can be a scary topic for parents. But if you set boundaries, control accessibility, have honest conversations about privacy, let your child know he can talk to you about anything and do what you can to guarantee protection, you can breathe a little easier. Your child should be able to enjoy a social life online within reason, and you should have the knowledge that he’s practicing safe habits.