Top 3 Things To Do To Promote Online Safety For Youth With Intellectual Disability

Author Elisia Jades Malicdem | February 2022

The internet breaks the high barriers for young people with intellectual disabilities as it enables them to speak and communicate with peers. However, such a powerful tool poses real challenges in navigating potential hazards like cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, and the risk of private information leaks.

To help prevent such things from happening, here are the top 3 things we can do:

1. Set Tech Controls. If you have youngsters at home who have an intellectual disability, set up parental controls, wifi limitations, antimalware, and antivirus software to moderate their browsing.

2. Be an upstander If you see abuse online, report and delete it. Staying neutral in times of injustice is choosing the side of the oppressor.

3. Check if they are okay. If this happens to a friend or relative, send them a direct message to make sure they’re ok and remind them how awesome they are. Even a

simple message can go a long way and make your friend feel like they have support.

Let us all strive to make the Internet a safer space for young people with intellectual disabilities.