New Year, New Cyber Habits: Reset Your Family's Digital Safety

The new year is a great time to reset routines — and that includes your family’s digital safety.

Think of this as a digital check-up, not a tech overhaul. You don’t need to be an expert. You just need to know where to look and what to change.

Below is a simple “technical log” you can walk through once a year (or once a quarter if you’re feeling ambitious).

1. Password Reset: The Front Door of Your Digital Life

What this really means:
Passwords are like house keys. If you’ve reused them, shared them, or haven’t changed them in years — assume someone else might have a copy.

What to do (simple version):

• Change passwords for:

  • Email

  • Apple ID / Google account

  • Social media

  • School portals

• Use one password per account

• You don't need a "perfect password" Longer + different is what matters most

• Turn on two-step verification (this means a code gets sent to your phone)

Parent shortcut:
If remembering passwords feels impossible, use a password manager (Apple Keychain, Google Password Manager, or 1Password). Let the phone remember — that’s what it’s good at. P.S. We will be going into more detail on what a Password Manager is and how to set it up in the upcoming weeks!

2. Clear Cookies

What this really means:
Cookies are tiny trackers websites use to remember you. Clearing them helps remove stored data that apps and websites don’t need anymore.

What to do:

• On phones, tablets, or computers:

  • Open browser settings

  • Clear cookies and site data

It's that simple! And is just one small step that helps keep your family safer!

Why parents should care:
This reduces tracking, improves privacy, and can even fix weird app behavior.

3. Restart Devices

Yes — this one is real cybersecurity advice.

What this does:

• Applies updates

• Clears temporary memory

• Fixes glitches

• Stops background processes you didn’t approve

What to do:
Restart phones, tablets, laptops, and gaming consoles at least once a week.

4. Check Settings

This is the most important step for parents.

Where to look:

• iPhone/iPad → Screen Time

• Android → Family Link

• Gaming consoles → Parental Controls

• Streaming apps → Kids profiles

What to confirm:

• App downloads require approval

• In-app purchases are off

• Content is age-appropriate

• Messaging is limited or restricted

Reminder:
Most safety tools are already there — they just need to be turned on

5. Talk About the “Nasties” (This Is a Security Control Too)

What this really means:
Technology alone won’t protect your child. Conversations will.

Have simple rules like:

• If something feels weird → tell a parent

• Don’t share photos, school name, or address

• Never move chats to another app without asking

• Bots, games, and “friends online” are not real friends

Keep it light:
This doesn’t need to be scary. It just needs to be clear.

🧾 Your Annual Cyber Reset Checklist

✔ Change important passwords
✔ Clear cookies
✔ Restart devices
✔ Check settings
✔ Talk and scan for "nasties"

That’s it.

Final Thought from Cybersecurity Parents

You don’t need to monitor everything.
You don’t need to know every app.
You just need visibility, boundaries, and consistency.

New year. New habits. Stronger digital safety for your family.