Parent Device and Account Safety Checklist

Accounts

• Use a unique password for every important account.
• Turn on multifactor authentication, especially for email, cloud storage, gaming, and social media.
• Make sure recovery emails and phone numbers belong to the parent/caregiver or the correct account owner.
• Remove old devices and unknown sessions from account security settings.

Privacy and location

• Set child and teen profiles to private when the platform allows it.
• Turn off public location sharing and review location access for every app.
• Check profile photos, usernames, bios, school references, team references, and background details.
• Limit contact permissions so strangers cannot message, tag, or add the child without review.

Apps and games

• Review in-game chat, voice chat, direct messages, friend requests, and livestream features.
• Check whether purchases, gifts, trades, or game currency can be used to pressure a child.
• Remove apps the family no longer uses.
• Talk about moving conversations from one app to another, which can be a warning sign.

Scams and phishing

CISA's public guidance emphasizes strong passwords, multifactor authentication, updates, and phishing awareness. Families can translate that into simple household habits: slow down, verify the sender, avoid surprise links, and ask for help before sharing private information.