Buying devices for back to school

There are a lot of sales on at the moment, which makes it a great time to buy that device for when kids go back to school. We’ve got a couple of easy tips to help teach them to be safe on their new device.

8 January 2020

Bring your own device (BYOD) is increasingly common in schools. As they start using devices at school and at home, it’s important to teach them good habits. Get clued up on how to help kids protect themselves and their personal information online.

When you’re buying

Ask your retailer how long the device will continue to get security updates for. If you buy an older device, you might find that it won't get security updates for much longer, leaving it vulnerable to any new security issues that come up. If that's the case, you may want to consider a newer version of the device instead.

Before you start 

Before you start using your new device, there are a few setting tips to make it easier to keep secure later on:

  • Install any outstanding updates for the operating system. It might have been sitting on the shelf for a while.
  • Set the system preferences to update automatically. Updates fix any known security holes in the software you’re using.
  • Install antivirus software on the device and keep it up to date.
  • If you’re buying a replacement device, back up the files on the old one, do a factory reset, and check the data is removed before you get rid of it.
  • If you’re passing on a device that a family member has been using, uninstall any software or apps you don’t need anymore, e.g. get rid of games that your kids have outgrown.
  • Set parental controls to help monitor and filter the content they can see.

Helping children stay safe when using smart devices – DIA External Link

Get into good habits

Help your family get into good habits when using any devices with these tips:

  • Set their screen to lock automatically and always lock it when not using the device. They can unlock it with a number, pattern or fingerprint.
  • Make a long and strong password - a few words added together will make it easier for your child to remember. Don’t use personal information like your child’s date of birth, address or pet’s name.
  • Only enable Bluetooth and WiFi when you need it.
  • Only download software from legitimate app stores and trusted websites.
  • Using ad blockers in the browser can help prevent your kids clicking on any dodgy ads.
  • Talk with your kids about the software they’re using, and what kind of information they share online. Check the privacy settings to lock down information – some apps share location information.

Buying BYOD for your kids and the classroom [PDF, 218 KB]