Beware of Halloween Tricks: Expert Advice for Keeping Kids Safe Online

As Halloween approaches, it’s a time for spooky fun and creative costumes—but it’s also a time when online safety should be top of mind. To help parents navigate the unique challenges of the season, we sat down with Brandon Laur, an expert from the White Hatter and a leading voice in kids' online safety, to get the latest tips and insights. From the rise of AI-generated content to keeping kids' identities safe in photos, we cover everything you need to know to keep your family safe and secure this Halloween.

What are the top digital safety issues parents should be aware of?

AI is becoming an increasing challenge. We’re seeing students confronted with deepfakes and misinformation, instances of AI misuse, or their social media pictures and videos being captured and altered. So how should parents begin to navigate this? The first step is helping children identify fake information and understand what to look for. We’ve had to do that since the early days of the internet, but it’s much harder today.

Work with children to build resilience and recognize that just because they see a video on TikTok or YouTube, it doesn’t mean what’s presented is the full story. Encourage them to use multiple sources to verify information.

Does Halloween bring any specific digital safety concerns?

This is a season when people like to scare each other, and I expect to see some frightening headlines, especially on social media, where things can get a little exaggerated. We have to be careful about jumping into a scary story about a supposedly real event.

Because masks are more common around Halloween, I think we’ll see more AI-generated fake information this season. Usually, when we see an AI-generated human, there's a subtle feeling that something isn't quite right.

But with Halloween and people generating masked humans, it’s easier to pull off than with a real face. So I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more myths and scary disinformation, complete with photo and video “evidence” that’s AI-generated.

Parents often enjoy posting family costume pictures. How can they do that safely?

Instead of posting a photo of your child in their full costume with their face visible, consider buying a simple mask for them to wear during pictures. It can help conceal their identity and keep them a bit safer. Many people are careful not to post names, addresses, or phone numbers, but if you take a selfie in front of your house with your home address visible, that can be a problem. You may not consciously think about it, but it's often the background of a photo that leaks the very information we're trying so hard to protect.

What are some common misconceptions parents might have about digital safety?

The biggest question we get from parents is, “What is the most dangerous app for my kids?” But that's the wrong way to think about it. Banning specific apps creates a false sense of security.

Any app that includes communication, texting, or video can be used inappropriately—even Google Docs can be misused.

What are the top safety concerns you hear from kids?

We see a lot of concern about sextortion, so that is one of our big focuses.

The number one question we get from students is what to do when they forget the password to their online account. A classic example is when a kid wants to play an online game but is too young to sign up, so they use fake information for their account. Years later, they’re locked out and asked to verify their identity. We help students avoid these easily preventable mistakes that can become costly down the road. We’ve started a new program to teach students how to manage their digital assets.

What can parents do to help younger kids stay safe online?

Be present, be active, be engaged. That's the number one thing you can do. When you're involved in what your kids are doing, that just strengthens the family relationship.

As children become more independent online, what can parents do to help them stay safe?

Monitoring becomes important as kids get older, and it’s often necessary to set some limits on their devices. But it’s just as crucial to work with your kids to help them build resilience against the potential challenges they may face.

The analogy we like to use is a learner's permit: if you give a kid the keys to a brand-new, super-powered car without any driver training, there’s bound to be problems.

Most people online are regular, everyday individuals with no intent to harm. However, there are some bad actors, so if you're giving your child a device that connects them to the entire world, it’s vital to start having those important conversations.

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