Lawmaking can take some time to catch up to a rapidly evolving online world full of cyber threats, scams and abusive behavior.

Pennsylvania legislators recently updated laws to prohibit use of artificial intelligence to create materials depicting a child under 18 as nude or engaged in sexual conduct. Legislation requiring mandated reporters, like educators or health care providers, to report any instance of AI-generated child sexual abuse material is awaiting approval in the state House of Representatives.

But the need to educate young people about staying safe online is what inspired state Sen. Scott Martin to host a panel of behavioral health experts, prosecutors and nonprofit leaders. The goal was to coach parents on how to teach healthy social media use and safe online habits to their children.

The April 9 event, timed during National Child Abuse Prevention Month and hosted at Lampeter-Strasburg High School, was meant to be the first of several across the Commonwealth, said Martin, a Republican representing Lancaster and Berks counties.

Panelists urged parents to have continuing and frequent conversations with their children, starting early, to help them understand the potential dangers lurking online and to make them feel safe coming to them if they see something disturbing or are threatened via social media or other online platforms. .

“Tell (children) if someone ever has something over you, that they come to you first – their parent: ‘No judgement, we’ll figure this out together,’” said Justin Donofrio, director of Prevention Programs at the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance. “That type of conversation, that genuine opening of the door, may be the most important digital safety tool you can ever give them.”

The Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance is a statewide child abuse prevention organization.

Donofrio and his fellow panelists walked attendees through how to set boundaries for healthy, intentional internet use and on creating real-life connections outside of the digital world.

Here are five key takeaways from their presentations.

Make conversation on healthy online habits casual – not just one big talk.

Michelle Blake, mental health outpatient director at Ponessa Behavioral Health, emphasized that genuine connection between a child and their parent or guardian offers more protection than trying to control or restrict a minor’s behavior.

The goal, she said, is to ensure the child feels comfortable enough to come to a parent about anything that happens online that might be unsafe.

That means keeping a neutral expression – what panelist Amy Thurston calls her “mannequin face” – and assuring the child, “I see you, I care about you,” to avoid any feelings of shame or guilt. Thurston is the founder, president and chief executive of Hope Inspire Love, a nonprofit with a goal of fighting sex trafficking and providing services to trafficking survivors.

The conversation should not start out as, “Now I’m going to talk to you about online safety,” she said. And it should be an ongoing discussion taking place over days, months or even years.

During these conversations, it is important not only to help children understand the terminology but to explore what it means to them: “Every child wants a device right now because everyone is doing it, but if we do not train them with the right tools, then we are setting them up for failure,” Thurston said.

Report a problem.

Brittany Kline, director for the Safe2Say Something Program, said the anonymous 24/7 tip line, run through the Attorney General’s Office, is also a helpful tool in case a child does not feel comfortable going to a parent.

Staff who monitor the tip line can direct information provided by callers to law enforcement and school staff, depending on the severity of the reported concern.

Kline said parents should ensure their children know what the program is used for – to gather information on potential dangers children are facing – and that it is not meant to get individuals in trouble.

Set clear boundaries and limits.

Blake advised parents to set reasonable expectations around screen time, like not having a phone out during meals or before bed.

Younger kids, Blake said, may need direct monitoring like parental controls and content that is filtered to be age-appropriate. For teens, she recommended more guidance, helping them to think critically and make good choices.

Thurston also advised drafting a contract with children on how to navigate technology. She directed parents to a model family technology agreement on her nonprofit’s website that helps families to define how, when and where devices and technology are to be used in the home.

Be on the lookout for signs that something is off about a child’s online behavior.

Parents should monitor their children’s behavior for mood changes and increased or decreased sleep durations, which could be a sign that social media use is causing stress, Blake said.

Other signs include a withdrawal from hobbies or friends and using social media to avoid real-life situations.

Children should be aware of warning signs of unsafe online behavior, such as an individual approaching them online with an inappropriate image or conversation, Thurston said.

Live in real life.

Trisha Maciejewski founded the Live Like Levi Foundation in honor of her 13-year-old son, whose death in 2024 was ruled a homicide as a result of a rapidly growing category of crime — financial sextortion.

Sextortion occurs when a criminal threatens a child online, possibly claiming that they have a revealing photo or video of the child, to convince them to send explicit videos or images. In financial extortion, the offender threatens to publish sexually explicit material of the child if they do not send money or gift cards.

Maciejewski encouraged families to live in real life with positive, in-person and unplugged connections, especially in school. She said person-to-person relationships need to be re-established in school and that kids should have freedom in the world to develop resiliency and social skills.

“Technology has changed so much of what and how we communicate, but it is not a substitute for people,” Maciejewski said.

From Lancaster Online, April 15, 2026