How Parents Can Make Internet Safe for Kids
The internet revolution has revamped our lifestyle, especially that of our children and teenagers. Whether they are at school or at home, learning or playing, there is internet technology accompanying them. It seems they never take a break from the internet and do not want to. However, the internet carries potential risks along with the benefits. Uncontrolled internet access can expose kids to pornography, cyber predators, scammers, and cybercriminals. These can hurt their physical, mental, and psychological health. It is the responsibility of the parents to monitor the internet use of kids and take measures to protect them from vulnerabilities. This article discusses how to make the internet a safe place for kids to learn and get entertained.
How to make the internet safe for kids with Web Filters
The unsupervised internet access can prompt your kids to objectionable and age-inappropriate websites. Your teen may accidentally be exposed to porn by clicking on a malicious link or attachment. Around 34 percent of internet users get exposed to sexually explicit content through web ads or infected links. The best way to protect your kids from this internet menace is to block access to inappropriate websites. You can set up web filtering on your internet router to block objectionable websites on all computers and mobile phone devices connected to that router.
The other ways include the use of browser extensions for website filtering or parental control apps to control and monitor the internet use of your kids. A reliable parental control app providing the ultimate solution for web filtering is Net Nanny. You can use the app to manage internet access and limit the time your kids spend on the internet.
Rules Do Magic
Rules are the least favorite of teens and tweens, but they can make magical things happen. Compile a list of internet safety rules with the mutual consent of your family members. You can take help from the internet to see the internet safety rules suggested by the experts, and can develop your own that best suits you and your family. For example, you can forbid your kids from talking to online strangers and meeting them in real life. Make it compulsory to use social media privacy settings to set profiles private. Inform them that there are scammers and predators on the online platforms, so avoid sharing personal information on the internet that can be misused by someone. If your kid receives a fleshy or threatening message from someone, make sure they immediately inform their parents before deleting or responding to those messages. You can also set rules for the use of the internet and digital technologies inside and outside the home. Like, you can forbid using the internet or going online after a specific time of day. Also, you can prevent your kids from using a mobile app that is not appropriate for their age.
Keep Eyes on Kids’ Digital Behavior
Digital monitoring is crucial to protect kids from the threats of the cyber world. The social media sites have turned out to be the most attractive platform for the teens as well as the predators and scammers. The more your kid remains online, the more likely he is to encounter a bully or predator. Monitoring will help you ensure your kid is not contacting a scoundrel or being exploited by someone online.
The Bottom Line
Being a parent, you cannot afford to leave your kid unsupervised in the dangerous online world. Block access to inappropriate internet stuff, set internet safety rules to be followed strictly, and monitor the online and offline activities of kids with an aim to safeguard them from the meanness of the internet.
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