Technology is everywhere these days. We’ve got ‘smart’ homes that talk to us. Many parents face the question of child safety on the internet. There’s Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and a plethora of other platforms. You’ll never know who’s lurking.
Knowing The Dangers
Martim Nabeiro, an expert in the field whose profile you can see here, gives some tips on children and technology. To keep your kids from harm in the cyber world, you need to know the dangers. Kaspersky lists the top seven online hazards as follows:
- Cyberbullying
- Cyber Predators
- Posting Private Information
- Phishing
- Falling for Scams
- Accidentally Downloading Malware
- Posts That Haunt Kids Later in Life
Parents often have the mindset that these types of things can’t happen to their kids. Well, think again. According to a survey done in 2018, 60% of children have witnessed bullying online. What’s more, according to enough.org, about 47% of young people have been the victims of cyberbullying at some point.
Keeping Your Kids Safe Online
You might be wondering how to keep children safe online. The following tips will help with your permanent quest to keep them out of harm’s way. Let’s face it, with children online; we need to get creative.
Have Open Discussions
Communication plays a vital role in keeping your kids safe online. The first step in ensuring children have a safe internet experience is by openly discussing the dangers that they face. Please don’t wait until they’re teens and deleting browser history. The earlier you start talking about online safety, the better it’ll be.
Prioritize the Device Type
When choosing the device that your child will be using, some are better suited to children. There are various reasons for this, such as cost and safety. Some devices, usually Android, are easier to customize and allow parental control to ensure safety further.
Monitor Online Activity
Yes, it feels like you’re spying on your kids. Remember, it’s for their safety. If you notice that they’ve visited Bingo online Portugal, for instance, it’s time to have a chat. Most devices have parental controls that you can explore.
Protect Them From Cyberbullying
Kids bully each other online daily, sometimes adults harass children online. Teach your kids that what they post online about other people can have consequences, especially if it’s mean.
As we discussed earlier, communication comes in handy here. Encourage your kids to speak up if they’re victims of bullying. Keep an eye out for behavioral changes that could indicate this possibility.
Protect Your Computer
Ensure that your security software is always up to date. All sorts of threats can harm your family through your computer. For example, hackers could get access to all your personal information and compromise your financial security.
Be Password Savvy
Teach your kids to create unique passwords. It’s usually wise to have different passwords for all your accounts. This protects their personal information from getting into the wrong hands. A strong password includes upper and lower case characters, symbols and numbers. Also, be sure not to use names or words that people can easily guess.
No Computers in Bedrooms
Keep your kid’s computer in a common area of your home. This way, they’ll be less likely to wander onto the wrong websites. It also allows you to check their activity and browser history quickly. This method only works if you know which other devices your kids are using.
Use Tech to Protect
As much as you’d like to, you can’t be there all the time. Many tools can help you monitor your kid’s online safety when you’re not around. Take a look at tools built into your internet browser or some of the nifty available software. Turn on Google’s “safe search” option or look into some other filters for inappropriate content.
Conclusion
Once you have children, your centre of gravity changes and everything revolves around them. Avoid becoming one of the disheartening statistics by implementing the above tips. Teach your children safe internet habits by including some computer time in your family time. This way, you’re bonding, and they’re learning.
