There can be many good reasons to allow your child to use the internet, and when used correctly, it can be a valuable resource for parents. However, keeping kids safe online is a massive worry for parents, and the last thing you want is for something to happen to them based on their online activities.
While you can talk to your children, and you should do so at an age when they understand the hidden dangers online, for younger children who don’t understand, it can be tricky to ensure they are safe at all times.
As a parent, though, there are things you can do when letting your child use the internet, be it for educational or entertainment purposes, to desire that they are safe and your information is secure at all times.
Use Parental Controls
Most home internet providers will have parental controls you can set to allow for limited browsing and restricted websites and content. While older children and teens might find ways to circumnavigate this on their own devices, you can use parental controls to limit or remove websites showing content you deem unsuitable for your children and to omit results from search queries so nothing is accessed accidentally.
Use A VPN
A VPN adds an extra layer of security to your home IP address and any information that might give away your location and details and that of your child too. Both kids and adults are at risk of hackers breaking your network. So check out how to set up vpn on mac, Android, and Windows devices to ensure that whatever electronics your child uses to access the internet, including apps, are safe.
Stranger Danger
If your child is old enough to discuss strangers’ activity online and how everyone isn’t always who they say they are, then you can discuss how to engage appropriately, accepting friend requests on social media and that they need to tell you should anything make them feel uncomfortable.
At a minimum, you can lock down any messaging functions on apps, games and platforms your child might use to limit who can contact them. You can monitor activity by ensuring your child allows you access to their account to ensure they are talking to others appropriately and that no one is doing anything untoward or trying to take advantage of your child.
Only Use Secure Websites
Another way to avoid potential scams when your child is online is to ensure they only secure websites and don’t click on websites that can potentially compromise your safety. This is where parental control comes in handy, as well as using the padlock via search engines to indicate if a site is secure or not. Typically, Google, for example, will warn you if you are trying to open a website deemed dangerous or risky. Having a good internet security software in place will also enable you to avoid heading to unauthorised websites so you can increase online safety.
Protecting your child online can be somewhat of a minefield. You never know what risks they might come across when innocently browsing. However, by implementing some of these tips, you can increase their safety when online and remove anything that poses a risk.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.
