Collaborative post
What can parents do to keep their children safe whilst browsing the internet? We’ve put together a checklist below so that your child won’t be exposed to anything they shouldn’t be.
The most recent versions of Mac OS and Windows already have parental control software built-in, but you may also want to buy standalone versions that frequently have more capabilities and flexibility.
These consist of tools like Safe Eyes, Net Nanny, and Bsafe Online. You can take additional measures to protect your children online in addition to using this type of parental control software, such as:
- Adding password security to the computer makes it necessary for you to sign your children in before they can access the internet.
- Use parental control software to limit access to the internet and computer to times when a parent is present and available to monitor what their children are doing
- Putting the computer and other gadgets in a shared part of the home so that you may watch your children directly
- Enquiring with your internet service provider (ISP) about potential filtering software options
- Reviewing the kind of internet access your children will have when they visit friends and family
- Limiting access to periods when a parent is there to monitor, or using your router to configure specialised internet application and gaming access to certain PCs or internet-ready gaming devices.
- If your child uses a social networking site like Facebook, implement tight privacy settings and restrict their friend list to people they know.
Some other online activities to be aware of as a parent:
- Illegal file-sharing software: Children download music, movies, and other content illegally using software and websites like Gnutella, Bit Torrent, and Kazaa, among others.
- Social media: Many children upload personal information and pictures on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, which predators might exploit to get in touch with your child.
- IM and chat: In addition to texting on their mobile devices, many youngsters use instant message (IM) services like Kik and other apps, as well as chat services like iChat and Yahoo Messenger, to communicate with their friends and, regrettably, occasionally with predators posing as children. In MMORPGs, where many players are in their 20s and 30s, inappropriate discussions can be a significant issue.
- Video chat: Young people have begun using services like the well-known Chatroulette, which pairs users with strangers for chats and is rumoured to have a large number of users behaving inappropriately on their webcams.
- Web videos: YouTube is a popular destination for children online. Unfortunately, YouTube, TikTok, and other video-sharing websites have a tonne of content that is inappropriate for children.
Author bio: Charles Green is an ITAD Business Development Manager for Wisetek UK, a leading provider of IT asset disposition services such as hard drive disposal and data destruction.