As the world becomes more technologically driven, chances are your kids spend some time online. If that is the case, keeping a close eye on their online activities is essential to ensure their safety and privacy. While the internet provides several benefits, from educational resources to entertainment and games, it can also endanger your child’s mental well-being. Unsurprisingly, roughly 84% of parents are concerned with their children’s online safety, according to a recent survey. We are a big tech family and keep up on the latest tech finds and deals. However, we also know communication is key to keeping your kids safe online.
Educate your kids about online threats and their safety
Talk to your child about what they read, view, and who they connect with online as soon as they start using it, and keep the dialogue continuing as they become older. Inform your child what websites or applications are appropriate for their use, make a list, and go through it with them. It would help if you discuss with your kid what you believe is suitable and explain that this may differ for other families and their children. Remember that there will come a day when kids will need to use the internet outside of the protection of their own homes, and having such realistic discussions with them will help prepare them for that.
Remind your kids to keep their location hidden
Most applications, networks, and devices include geo-tagging capabilities that make your location public. These should be disabled to ensure privacy and safety. Metadata or information regarding GPS location, time, and date may expose more about your child than necessary. Some social media networks conceal or erase this data automatically, but not all, so it’s best to do enough research so you and your child are not caught off guard. Meanwhile, every image and personal detail shared on the internet and social media contributes to a person’s digital footprint. After the information is released publicly, it might be exploited in unexpected and uncontrollable ways. Therefore, consider teaching your kids how to use VPN on public wifi to control their digital footprints.
Keep your screens and devices visible
Always watch your child’s online activity, especially if they are young. Keep the computer set up in a central location in the house where you can easily monitor what your kids are doing and watching online. You may configure mobile devices to forget Wi-Fi passcodes, preventing your children from going online without your knowledge. If your kids are younger, check your browser’s history after they spend time online to see which pages they view. This strategy becomes more difficult when children learn to clear history, making it crucial to open discussion channels regarding internet use at a young age.
Set internet usage and time limitations for your children
The internet may be an intriguing place for children, but it can also be concerning when they spend excessive time on their devices. If you observe your child developing a habit of sticking up until midnight to use the internet, it might be a warning that you should impose usage and time limits for them. Make it plain to them how much time they may spend on their computer or laptop. Remember to also make it clear to your children what they can and cannot do online and allow them to ask questions.