As the internet becomes more of an integral part of our lives, it also becomes a part of our children’s. It’s not uncommon for children to use the computer to stream videos or use their parents’ phone to pass the time in a waiting room.
Unfortunately, some people specifically target children online. Since they are vulnerable to attack and less likely to see the warning signs, it’s important that you take special care to keep them safe.
Here are some of the best ways to make sure that your child stays protected while using the internet.
Always Monitor Use
Even though it may not always be convenient to watch what they’re doing over their shoulder, it’s important to check in from time to time. Not only could they potentially be in danger with a predator, but they could be uninstalling apps or even wiping your phone entirely.
Rather than creating unnecessary stress for yourself, avoid it, and check in occasionally. Make sure that you know what they’re up to.
Age Settings
There are age settings for certain apps which allow you to adjust the content which is available to them. Even seemingly innocent apps like Netflix have plenty of shows which could impact them negatively at the wrong age. Setting it to “kids” is an easy fix.
Therefore, make sure that if you are given the option to control age content settings, that you take advantage of it.
Use a VPN
The last thing that you want to have to worry about is your children’s location being identified by the wrong person. The best way to guard against someone knowing where you and your family are is my masking your IP address.
The way that you hide your IP is by using a VPN. A VPN makes your location appear as if you’re somewhere else in the world, protecting you from unwanted lurkers.
Set Rules
In addition to being vigilant, you should also teach them that there are certain things they simply should not do online. Be honest with them about the dangers of the world in a way that they can understand.
Sometimes the best way to protect them is to clearly explain the risks. That way, they are better prepared to hand situations in the event that you aren’t there.
Parental Blocks
It’s a good idea to set up parental blocks, particularly for younger children using your devices. Sometimes children can come across illicit content without even looking for it. All it takes is one wrong click of a mouse for their eyes to see something that they shouldn’t have seen. Therefore you may want to eliminate the use of some apps altogether while they’re using your device.
While there are many apps available which can provide this protection for you, many times your device will have these settings available for free.
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