Child Safety in the Digital Age – Top Tips to keep your child safe online!
As parents, we generally do everything to keep our children safe. This includes teaching them to be careful while crossing the road and always asking them to wear the necessary gear such as a helmet while cycling. Just like there are certain safety hazards that your child needs to follow indoors and outdoors, the same way there are certain safety hazards online that your child needs to follow for Total Security.
The online world seems to be friendly but do you know it can prove to be dangerous for your children due to the existence of cyber criminals? But, are you doing anything to protect your child from online dangers such as predators, hackers, and inappropriate content?
Let’s face it, it’s time to introduce your child to the concept of cyber safety in the digital age and prepare a parenting toolkit! You should also exercise the advanced parental control that comes with Total Security Software to help your kids walk on the right path!
Teach your children the following safety habits and ask them to practice these habits while staying online!
Here are some top tips for parents to get started!
- Ask your children to be CAREFUL about their Digital Footprint
As parents, we always want our children to walk on the right path, isn’t it? It’s always better to become your children’s friend rather than scold them for their mischievous activities! Ask your child the following questions and let them give their responses for a better understanding!
A. What they share online – Teach them the following things!
- Never share passwords with anyone!
- Never disclose personal information to an unknown person!
B. Where they share – Teach them the following things!
- Never share location online
- Never tell anyone that they are home alone!
C. With whom they share – Teach them the following things!
- Never interact and share personal information with unknown people
2. Ask your children to be SMART about their digital identity
The Internet is a wonderful space with a lot of informative content to learn from. But, do you want your child to learn from bad websites and watch inappropriate content, obviously not! As your child, some questions and monitor their responses!
A. Websites they visit – Teach them the following things!
- Always use a reliable browser & open a secure website
- Never visit sites that are a big question in themselves
B. Emails they open – Teach them the following things!
- Never open an unknown attachment in the mail
- Always cross check sender’s email address
C. Links they click on – Teach them the following things!
- Never click on any unknown and unreliable links
- Always visit secure web address that begins with “HTTPS” & not “HTTP”
3. Exercise Advanced Parental Controls
Keeping a check on your child’s online activities, particularly younger ones is a better idea. Naïve searches on the Internet can give your child bad results. Hence, it’s wise to exercise parental control on your kids with the best child-monitoring solution such as Activity Reporter that’ll help you keep a vigilant eye on your child’s online activities so that they don’t walk on the inappropriate path!
It can help you control the type of websites/ applications visited by your child, thereby refraining your child from watching inappropriate or vulgar content! Also, you can set screen time so that your child doesn’t get addicted to these smart gadgets!
4. Keep computers or laptops in a place where you can watch them
Try to place the computer at a focal point where it becomes easy for you to keep a check on what your children are doing online. For younger children, you can also consider checking their browsing history to see what they are visiting. But, keep one thing in mind as your children reach a certain age, it becomes difficult to exercise control! So, opening the gates of communication and helping them learn basic safety habits is a must!
5. Be knowledgeable about Social Media
New social media handles with advanced features come every day, and it’s your task as a parent to keep up with them. Search for the term “The latest terms for Teenagers” as it can help you stay informed! But, knowing the names of the latest handles is not enough. You can find out what are the top parental controls and implement the best ones! Try to communicate with them about Social Media and try not to be judgmental! This will further broaden the lines of communication between you and your children.
6. Limit online chatting and unnecessary messaging
Online chat rooms and messaging apps pose a great threat to the children. These are rooms where anyone can join and chat but you never know what’s on the other side of the table! Engaging in these chats with strangers often gives your children a false sense of security that “Friends” made on these platforms are the real ones. Hence, it’s an area that you as a parent need to give extra importance to.
To Conclude,
Every parent wants the best for their children including the ability to surf and reap the benefits the Internet has to offer. However, the digital environment is not safe – A harsh fact, but true!
Knowing the dangers lurking in the digital playground, it is important to educate our children on online safety! Follow the above tips and let your young ones walk on the right path. Educate your child about their digital footprint and ask them to think twice before posting anything on Social Media, be it their photos, videos, or any reel.
You can also use Activity Reporter – The best Child Monitoring Solution to monitor your child’s online activities. Also, if you want to ensure the complete security of your child, you can also install Total Security Software that gives you advanced parental control and USB threat protection to help your child stay away from emerging threats!
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in the blog are of the blogger and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views written on the website.
