6 Tips to Help Parents Understand Proper Kids Internet Safety

The Internet can be a dangerous place. Without the proper precautions, your child’s safety could be at risk. From inappropriate content to cyber predators, the risks are real and ever-evolving. With one click even kids can access things that would give most adults a stomach ache. So how can you make sure that what they are viewing is safe?

The best way to combat the dangers of the internet is to know what they are! Educating yourself about potential threats and staying proactive can make a huge difference. Your Kids Internet Safety should be the number one goal. By setting clear boundaries and staying involved, you can create a safe online environment for your child.

Here is a list of the best ways to make sure that your children are safe while using the internet.

1. Computer location is key

Make sure the computer is located in an area of non-privacy, like the front room or kitchen. Having the device in a shared space not only promotes responsible usage but also provides an opportunity for parents to observe their child’s browsing habits in real-time. This prevents kids from wandering the internet (like clicking random links) without parental supervision.

Kids Internet Safety depends much on how daring they are willing to be and they are much less likely to take chances if someone else can see what they are doing. Consider setting up family usage hours to encourage transparency and limit excessive screen time.

2. Be a part of their cyber world

Know what types of social media and forms of entertainment your children use. Stay informed about trending platforms and apps to better understand their online behaviour. Follow their social media accounts and check their posts and comments somewhat regularly.

Make sure you know who is commenting and liking their photos and posts. If you don’t know who someone is, ASK! Encourage open discussions about their online friends and guide them on recognizing potential red flags, such as strangers asking for personal information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Account privacy is most important for Kids Internet Safety

Teach your kid not to share passwords, even with their best friends. You never know who else will find out. Reinforce the importance of using strong, unique passwords for each platform and updating them regularly.

Keeping information private is the best way to stay safe on the internet. Teach your kids to log out of computers, even if they are personal or home computers. Also, make sure to check your search engine settings. Most search engines allow parental controls that will help narrow the list of possible choices that appear when your children are surfing the internet.

In addition, consider enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) on accounts to add an extra layer of security.

4. Keep up with software

Use antiviruses and pop-up blockers. There are plenty of free or pay-for-use pop-up blockers and antiviruses available on the Kids Internet Safety. Regular software updates are essential to patch security vulnerabilities that could put your child’s data at risk.

Antiviruses keep your computer safe from bugs and malware. This is just like putting up a fence to keep your toddler in the yard. It’s a precaution if everything else goes wrong. Additionally, parental control software can help track online activities and block harmful content proactively.

To find the best antivirus for Windows, click here. Of the top ten, nine are pay-for-use, however, if your budget is tight there is a free one too.

Here is a link to the same site but for Mac computers. All on this list are paid, but fear not, here is another link for free Mac antiviruses. Be sure to choose software that suits your family’s needs and preferences.

5. Don’t just ban, understand

One in four children see porn by the age of 12. Try to understand why this is and make sure you stay in constant communication with your children about what they are viewing on the internet. If something goes wrong on the internet, don’t react by blaming your child. Instead, make yourself available for conversation if anything that they stumble on makes them uncomfortable.

6. What is put on the internet stays on the internet

Make sure that your kids know that whatever they put on the internet, even if deleted later, is still on the internet. This makes anyone think twice about whatever they think they want to post on the internet.

Let us know what you think about this list and if you have another way of keeping your children safe. Together, we can make the Internet a child-friendly zone!

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