PARENTAL CONTROL- Directions to Save Kids form Bad Content

 

PARENTAL CONTROL- Directions to Save Kids form Bad Content

 

Today we see news daily about the impact of technology in our daily lives. Many of us have started to think about how technology affects us on a personal level, but… How many of us have stopped to think about how it affects our children? 85% of mothers reported using technology to keep their children busy.

Children receive their first device with internet access at an earlier age. The same study revealed that 83% of American households have tablets, and 77% have smartphones. Even at school, technology is everywhere. Teachers mark tasks that require tools and research online, and use applications to manage tasks.

Technology is constantly adapting and is here to stay, but many do not stop to think about the risk that this implies in terms of cybersecurity. A recent study revealed an alarming figure:  68% of parents never monitor what their children are doing on the Internet - and Internet activity is increasing year after year.

For many children, the online world is more real than the real world. It is vital for the well-being of our children that we understand what they see on the web, both the good and the bad in it and the impact it has on their physical and emotional well-being. The problem, as many of us will admit, is that we feel like we don't really understand the online world. Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter are pretty baffling in and of themselves, not to mention 4chan or TOR. Furthermore, we do not believe we have the technical ability to navigate this complex environment.

The good news is that it is not that difficult to establish certain technical controls to protect your children on the Internet.  Even more important is this: the best thing you can do to protect your children is to talk to them. Set clear limits on what they can access online and when, but don't forget to be there for your kids when they make a mistake or have gone too far. Isn't that basically what parenting is all about? In this comprehensive guide, we talk about 8 areas that you should pay attention to as you navigate this complex online world. Depending on the age of your children, not everything will be relevant to you. Understand them not as guidelines for what to do now, but as things to pay attention to as your children grow.

1. Mobile phones and apps

According to consumer research from Influence Central, the average age children get their first Smartphone is 10 years old.

Putting a Smartphone in your child's hands has its advantages. A phone is an excellent safety tool: your child can use it to let you know they have reached their destination, call you to pick them up, or make calls in an emergency. Furthermore, you can also use your phone's GPS to track its location. Knowing that your children are always within reach offers great peace of mind to every parent.

Smartphones, however, can also be misused, putting children at risk. Since these are personal devices, we do not usually know what our children do with them or how they use them.

If you are considering putting a Smartphone in your child's hands, having a series of guidelines and tips beforehand helps. Even if your child already has a Smartphone, it is not too late to review the family rules. Show them that owning a Smartphone comes with great responsibility.

There are many steps you can take to implement phone security:

·         Have your child sign a contract to accept the Smartphone before giving him one. Print out a list of mobile phone regulations and post it in a prominent place in your home.

·         Download parental controls. Parental control apps, for the youngest, allow you to limit the use of the device by your child, determine their location and monitor their calls and messages. These apps also allow you to disable certain features at different times. For example, turn off texting while driving.

·         Set limits - when your child can use a Smartphone and for how long per day.

·         Be an example for your child. Don't take your phone to the table at lunchtime, and don't text while driving.

Establish a central location in your home where phones will charge. Phones should be kept out of your child's room and should not be used late at night.

2.  Streaming content and smart TVs

We like to look back and remember a time when the whole family gathered around the television to enjoy something together (in reality, many of us probably had a television in our rooms and spent many hours watching TV without much guidance from our parents).

That said, streaming content has become very popular and there are more TV series and movies at our fingertips than ever before, much of which is not suitable for children.

Streaming services, however, have great advantages. Many contain educational programming for children and numerous documentaries. Most don't show ads, so your kids won't be bombarded with commercial messages all over the place like they do when they watch traditional TV. You can open up a whole new world for your kids with streaming content - the key is how to use it.

Most of the big streaming content providers have parental controls, some stronger than others. Netflix allows you to create separate profiles for you and your children.

By using these tools you can ensure that your children only have access to age appropriate content. Because Netflix's kids menu has a different color from the regular menu, you can easily see if your kids are accessing content that you allow them to watch or not. However, this does not prevent children from entering your profile, so you have to be vigilant. iTunes and Apple TV allow parents to set rating levels for the content their children watch. In contrast, Amazon Prime has no parental controls, so the only thing you can do is log out and not share your password.

All these tools, however, are not a substitute for having frequent conversations with your children about what they see on the Internet.

3. Consoles for gaming and online games

According to the NPD group, 91% of American children ages 2 to 17 play video games. Consoles have long been a source of concern for many parents; With so many games with violent or sexual content, it is important to be careful about the type of games your children play.

In addition, in console games that have a multiplayer component and in those that are played solely online, it is open to abuse by other players. Many games allow players from all over the world to chat, which can potentially expose children to bullying and Cyberbullying. Likewise, children can also make friends online and can give their personal information.

Games are also a great way for children to develop a number of skills. These help children develop problem-solving skills, learn to commit to long-term goals, and work as a team, and they can also be a great way to strengthen family ties. Fortunately, most consoles offer strong parental controls, so parents can monitor their children's gaming sessions.

4. Social networks

Although the format has changed, parents have been worrying about their children's TV series and video games for years. Social media, on the other hand, is a new concern.

The use of social networks is practically universal among US adolescents: 71% of them use more than one social network. Today children spend an enormous amount of time on social media. A survey by the nonprofit Common Sense Media showed that 8-12 year olds spent six hours a day online, much of it on social media, and 13-18 year olds the inordinate amount of online! nine hours a day!

According to a recent Harvard study, although most social networks require their users to be at least 13 years old, 68% of parents claimed to have helped their children create an account. Social media can be especially addictive for tweens and teens. Its use also opens the door to a series of issues such as Cyberbullying, inappropriate exchanges or talks with strangers (more on this below). Access to social networks is also essential today in the development of adolescents' social identity and constitutes their way of connecting with their friends. P can be a healthy way of relating; the key is to set certain limits to make it a positive experience.

5. Cyberbullying

The lives of our children have gone online. Those of those who bully, unfortunately, too. Cyberbullying is often in the news and there are even cases of suicides due to online bullying.

Cyberbullying occurs on all the platforms named above and takes various forms: spreading rumors, sending threatening messages on social networks or via text or email messages, identity theft and uploading of shameful material to the Internet under the name of another child spreading private photos without permission or, in general, talking about another child on the Internet with the aim of humiliating or degrading them.

Cyberbullying is especially harmful because it is very public. In the past, if a child was bullied on the playground, possibly only a few peers would see it. Today's most personal information about a child can be spread across the web, and it remains there forever unless it is reported and successfully removed.

Cyberbullying can negatively affect the reputation not only of the victim but also of the abuser, and can have a great impact on the future of that child - for example, their entry into university or their working life.

It is also very persistent. If a child is a victim of traditional bullying, their home is often a refuge; instead, since digital platforms are always available, Cyberbullying victims find it difficult to find relief.

It is often very difficult to know if your child is being bullied online - parents and teachers are less likely to notice as it happens online. According to the internet safety organization i-SAFE, less than half of the children who were victims of online bullying will tell their parents or other adults what was happening to them. In fact, according to a US government survey, 21% of children between the ages of 12 and 18 have suffered bullying, and an estimated 16% were bullied online. The best way to prevent Cyberbullying is to pay attention to your child's behavior; a number of red flags can be displayed.

A child who is bullied may close their social media account and open a new one. You may begin to avoid social situations, even if you used to enjoy them before. Cyberbullying victims (and perpetrators) often hide their screen or device when other people are around and there is a certain amount of secrecy about what they do online. They may even suffer emotional distress and become withdrawn.

Conclusion

There are many technical tools that can help you keep your children safe on the Internet. Some of them are VPNs, antivirus software, Internet filters, and parental controls, but none are really enough to keep your kids totally safe.

As we've repeated over and over in this guide, the key is not to master a number of technical tools (most are actually very easy to set up, so don't let a little technical knowledge scare you off). You don't have to keep up with the latest on the internet either - trust us, you will never be able to cope!

The most difficult and important thing is having frequent conversations with your children about their lives. Remember, Internet companies, social networks, game and console providers and the rest of the online world can help you set content limits, but they will not necessarily be thinking of the best for your children.

The ideal person to keep your children safe on the Internet is you.  A chat about how to stay safe online can be an excellent vehicle for building a positive and trusting relationship with your child. Internet safety is often a priority for every parent and caregiver. If you have found this guide helpful, consider sharing it with your friends and family via Facebook and Twitter.