Teenagers and younger children are now spending up to 9 hours a day on media which includes watching TV, playing video games, catching up on social media and online videos. That’s a lot of time spent plugged in. With so much time spent on media and the internet, it is important to ensure that your child is safe from the dangers that are available online. This includes online predators. A recent survey amongst 10 to 17 year olds showed that one in every five of them had been solicited for sex by online predators.
You also need to keep your child safe from nasty websites, too much information, cyber bullying and spending too much time on the internet.
Practical steps to safeguarding your child
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Clear communication
Talking to your child about the importance of online safety is vital for their safety. Ensure that they understand the importance of keeping their information private and using private passwords. This ensures that they practice safety even when you’re not around to keep an eye on them.
It’s also important to keep the lines of communication between you and your children open. Ensure that they know that they can approach you if there is anything wrong e.g. if they’re experiencing cyber bullying or receiving disturbing messages from unknown sources.
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Use content filters
Content filters are tools designed to help you protect your children from accessing or coming across content that you consider inappropriate, such as pornographic material or violent imagery. They act as parental controls, giving you the ability to block or restrict specific types of content online. These filters can be customized based on the age and maturity level of your children, allowing you to set different levels of protection for younger kids versus teens. Whether you’re limiting access to certain websites, apps, or search results, content filters provide peace of mind by creating a safer online environment for your family.
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Use monitors
You can keep an eye on your child’s online activities by using monitoring tools designed for parental control. These tools allow you to track and manage what your child is doing online, providing insights into their use of social networks, websites, and even apps. This type of software can be installed discreetly, often without the child’s knowledge, and works in the background to monitor their activities. Many of these tools also offer customizable features, such as setting time limits, blocking inappropriate content, and receiving alerts for potentially harmful activity. They are an effective way to ensure your child’s safety in the digital world while giving you peace of mind as a parent.
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Set house rules
Children who spend a lot of time on the internet are at greater risk of becoming prey to online sexual predators. Such children are also more easily exposed to websites with inappropriate content. Lay down the ground rules for use of the internet in the home including what sites they are allowed to visit and the amount of time they are allowed to spend online e.g. allow them to use the internet for school work for no more than 2 hours every day and only one hour on the weekend. Talk about the consequences of breaking these rules with your children.
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Stay connected
Step into your child’s online world by getting connected with them on their social media accounts. Following or friending them on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook can give you a firsthand look at what they’re posting and who they’re interacting with. If you’d rather not be on social media yourself, another option is to ask your child to give you access to their profiles. This allows you to periodically check their accounts to keep track of their online activities, friend lists, and the content they are engaging with, helping you ensure they are navigating the digital space safely.
Ensure that you choose an internet service provider that offers security for your home network. Check the provider’s website or talk to a customer representative to find out more about their policies on security. This will help you monitor your child’s internet usage and protect them from potential online threats.