Photo by Julia M Cameron

Originally Posted On: https://livingwellkids.com/2020/05/01/how-to-keep-your-kids-online-safe/

 

1.Introduction

Today on the internet anyone can find everything! Useful and interesting content from various fields, whether it is education, entertainment, interaction with other people … Literally everything! The decision when to give your kids internet independence is one of the biggest dilemmas that can face a modern parent. The danger of the unknown until cyber-bullying, parents should ensure their children’s online safety on the Internet. At a time when children between the ages of 7 and 12 have access to the same digital services that their parents use, such as video streaming websites or other digital tools, there are many web threats and risks that can affect children’s attitudes toward the Internet. So, online safety is the most important thing while using the internet, especially for your kids.

2.Why is it important to keep your children online safe

Terrible clowns with sharpened teeth and machetes in their bloody hands, cute velvet animals that turn into horror animators, racing vehicles that trample zombies. Seagulls crawl on your back when you see what your six-year-old son sees online. Meanwhile, the teenage daughter meets an interesting interlocutor on Facebook. She is thrilled with it. They agree to meet in the evening, and she is completely unaware that his profile has been noticed in the list of sexual offenders in the Ministry of Interior. You make all sorts of restrictions on digital devices trying to protect your children, but you still can’t sleep peacefully, fearing them. All the time you’re concerned about the online safety of your children. You ask yourself, why did I connect to the Internet at home at all ?!

The three main risks that concerns every parent are:

•  – Teach children to recognize cyber scammers, hackers, data thieves, and predators and to protect themselves from contact with them. Tell them that people are not always the way they are on the internet. The internet is a place to improve existing relationships, not a place to meet new people.
•  – This applies to content that children watch while online, as well as to those who leave it. Help children understand that the Internet is forever: everything they post online is recorded and stored, and this can be followed in their future job interviews as well as when applying to college.
•  – Because the web environment can make sense of anonymity, many children become freer when online. Teach children that the Internet is a public forum: anonymity is a myth. Help them to be good people online like when they are offline. Explain that the rules of good behavior that apply in everyday life also apply in the online environment.

3.What are the old school methods

Until recently, it was believed, to avoid the dangers of the Internet, the computer is enough to be placed on the high-traffic areas in the home.

Parents thought that way to protect their children from dangerous and inappropriate websites. Another thing that parents did for the online safety of their children was not allowing them to have Internet in their room, Limiting the time for using the devices through which they access the Internet. Creating tabs with the pages your child visits the most. Thus, you were sure that the opportunity to “wandered” to another similar page of search engines was minimal.

4.Why it doesn’t work

Today, wireless connections allow young people to use the Internet from anywhere. The online world is constantly changing. You can not always be in touch with the online safety of your children. They all have mobile phones, tablets, etc. Because almost every child now has access to an Internet-connected device, they are more likely to encounter inappropriate content or be threatened by the Internet – such as being close to a child with grooming or identity theft. Parents should set aside any assumptions they may have about their children’s online habits on the one hand and have an open dialogue with their children about the need to control their digital activities and Internet security because they do not. may intentionally encounter harmful content.

5.What you as parents can do to protect your kids.

• Stay positive

Pay attention and find out the websites your children use. Surf the internet with them. Cherish the participation of your children in online communities and show interest in their friends. Try to react constructively when they are faced with inappropriate material. Make sure children bring a positive conclusion.

• Support their good choices

Increase the Internet experience of your children and their independence, at a time when it is appropriate for their age so that they demonstrate competence for safe and secure online behavior and good decision making.

• Protect your hardware

Online Safety and security start with the protection of computers. Install security software (antivirus software, anti-spyware software, and firewall) that is set to update automatically. Review privacy settings on social networking sites, cell phones, and other social tools your children use. Decide together what settings you will make to protect each child.

• Teach them on critical thinking

Help your children identify safe, reliable websites and other digital content, and be cautious about the review, download, post, and attachment content.

• Explain them the consequences

Help your children understand the public nature of the Internet and the risks, as well as the benefits. They should know that any digital information they share, such as messages, photos, or videos, can be easily copied and added elsewhere, and it is almost impossible to get it back. Content that could damage their reputation, friendships, or future should not be shared electronically.

• Help them to be good digital citizens

Remind your children to be good “digital friends” by respecting the personal information of friends and family, not to share anything that concerns others, and is potentially embarrassing or malicious.

• Just saying “no” rarely works

Teach your children how to communicate safely with people they “meet” online. Encourage your children to deal with problems such as bullying, unwanted contact, or vulnerable comments. Make strategies with them to be ready when problems arise (for example, to talk only with trusted people, and when they suspect someone to block the person). Elaborate steps that may be taken if the strategy fails, so that you’re sure about the online safety of your kids. Help them master the safety and security techniques for all the technologies they use. Support their positive and secure engagement in online communications. Encourage them to help others achieve their goals.

Until recently, it was believed, to avoid the dangers of the Internet, the computer is enough to be placed on the high-traffic areas in the home. Parents thought that way to protect their children from dangerous and inappropriate websites.

6.What is the new method to keep your children online safe

Today there are more sophisticated methods to protect children from unwanted content on the “network”. They will help you create new safe ways for your children to explore the digital world without worries. Security platforms allow observation and monitoring of communications of children, including public activities of “Facebook”, calls and text messages on Android devices. Help guide children so that they have access to certain types of websites, content, and age-appropriate applications. Parents have confirmation of the location of the child, which is shown on the map, in real-time. If the child leaves the physically safe zone defined by the parent, he or she will be notified immediately. he parent can manage the time the child spends on the device. Help your child use websites and devices, making it easy for him to manage his time. This is a real online safety of our children. Such a platform is Kaspersky’s safe kids. Kaspersky Safe Kids is a software that provides online protection for children when using mobile devices or computers. By installing it on your children’s mobile devices or computers, you will be able to:

•  Protect your children from dangerous and inappropriate information on the web.
•    Manage the use of applications (allowed/allowed certain time / prohibited);
•     Control the time your child spends using mobile devices or computers.
•     Follow the posts on Facebook in which your child is mentioned and watch the changes in the list of his friends.
•     Get notifications about your child’s location, as well as notifications when the child leaves the defined zone.
•     Get statistics on calls and messages (only available on Android devices);
•     View detailed reports on your child’s online activities.

This is a real online safety of our children, don’t you think?