How do we know we are keeping our children safe online?
Protecting your children on the internet is a challenge for all parents; keeping children safe online is a top priority for every house that has online access. Despite a proliferation of online entertainment options, children remain at risk from a wide variety of online predators. Some threats can be emotional, while others are financially harmful. Children should be educated about these risks and encouraged to report inappropriate contact to their parents. This can help prevent cyberbullying, as well as protect kids from predators online.
Setting some rules
It’s essential to set rules about internet usage and privacy. Consistent rules are more likely to be accepted by children, especially if they are based on age and knowledge. For example, children under 13 should only use applications designed for their age group. Using a password generator can also help keep kids safe online.
Aside from using passwords, parents should also keep their children safe from hackers by monitoring their activity. Parents should limit the amount of personal information they share online and set limits on who can view it. They should also work with their kids to create rules about their social media usage and how to report inappropriate behaviour. If children do make mistakes, it is important to help them fix them. For instance, kids should not post offensive or suggestive pictures on social media. They should also be taught how to spot phishing emails and malicious software. They should know how to report someone they suspect is a scammer.
Did you know?……..
40% of children have seen sexual content online that they did not plan to see?
50% of children were asked by strangers for some form of personal information?
NSPCC has a great source of information to help you navigate this challenge, providing further advice for online safety and how to protect your children whilst on the internet.
How can GT-Systems help?
These figures are very scary, so while giving your children some form of personal device to browse the internet, firstly protect your network.
Some routers offer this kind of service inbuilt but for those that do not, there are other technical options we at GT-Systems can help you with.
Got a question?
Want to know more about how we can help? Give us a call today – 01604 807824 / 07920 449587 or contact us via the website
