Internet Safety for Children: Tips to Protect Your Child on the Internet

In recent years, the Internet space has been developing more and more actively. Unfortunately, this does not mean that all users are protected from danger on the network. You can literally find everything on the Internet and of course, not all content is suitable for children. So, how do we protect children from this? In this article, we will try to understand everything and tell you about possible ways to protect a child on the Internet. Along with the development of the Internet, Internet child protection is also developing. The task of this movement is helping to make things more safe and secure.

Internet and Children's Psyche

The number of Internet users is growing rapidly. The proportion of people under the age of 18 among users of the World Wide Web is very high. For many people, especially children and teenagers, the Internet becomes an awareness-raising environment without which they cannot imagine their life. 

However, a large percentage of information, access to which is free, is not intended for children. In this regard, the problem of ensuring security in cyberspace is particularly relevant in modern society. There is a relationship between the internet safety for kids and the negative impact of the Internet on their mentality. 

Internet child protection: Tips to protect your child on the Internet

Of course, there are questions about how to stay safe online. There are basic ways to protect your children on the Internet. We offer you the following safety tips for kids:

1. Router

Set a password for your router. Set up WPA security on your router

A savvy teen can download software that will hack a WEP password in less than a minute, but WPA will prevent them from accessing the Internet without permission or doing so from an unprotected account. (It will also prevent kids from working around online controls at home by using a mobile device instead of a computer).

2. Computer access

Make sure kids don't have administrative access on the computer. It's also a good idea to make sure that kids have their own accounts on your home computer and that the one you use is password protected.

3. Children’s online friends

Make sure you become friends and contacts within your child’s social media circles and ensure you monitor posts. Your children may resist but tell them that is one of the conditions for you to allow them access.

4. Online time tracking 

Children between the age of five and 17 should have no more than two hours of screen time a day. So, it’s important to monitor your child’s online time, particularly younger children, to ensure they do not develop bad habits. Get your children to agree on a period of time, say 30 minutes per session, and set a timer to go off – don’t forget to make this a non-negotiable finish time.

5. Open talks with your child

As soon as your child starts accessing the internet, talk to them about what they are reading, watching and who they are communicating with online – and keep the conversation going as they grow older.

6. Education

This is probably the most important thing in this process. Education will help the child to determine what is good and what is dangerous for him. Moreover, educate yourself by learning about what is happening in the Internet space.

Your kids need to know that people are likely not who they say they are online. Even if someone looks, sounds, or acts like someone their age, they may be fooled. Always be cautious and never give out any personal info, even to “known” friends. This might include anything from age and location, to online login info or whether your parents are home.

7. Browser history

If your child is young, you might also consider checking browser histories after your child has been online to see what sites they are visiting. This approach obviously gets harder as children grow older and work out how to clear histories and require more privacy.

8. Parental control apps

There are enough applications that allow parents to track both the location of the child and his activity on social networks and being online. Parental control apps like Bark, FamilyTime, Qustodio and so on, may save your time and nerves when it comes to your children. It’s easy to use and very efficient to analyze.

9. Computer basics for kids

Thanks to tech development, your child already has more experience with different computer types than you do. That’s life – now kids easily operate smartphones and ask Alexa to play a song or video (which are also computers). There are many visions on how and when to start, so make sure your kids know the computer basics.

10. The privacy of your location 

Most apps, networks and devices have geotagging features which make your whereabouts public and can lead someone directly to you. These features should be turned off for obvious privacy and safety reasons. Digital photos also contain metadata (information about the time, date and GPS coordinates) which may reveal more than you want to. Some social media platforms automatically hide or remove this data, but not all, so do your homework and know how much info you’re sharing.

11. Screen Recording

With younger children, a way to find out what your young child sees on a computer or phone screen is to record the screen. It is on the record that you will be able to see what actions the children are taking, with whom they communicate, which sites they visit and so on. For such a purpose, you can use any screen recorder. They aren’t difficult to use and may help you see what your younger children do on the Internet.

12. Learning online

The Internet is a great space for development. Just take the child's time to study. There are a huge number of courses, training videos. Thus, you will not just protect him from harm online, but you will also be sure that the child is learning something new. Just help your kids to study online and get interested in useful content.

13. Antivirus

Internet security software guards your devices and data and blocks common threats like viruses and malware, plus complex ones like spy apps, cryptolockers, and XSS attacks. As with operating systems and apps, it's essential to keep your antivirus up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. Use good security software.

14. Links/downloads 

Cybercriminals know children seek out free software, music, and games. They also know children are more likely to trust links and email attachments.

These are the main tips on how to protect a child on the Internet. Try to spend more time with your children in the real world without gadgets. However, do not overdo it, so as not to injure the child's psyche. Remember that the child will repeat the model of your behavior.  In this way, you will contribute to the harmonious development of your children and your relationship with them.

Thank you for reading. 

  Alex xo