How to Make Sure Your Child Is Safe Online?

For kids of today’s generation, playing with their parent’s smartphones, tablets, etc., is a common thing. It lets them get familiar with technology from an early age, along with creating an opportunity to learn several things in a fun and interactive way.

Now, regardless of all the benefits your children may get from playing with these gadgets, the fact that they are exposed to numerous risks just cannot be ignored. They can become victims of cyberbullying, scams, download malware accidentally, etc. Moreover, they can unintentionally post private information online, which can lead to other problems.

Thus, taking care of their online safety is your duty. So, if you are wondering how to make sure your child is safe online, keep reading this blog.

6 Tips to Keep Kids Safe Online

1.Use Parental Controls

When you are thinking about how to make sure your child is safe online, one of the best solutions is using parental controls. This setting is available in both smartphones and tablets offered by almost every major manufacturer. It lets you apply restrictions on screen time, app access, in-app purchases, block inappropriate websites and more.

This ensures that even when you are not around, there is a level of security measures protecting your little one from online threats.

2. Check Who Are their Online Friends

Parents know very well that people are not who they show themselves to be online. Thus, if your little one is social media savvy, it is essential that you know who their online friends are. In case they are conversing with friends from school or their cousins, it is completely fine. However, if it is someone whom they don’t know, it is essential that you check out the person’s profile and block them if needed.

3. Teach them What They Can and Cannot Share Online

Nowadays, almost all our personal documents, banking information, etc., stay on our phones. Thus, it can be the case that our kids, while playing, mistakenly upload them on social media. Moreover, they can unknowingly send them to people without having the slightest doubt of their intentions.

Thus, it is crucial for parents to explain to them what they can and cannot share online. They need to understand that their home and school addresses, school IDs, any documents of their parents, etc., are things which they must not upload on the internet. Moreover, they should avoid sharing pictures of themselves with unknown people. If someone asks them to share such things, they should immediately inform their parents.

4. Ask them to Be Open About Their Online Activities

As per an international study, almost 1 out of 10 children between the ages of 8 and 11 have seen something disturbing online. Thus, when you are thinking about how to keep your kids safe on the internet, please remember that the best way is to communicate openly.

Create a safe and secure atmosphere for your child in which he/she feels secure to speak to you. This will encourage them to be open about their online activities, enabling you to keep track of what they are doing.

Furthermore, you will get the opportunity to explain to them what they should and should not be doing online, thus ensuring their digital safety.

5. Review Apps and Websites Before Your Child Uses them

Children are naturally inquisitive. Thus, it is common for them to try out new apps and games every once in a while. Now, apps these days tend to have several advertisements, which can lead to downloading malware, redirecting to inappropriate websites and more.

So, whenever your child finds something new on the internet, ask them to show it to you first.

6. Encourage them to Report Inappropriate Behaviour

The internet is filled with cyber predators who stalk children. They aim to take advantage of their innocence and lure them into real-life personal encounters. These situations can often lead to abuse, which can severely affect their mental and physical well-being.

To safeguard your children, teach them what kind of behaviour is right and what is wrong. Encourage them to speak up in case they face any type of inappropriate suggestions online. You can immediately block that person and file a report at your local police station.

Conclusion

It is a well-known fact that kids learn from examples. Thus, when you are wondering how to make sure your child is safe online, teach them cautious and respectable online behaviour by following them yourself.   

Limit your own screen time, teach them about online threats and spend time with them watching fun and educational content. These activities will create a positive mindset in your child about the internet while being aware of its risks.

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