As amazing as the internet can be for educational purposes, it also comes with its share of dangers. In fact, many individuals use it as a source of power to target children, and there are more than one or two.
Some things just shouldn’t be experienced or observed by young and influential minds, which is why you should step in from the start. Put down the rules for using the internet, and implement extra security for the sake of your child’s safety.
On your journey for setting up security measures, you will notice how unequipped parents have been up until now. Nothing was more difficult than staying on top of what your kids were browsing, and what they had access to.
Luckily, this bleak picture is rapidly changing thanks to the government stepping in, as well as service providers and co-location server providers taking the initiative. Now, there are more options available in terms of securing your home connection. Parents also have more access to valuable information, which they can use to educate their kids on surfing the internet wisely.
But if you have yet to come across all these tools and information, and you want to know a few things right now, just keep reading.
1. All Internet Devices In Open Rooms
One of the most effective ways to monitor internet browsing is to keep all devices in an open living space. In other words, it should be a room where family members can freely walk in and out. This will help children to be aware and cautious of what they are looking at. You might even make the internet a family activity where you surf together.
2. Parental Control
Even though it is wonderful to see your children growing up, it also means they get more difficult to monitor, especially when it comes to their internet activities. A good way to curb them from doing something they shouldn’t is to use the parental control settings via the router. Of course, this isn’t bullet-proof, but you are covering good ground.
As a side-note, mobile devices with 3G/4G connections will require that you speak to the provider in order to enable the settings.
3. The OpenDNS Alternative
If it happens that your service provider can’t provide you with parental control choices, you can also use an open source provided by OpenDNS. It aims to give you better protection on every device that can possibly be used by your children to access the internet. These devices include anything from smartphones and game consoles to televisions and laptops.
Establish Some Rules
While the above-mentioned tips can be very effective, it only helps if you establish some rules on how your children should stay safe online. For example:
- Never sharing your password
- Not allowed to give out any personal information (this includes school details)
- Use caution when opening texts or emails from strangers
There is also the matter of how they should behave online, such as:
- No arrangements are allowed to be made, especially if a parent is not aware of it
- Nobody can be trusted online completely
- Interactions with other people online should be respectful
- Always tell a parent or teacher if something or someone online makes you feel uncomfortable
Yes, it’s a lot tougher to protect children these days, but through innovative thinking, you can do it.