Have your kids got a tablet? Or their own computers? A phone with Internet access? The answer is probably ‘yes’. There was a time when you could control the type of content your children were exposedto, on the TV or in books, but not anymore. Computers are no longer the only unlimited source of information, even phones can now be an open door to thousands of pages of inappropriate content.
Cyber-crime, child abuse, data theft, bullying… These are just some of the threats that children face. However, this doesn’t mean we have to prohibit or deprive youngsters of new technologies.
Tips for protecting children on the Internet
1. A smartphone or tablet is not a toy
It’s normal for children to use their device to play or access kids’ apps, but they must be taught to use them in moderation and encouraged to make the most of its educational aspects.
2. What’s that app?
Check what apps your kids have installed. It’s important to know what features they have and what each app is used for.
3. Where did you get that game?
Check whether the apps installed are trustworthy. Even a simple game downloaded from a dangerous website can be an open door for cyber-criminals. Malicious apps can be used to find out your location and steal your personal information or even to sign you up for a premium SMS service. That’s why you should always install an antivirus on smartphones or tablets.
4. Don’t talk to strangers
Make sure children understand the risks of having contact with strangers or giving them information. As in real life with strangers, they should be suspicious of anyone who uses applications like Whatsapp to try to get to know them. Anonymity on the Internet can be even more dangerous than in real life.
5. How do my kids behave on social networks?
Photos from class, nasty comments … Many things that kids do on social networks can have all sorts of consequences. The embarrassment of having their parents as friends on Facebook makes it difficult for you to monitor them, so the ideal solution is to gain the trust of your children so you can see what they are doing on social networks with their consent, and you can properly configure their privacy settings.
How and when to activate parental control
One way to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content is to use parental control features.
The parental control options included in Panda Security products such as Panda Internet Security 2014 or Panda Global Protection 2014 enable the computer administrator to decide which type of filter to apply to each user. It also lets you specify a list of Web pages that are permitted or denied regardless of the type of filter applied to each user.
How do you control your kids’ access to the Web?