Technology is here to stay which means our children will be exposed to online dangers. Here are some Tools for Keeping Kids Safe Online. These are Simple tips for online safety and keeping your kids away from online dangers.

Tools for Keeping Kids Safe Online – Simple tips for online safety

There is no doubt that the world favors digital communication and that it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Many households have multiple devices, including PC’s, tablets, and smartphones to stay connected, informed, and entertained. Children are also likely participants whether it be to stream their favorite cartoons, message friends, read the latest stories, do their homework, or play video games.

However, even the most watchful parents cannot keep tabs on their children around the clock without help. Luckily, with open communication and new technology, parents can rest easier knowing that their children can be safe online while enjoying the benefits of the cyber world.

Growing Concerns

When a child is enjoying their game or video online, it’s hard to imagine that any harm could come from something so seemingly innocent. After all, most users are other minors attracted by content that appeals to their corresponding age group. Unfortunately, children can be exposed to a lot more than bargained for. In recent years, statistics such as the following have demonstrated that even children’s sites might have dangers lurking:

Cyber Predators find potential victims by posing as children or appealing to them by requesting meet-ups, photos, and other highly personal interactions.
Cyberbullying is experienced by 90% of teens on social media.
Although sites have age restrictions, many can be easily bypassed.
The target age group for many online predators is 12-15 years old.
Personal information can be collected on sites that children use.

Simple tips for online safety

Having Conversations

One of the most valuable tools you can arm your children with is information. It can be helpful to discuss when cybercrime can happen, the patterns of behavior to recognize, and what your child can do in case he or she is approached. Children should also recognize grooming behaviors and be empowered, not embarrassed, to communicate their concerns.

Parents may feel uncomfortable or hesitant to have this talk. However, it’s important to remember that there are age-appropriate ways to communicate this information to your child. For parents who want a good starting point, there are many resources that can give you examples of an appropriate script to use.

Setting Up a Safe Online Environment

While it may be unrealistic and unhealthy to promote helicopter parenting, putting reasonable restrictions on what your children access is a recommended safeguard. There are many effective online tools that you can use to prevent your children from stumbling upon inappropriate content. These types of tools present your child with a filtered version of the net. That is less likely to make inappropriate content accessible.

Monitoring Use

Last but certainly not least, parents should actually take the time to monitor what their children are doing online. The internet is a seemingly endless abyss of information. Regardless of all the safeguards put in place, children may still come across questionable content. Physically looking over your child’s shoulder may not be practical, but utilizing technology is certainly an effective and less invasive alternative. With the technology of this caliber, you can look forward to the following features that can help you to control any potential threats before they escalate:

Recordings of your child’s online activity from a remote device
Easy installation
Ability to use a keylogger to record keystrokes and access your child’s passwords for social media and other frequently visited sites
Monitoring content and time of use for multiple computers and mobile devices
Extensive storage capability securely stored on an online cloud

The Right Way to Enjoy the Net with online safety

With all the risks that children can possibly encounter when logged on, it may seem tempting to cut them off altogether. Because technology is evolving, the cyber world is being integrated into a growing number of everyday functions. Schoolwork, online commerce, and work tasks require regular access to the net. That trend only seems to be increasing. Don’t be scared, be prepared with an open line of communication. Most important, the best security tools at your disposal.