Did you know? Some studies suggest that excessive screen time, especially in younger children, might affect cognitive development and attention spans. (Conway Medical Centre)
This indicates that if kids are overexposing themselves to these technological products, it can cause them numerous inevitable damages.
However, due to the evolution of the modern era, we are all dependent on these devices for our importance. Even schools are shifting their format on online platforms.
You, as a parent, can still manage to establish control of the mobile phone usage of your ward by implementing simple steps.
Just read this article till the end because it has everything you need to know about protecting your children from addictive internet applications.
Let’s get started!
Use a Parental Control App
A high-quality parental control app allows you to set restrictions and permissions on both devices and specific applications. This means that you can immersively prohibit the viewership of inappropriate content pieces.
Plus, a parental control app lets you restrict downloads, prevent your kid from viewing adult content, block purchases (very handy), and view what your child is doing on social media. There are lots of options out there, so research the available choices to identify the best parental control app for your family.
While choosing a parental control application, make sure it contains the elementary functionalities like:
Important aspects to consider when choosing a parental control app:
Compatibility: Make sure that the app works effortlessly with the child’s device and operating system.
Ease of Use: A user-friendly interface for parents to set up and manage controls.
Customization Options: Ability to tailor controls based on the child’s age and needs.
Customer Support: Reliable support in case of issues or questions.
Fascinating Facts Excessive mobile phone use can negatively affect social interaction skills, leading to potential isolation and decreased face-to-face communication. (Conway Medical Centre)
Use a VPN
While it’s possible to use a VPN (virtual private network) to bypass some parental control settings, overall, many safeguarding components also become active. For example, a VPN blocks ads and websites that are prone to threat-causing agents and hides your kid’s location (by changing the device’s IP address) from online trackers—a vital means of helping keep your little one safe online.
Further, by downloading a VPN, you’ll get effective protection against hackers, especially when using a public connection where the chances of your phone getting traced are 100x greater than the private internet.
Kids usually don’t understand the value of security protocols and identity theft activities, but their adults should be careful regarding this because hackers can be extensively vulnerable through various means. Constantly tell the children of houses to enable the security modems before starting any activity.
Take Advantage of In-App Tools
Many app tools can be used to monitor what your kids are up to digitally and keep them safe online. For example, Google’s Family Link allows parents to manage their children’s online accounts, set limits and restrictions, and even view their location (when they have their device with them).
Meanwhile, Facebook’s parental controls settings enable you to set controls on stories and posts. You can block accounts, limit the personal information displayed, limit friend requests, control access to games and apps, and monitor your kid’s newsfeed to ensure they’re not exposed to inappropriate content.
The monitoring tools you are using must consist of the following:
Web filtering: Use content categories to prevent access to unsuitable websites.
App blocking: Restrict access to certain apps or set time limits for using them.
Screen time management: Establish time or daily restrictions on how much time you spend on your devices.
position tracking: Use GPS to keep tabs on your child’s precise position.
Social media monitoring: Keep an eye out for any damaging content or possible cyberbullying on different social media sites.
Comprehensive reports: Get thorough reports on the internet activities of your kids.
Intriguing Insights This infographic shows the negative impacts of smartphones on the school life of a kid.
Deploy Content Filtering Software
Content filtering software can block age-inappropriate and harmful websites (along with potentially harmful incoming emails), offering an extensive protection control mechanism. This type of software is part of an internet firewall and is also useful for monitoring kids’ online interactions—to nip cyberbullying in the bud, for example.
Helping Ensure Your Kids Have a Positive and Safe Online Experience
With virtually all kids regularly using the internet today, being aware of the potential risks is crucial to keeping them safe online. Making the most of the various software and tools available to monitor your kid’s digital activity is an effective means of ensuring they have a safe and positive online experience.
Whether they’re enjoying gaming with friends or making a first foray into the world of social media, make sure to check all the prevention methods mentioned above to foster the safest and addiction-free atmosphere for the kids.
Gaurav Rathore
