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How to keep your child safe online

Written by Adrian Worthington, published 04-13-23

As technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous in our daily lives, children are spending more and more time online. While the internet offers numerous benefits, it also poses risks to children’s safety and well-being. As a result, it’s crucial for parents to take proactive steps to keep your children safe online. In this article, we’ll explore some practical tips and strategies that parents can use to help protect their children’s online safety.

1. Educate your children about online safety:
2. Use parental controls:
3. Keep your computer and software up-to-date:
4. Monitor your children’s online activity:
5. Encourage safe and responsible online behaviour:
6. Be aware of the risks of social media:
7. Review any apps or games:

In this article, we will shift our focus from giving advice on how personal alarms can protect your child outside to providing practical tips for parents to keep their children safe online. We’ll do this by exploring the tips mentioned above in more detail.

Educate your children about online safety:

One of the most effective ways to keep your children safe online is to educate them about online safety. This includes teaching them how to recognise and avoid potentially dangerous situations, such as cyberbullying, identity theft, and online predators. Explain to your children that they should never give out their personal information, such as their name, address, or phone number, to anyone they don’t know online. Encourage your children to talk to you if they encounter any problems online, and create an open dialogue about online safety.

Use parental controls:

Most devices and apps come with built-in parental controls that allow you to monitor your children’s online activities and restrict access to certain websites or apps. Take advantage of these tools to help keep your children safe online. For example, you can set time limits on screen time, block certain websites or apps, and monitor your children’s social media activity.

Keep your computer and software up-to-date:

Make sure that your computer and software are up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates. This will help protect your children from malware, viruses, and other online threats. Consider using antivirus software and a firewall to provide an additional layer of protection.

Monitor your children’s online activity:

Regularly monitor your children’s online activity to ensure that they are not engaging in risky behaviour or visiting inappropriate websites. You can use software tools to monitor your children’s internet usage, or you can simply check their browsing history.

Encourage safe and responsible online behaviour:

Encourage your children to use the internet in a safe and responsible manner. This includes teaching them about digital citizenship and how to be respectful and responsible online. Encourage your children to use strong passwords, avoid sharing personal information online, and be careful about the content they post online.

Be aware of the risks of social media:

Social media can be a great way for children to connect with friends and family, but it also poses risks. Children can be vulnerable to cyberbullying, online predators, and exposure to inappropriate content. Consider setting strict rules around social media use. Limiting the amount of time your children spend on social media, monitoring their activity, and encouraging them to use privacy settings to control who can see their content.

Review any apps or games:

When selecting games and apps for your child, be sure to choose age-appropriate content that is suitable for their maturity level.

Many games and apps have ratings that can help you determine whether they are appropriate for your child’s age group. Before allowing your child to download or play a new game or app, take the time to review and approve it. Read reviews and research the app’s features and privacy policies. If you’re unsure about an app’s safety, it’s better to err on the side of caution and avoid it altogether.

If you are seeking additional information and resources, we recommend visiting the websites below. Simply click on the logos to access specialised advice and further reading.

Keeping children safe online is a critical responsibility for parents in today’s digital age. By educating your children about online safety, using parental controls, monitoring their online activity, and encouraging safe and responsible behaviour, you can help protect your children from the many risks of the internet. Stay involved in your children’s online lives and be proactive in addressing any potential issues that arise. With the right tools and strategies, you can help ensure that your children can enjoy the benefits of the internet while staying safe and secure.

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