Digital advancements seem to have shrunk the world. Technology has literally brought everything to your fingertips. This, as convenient as it is, can also be scary and dangerous, especially when you have young kids. Various types of threats lurk in the corners of the digital landscape, just waiting to target unaware, unsuspecting, and trustful people, like your little ones. You can’t keep your children away from screens and technology to protect them, that would impede their progress in life. So what can you do to keep your children safe online? You need to adopt a proactive approach to ensure your kids’ safety while they explore the online world. Here are some tips that should help:
Stay Informed About Potential Risks
Ignorance about cyber threats is not bliss. It is only going to make you and your family more susceptible to them. Staying informed about the latest cyber threats will allow you to recognize risk factors and take measures to eliminate them. Knowledge is definitely power, and it will allow you to make informed decisions about your children’s digital activities and experiences.
Engage in an Open Conversation With your Children
You won’t be around your children all the time to protect them. The best you can do is equip them with knowledge and ways to protect themselves. Talk to them openly about online predators and cyberbullying. Teach them about healthy digital habits and safe online behavior. When you engage in honest conversations with your children, you build trust and open channels of communication. This way you can make sure that your children will reach out to you if they encounter issues and risks online that they’re unable to handle themselves.
Install Protective Software
In 2020, the average number of internet-connected devices in UK households is nearly 10. This number has steadily risen over the years. Any device that connects to the internet is also like a portal for the entry of cyber threats. Not only can viruses infect and compromise your systems, but they can also steal sensitive information. Some information can actually compromise the physical safety of your children. Install an antivirus for PC that offers real-time protection as the first line of defense against common cybersecurity threats.
Familiarize yourself with Safety Tools
Although cyber threats evolve with time, thankfully so do the safety tools and measures. A tool is only as effective as the person utilizing it, so you need to know how the safety tools work. Learn how to set parental controls and filter content.
With safety tools, you can protect your children from inappropriate content and new threats. Rather than downloading and trying multiple tools, get a comprehensive premium security pack that performs various jobs and is easy for you to master.
Update Systems and Software
Ignoring system and software updates is a critical mistake. Not only do the updates improve efficiency, they also fix security loopholes and vulnerabilities. Take benefit from the latest security measures from developers by accepting those updates. Even though installing those updates can seem like a bit of an inconvenience and a nuisance when you’re busy, those little updates can make a big difference to security. Teach your kids to update trusted software regularly as well.
Review Privacy Policies
Check the privacy policies of the apps that your children frequently use. It may not always be practical to read the privacy policies entirely, so here’s a hack suggested by UNICEF: perform an online search with the app’s name and the words privacy risks next to it. The search results will give you a gist of the possible privacy risks and issues. While we’re on the subject of app privacy, make sure you don’t ignore the social media and social gaming apps that kids use. Privacy risks can sneak in through these ways. Ensure that your kids have their privacy settings set to ‘high’ on all apps.
Wrapping Up
The cyber maze presents both opportunities and challenges. Navigating this maze to take advantage of opportunities and steer clear of dangers requires knowledge and resources. With vigilance and continuous efforts, you can offer a safe online environment for your kids. Empowering your kids with knowledge and safety hacks can lighten your burden and bring you more peace. To thrive in this digital age, your kids need to learn more than just how to use technology; they need to learn how to navigate the cyber world safely. And until they’re of a reasonable age, you have to be their protector armed with digital protection tools.
