Five Simple Ways to Keep Your Kids Safe Online

Children in today’s world love technology, and it’s hard to tear them away from their screens. There is a wealth of games, television programs and learning opportunities out there on the internet, which means your kids will be amused for hours. Of course, while the internet offers your children a lot of good things, there are also some bad things out there that need careful attention to keep kids safe online.

It’s tempting in this situation to prevent your child using the internet entirely. But, it doesn’t have to be this way. There are simple steps you can take to make sure your kids are safe online and can enjoy all of the advantages that it can bring to their lives.

Always remember to speak to your children about the dangers of the internet. This is the best way to communicate what is going on so they learn how to act moving forward. But, there are also some ways you can keep your kids safe online. So, let’s find out!

Children benefit from having set boundaries so they can learn what they can and can’t do. The same applies to staying safe online. If you communicate to your children what they should be using the internet for then they will know what they can do. This can prevent your kid straying onto a dangerous website that is unsuitable for their age group or clicking on an unreliable popup that can damage your computer. In addition, tell your children that they should not download apps or any other kind of files without permission. This way you will know about the source before anything bad can happen.

Kids love to play games, but more and more games are played online with other real players. While this makes gaming fun for adults, it can become a danger to our children, especially when they are young. In these kinds of games, players can communicate via messenger. This is when things can become complicated. There is the possibility that children can share sensitive data that puts them in danger. That is why it is important to tell your child that not everyone is their friend on the internet nor is everyone who they seem. It is easy for your kid to answer questions innocently and not realize what is happening. Have a chat with them and also watch them when they are playing these kinds of games.

Parents can create a special account for their kids so they can see what their kids are accessing. This allows you to set ground rules and manage what your children are doing online, making sure they don’t run into dangers along the way. Plus, you can even set a bedtime on the device to ensure your child doesn’t spend all night online.

Does your child love to watch movies and television programs on a device or computer? As you well know, there are a lot of choices on Netflix, which is great. But, there is also the possibility that your child chooses the wrong movie or television program for their age group. In this case, you can set a Netflix pin, as well as set a restriction level for your children. This will keep them from being able to access mature content when you are not around. So, take advantage of the parental controls on Netflix!

You can never be too careful when it comes to safety online. Despite our best efforts, we don’t always know what our children are doing online. This doesn’t mean you have to stop your child using the internet; it just means you should have software in place that can protect your device and sensitive data. In particular, a good antivirus and phishing software are exactly what you need in case of lurking dangers online. If your kid clicks on a dangerous popup window or enters a site that is dangerous, your computer is protected from harm. The software will stop viruses that can damage your computer and prevent people from stealing your data without your consent.

Keep your kids safe online and help yourself feel more confident in their use of the internet. Download a free copy of “Internet Kids - Road Trip”. The book about staying safe online for ages 6-10 today!