Do you have school age children? If so, you’re probably worried about what your kids could be exposed to online. Some common concerns are porn, sexual predators and bullying. The good news is that online parental controls can help you stay on top of internet use in your home.
Here’s a beginner’s guide on how to help keep your kids safe online.
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Use online parental controls openly in the home
One thing’s for sure – no teenager wants their parents checking out their internet use! That would be like chaperoning when they’re hanging out with friends. It would be an embarrassing invasion of privacy and trust.
But the internet really is a scary place. Deeply concerning content and interactions are seconds away from a teenager in the know. Parents have a duty to protect their children from harm.
A good way to balance privacy and safety is to make online parental controls an open topic in the home.
- Teach children about the dangers and how to stay safe.
- Discuss and make an agreement about acceptable and unacceptable internet use.
- Let everyone know that troubling content is being filtered and monitored.
- Give parents the right to look at internet history if they are concerned.
Don’t destroy your kids trust by secretly monitoring their internet use. Use online parental controls openly for a smoother ride.
Types of online parental controls
Built in controls
Your kids have a device in their pocket than can access the world’s information – both good and bad. At least 80% of teenagers use smart phones to get online.
Mobile devices have built in online parental controls. Whether Mac or Android, you can restrict content, social media or times of use.
Gaming consoles also have built in parental controls. The XBox One, Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch let you control internet use and play times.
Third party controls
Third party online parental controls are those provided by other companies. They may have more options than the built in systems. Third party controls can restrict times of use, specific services and types of content. They often provide alerts when problematic content is accessed, and full history of use.
Your internet service provider might include online parental controls as standard. Otherwise, control software can be installed on your computers and mobile devices.
Need help setting up parental controls?
We’ve only scratched the surface of this topic. It can be overwhelming, even for tech savvy parents. If you feel that your family needs online parental controls, we can help.
Melbourne Investigations has skilled online safety experts who can help you set up and manage your parental controls. Contact us today to get started.
