Top 5 Tools to keep your kid safe from the bad influence online
For the most part, the internet has been a great resource for families. It can be hugely educational, there are lots of online entertainment including TV shows, movies, and games, and kids can easily stay in touch with their friends and family members. However, the internet has also brought a lot of negative factors that can be a bad influence on or even harmful to your kid if left unchecked. Children are at particular risk of becoming victims to online criminals or upset by rude users of online platforms. Thankfully, there are several tools that parents can use to ensure that their kids are safe and happy online.
Social Media Privacy:
Each social media platform has privacy tools that you should definitely utilize if you are allowing your child to use popular platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. In fact, anybody using social media should take advantage of the privacy tools available. Predators can use a child’s social media profile to learn about where they live, who they are friends with, where they go to school and where they hang out, so it’s important to ensure that their social media profiles are locked down and that information is only accessible by select trusted family members and friends.
Qustodio:
This tool is useful for parents who want to know what their child gets up to online. It’s a free app that allows you to supervise their online activity and is great for those who are just starting to allow their little one to use the internet. You can also set content filters to prevent your child from seeing harmful content and set limits on screen time.
Kaspersky Safe Kids:
This app works in a similar way to Qustodio, but with a few additional features. It comes with screen time management so that you can set a limit for the amount of time that your child spends online, and you can track your child’s public Facebook activity, including any newly added friends so that you can ensure strangers aren’t trying to contact your child online. You can also track your child’s devices using GPS and define a safe area; you will be alerted if your child wanders out of it. It also lets you know when your child’s device is running low on battery.
Nuwber:
Social media platforms and chat rooms often pose some of the biggest dangers for kids online. Children are more likely than adults to be naive and share personal information with strangers, which can then lead to cyberbullying, harassment, and bigger dangers. This could be other kids from school picking on your child or it could be criminals looking to extort money, or worse. Nuwber is an online service that allows you to track somebody down using their name, phone number, email, or address, allowing you to find out who is chatting to your child.
Anti-Virus Software:
Finally, you should always make sure that your child’s devices have up-to-date security software. AVG, Bit Defender, and Avira are some popular options. They come with free versions, which provide alerts if your child’s computer is infected by a virus or spyware, and offer regular scanning features. While modern Windows and iOS laptops and PC computers come with built-in firewalls that are frequently updated, it’s still a wise idea to download an additional anti-malware program.
Which of these tools do you use to help your child stay safe online?
