In today’s digital world, keeping your children away from the internet can be easier said than done. Between laptop computers, tablets, smartphones and even internet-accessible TV, chances are your kids are well-versed in the World Wide Web. While there are plenty of benefits to your children using the internet as a learning tool, you also have to beware of dangers online. Here are a few safety tips for protecting your kids as they surf.
Teach them how to use it
Before you let your children use the internet without you looking over their shoulders every second, you should inform them about which types of sites are appropriate and which are not. It’s also important to let kids know that they should never disclose personal information or communicate with strangers online, just like in real life.
Use parental safety settings
Whether it’s accidental or not, your kids may stumble upon a site or two that they shouldn’t have accessed. You can use parental safety settings to establish filters that will block your little ones from visiting corners of the internet where they don’t belong. This will also give you information on your kids’ search activity to monitor their usage.
Keep the computer in a central location
You don’t need to watch your kids’ internet activity like a hawk, but you should have a general idea of how they’re using the web. In order to do this, only let them use a family computer (or mobile device) that’s in a central location in your home. This will discourage them from using the internet inappropriately.