Keeping Kids safe online this summer

Even though my near 8yr old has very limited screen time and what he does have isn't connected to an internet browsers that doesn't mean I haven't taken a lot of time and thought when its come to keeping him safe as it can be so easy to overlook. I'm always aware as he gets older he is asking to play games and want more digital freedom so knowing how to keep your kids safe online is key. Kids today are digital natives. They might not know how to interact with relatives at a family gathering, but if they are pre-teens and upwards they do know how to comment on Facebook, like a picture on Instagram and make a Snapchat. Kids these days are experts at socialising online and you can't blame them, as they are growing up in an age where everything is shared online and some things are done solely with the purpose of posting it on social media.

While it has made everything global, people stay connected all the time and staying in touch with your high school friends isn’t a problem anymore, it has also created some problems for the youngsters.

 
Cyberbullying

Social media can be both empowering and a positive space but equally a space of negativity and making fun of other people. Social media is rife with this issue because a lot of people feel they can say what they want from behind a screen or leave hurtful comments anonymously. Even if you are trolled some sites provide complete anonymity in which the victim doesn’t even know who is harassing them. Kids can get deeply affected by such acts and can become depressed and withdrawn. 

Addiction

Social Media as we all know can be highly addictive and not only to adults but also children. Kids develop a constant need to refresh their news feed or check their notifications. It leads to a point where they check their phones after every 5 minutes even when there is nothing new happening. 

Behavioural Changes

Recent studies have show that too much time online can affect children and young adults real time communication as we need to interact with others face to face to build our social skills. Out-going individuals can also at times lose interest in physical activity and prefer to stay indoors and at home and can in the long-term put them at risk of depression and anxiety.

Personal Information risk 

Stranger danger is no longer limited to the streets. People can pretend to be whoever they want to be online and while as adults we know not to give out personal information children can sometimes be more naive or be led into situations where they have built trust with a total stranger and could give out personal information and put your child at risk.

How to put a constraint?

These issues can be very alarming and often parents want to take their kids’ phones away when they hear about them. But let’s not forget the fact that these devices also keep you connected with your kids, especially in a time of crisis. There is a more practical solution and that is keeping a check on them with the help of Android parental controls rendered by digital apps such as FamilyTime. You can take different steps with the help of these apps such as you can see what social media apps they are using and block them. You can put screen limits on their device use and keep them from getting addicted. Other than that you can monitor their web activity and other activity like text messages, calls, contacts, etc. to look out for cyberbullying and stress due to that. Apart from the cyber safety, keep them safe with the help of location tracking and Geofencing alerts etc.

Always teach them to be vigilant while sharing and interacting with people online. Keep them away from these sites for as long as possible and after that allow supervised use only. A little investment in Android parental controls can ensure kids’ safety on social media and they can lead a balanced, stress-free life.

Collaborative post