Monday, March 7, 2016

How to Stay Safe on the Internet

Internet use is increasing by the day and now almost everything is going digital. Banking, shopping, communication, dating, job hunting and even distance education has gone online. Of course, everything has its drawbacks and the online world is just as dangerous as the real world.

Thankfully, the advancing technology has brought its own remedies. There are countless applications available that allow you to track and monitor the online activities of your kids so you can keep them safe from internet fraud, cyber bullying and sexual predators. Here are a few tips you can implement to teach you how spy on cell phone to keep your kids safe on the internet.

Don’t Speak To Strangers
It’s easy to create a fake identity online and sometimes people can pose themselves as someone you already know. It’s important to enforce this rule with your kids and make sure they are able to differentiate between fake and real profiles on social media. Explain to them that even if someone appears to be friendly, they might not have the best intentions for you.

Share Everything
The best way to keep your children safe on the internet is by establishing a relationship where your children feel comfortable to share anything. This means you should be comfortable sharing things with them as well. Don’t shelter them from the unhappiness and the harsh realities of the world. It’s better that it comes from you than if they experience it firsthand. Be honest about online crimes, such as cyber bullying and the existence of sexual predators. Obviously, you want to present these issues in a way that they don’t get scared.

No Password Sharing, Except For Parents
Explain to your kids why it’s important to not share passwords and other confidential information online, except with their parents. Even sharing it with friends should be prohibited. If your children are still young, make sure any online accounts they make, including email and social media, should not be done so without your approval.

It can be a tough challenge to deal with, but implementing this rule from the get-go will make it easier down the road. Additionally, install a monitoring application so your kids know you are keeping tabs on them. This will prevent them from breaking your rules or engaging in any mischievous behavior.

All Websites Are Not Kid Friendly
The Internet doesn’t know if it’s being used by an adult or a child, which means your kids could be accessing websites that they should not be visiting. As your children are entering their teens, their raging hormones are making them curious about different things. The internet is not exactly the best place for them to educate themselves.

For this reason, you need to prevent your kids from accessing websites that are inappropriate. A monitoring application can make your life easier because you can block access to websites that you don’t want your children to visit and you can monitor the remainder of their online activities.

Set Time Limits for Engaging With the Digital World
This is a growing problem nowadays. Each kid has their head buried in a gadget and it seems they have left the real world and have completely transported themselves to the digital world. Bring your kids back to earth by setting a time limit for using the internet, texting on their phone and playing online games. When they are off at school, plan activities for them or go out on a small family vacation. When their school is in session, make sure they your kids prioritize their homework, school and other important activities instead of spending an entire day chatting, texting and playing games.

Download Age Appropriate Games and Apps
Not everything that is available on the App Store is suitable for your kids. Online games and applications are not regulated by some entity which means, as a parent, you should be the judge of what types of games and apps your kids should be using.