4 ways to keep your kids safe on the Internet
With their growing importance to the way the world works, learning how to use networked and internet capable devices like laptops and smartphones is more vital than ever. This means teaching kids how to use them, ideally from a young age. But this can pose problems, as the internet is a dangerous place to the unwary, where you can lose your valuable information — or worse. Here are some ways you can raise internet-smart kids.
Talk to Them
The first step to raising internet-safe children is to sit them down and have a long talk with them about safe usage practices. Make sure your kids understand that the internet, while mostly inhabited by good people, also features some dishonest parties looking for ways to steal from you. Teaching them how to make a strong password from a young age helps them develop skills they will use over and over again, and telling them not to click on certain ads or e-mails keeps your system clear of problems.
Secure Cloud Storage
Many computer users these days are turning to cloud solutions for storage for their various kinds of media. Cloud-based remote storage prevents you from spending too much money on the hardware treadmill, letting you rest secure that your information is available to you across all your devices. The only problem is security. While cloud storage companies have their own security protocols to keep your stuff safe, the point of transmission is a danger as well, especially when kids don’t understand the risk are accessing it. Using security tools can help prevent this.
Set Up Child Blocks
Keeping kids safe on the internet is a large and daunting task. Luckily, modern companies agree, and many computer programs now include, password protection and content blocks to prevent children from getting where they shouldn’t. The important thing here is to make sure you are staying a step ahead of your kids in terms of knowledge of how to keep those blocks in place. Remember to keep your passwords safe. It’s also good to be careful about handing devices to your kids with your financial details like credit cards associated with a store account. Children sometimes end up spending money you don’t have when given the opportunity.
Limit Usage and Check In
Statistically speaking, the more that your children use the internet, the more the risk that they will get in a compromising or dangerous situation. If you are really worried about your children on the net, make sure that they only get to use it at reasonable times and for a planned length of time. Of course, exceptions can be made for school projects and other special occasions. But even beyond limiting their time online and employing security measures, the best way to keep your kids out of trouble is to check in on them regularly and determine for yourself that things are safe.
The internet can seem scary, but you don’t need to be scared. If you train your kids in good internet use, there is nothing to be afraid of.
