Nowadays, children are among the
most active users of the internet, and unfortunately, can expose themselves to
several threats. Being a parent is hard, especially when there is a
continuously growing list of technologies which can affect your children in many
ways. If you are allowing your children to spend significant time on the
internet, then it is essential to know about the threats they can potentially
face. It can be a little daunting to keep up with new technologies and
applications, but keeping your children safe from web threats should be your
priority.
The internet and web surfing can
be a dangerous neighborhood, especially for teens and children. Sometimes, your
kids can expose themselves and you to online risks, such as accidentally
downloading malware. It may sound okay, but cybercriminals can access your bank
account or other sensitive information through it. Therefore, you should deal
with such situations to keep your kids, and yourself protected. Below mentioned
are a few common online threats to children and some suggestion on how you can
keep your kids secure from them.
Inappropriate Content
The internet is full of
inappropriate content. Your kid might try to search for such content, or may
accidentally stumble upon it, and it is not suitable for your kid, either way.
There are thousands of websites that contain unsuitable content which is not
blocked. You never know when something pops up on your mobile phone when your
kids are using it.
Therefore, it is worth investing
in parental control software or free phone tracker such as mSpy. Another great option is a
child-friendly browser which will automatically block websites containing unsuitable
content for kids.
Cyberbullying
According to Internetsafety101.org,
over 90% of teens ignore cyberbullying when they participate in social media.
Unfortunately, one-third of the percentage still become the victim of it.
Social media and online games are a big thing for the virtual players. Teens
and kids spend a lot of their time playing such games, and that is where much
cyberbullying takes place.
This is the era of internet, and
cyberbullying is probably one of the most arguable threats of the time. Therefore, the number one solution is to
prevent your children from creating social media profiles. Communicate with
your kids and let them know that they can create profiles later when they are
older. If it is not possible, then offer your help and tell them to reach out
to you in case of any bullying.
Online Scams
You may think that older adults
are more likely to be the target of such threats, but in reality, kids are also
vulnerable to them. The most common scams can include emails claiming you’ve
won a considerable amount of money and you have to pay some money to get your
price. Sometimes cheap offers and free stuff can also trap kids and make them
believe it.
Education is the key to
preventing your kids from such scams, make sure to let your kids know what the
signs are and how not to trust them. Moreover, teach them to never make an
online purchase without asking for your advice.