Family, Internet

Protect Your Children from Internet Threats and Spending Too Much Time Online

boy-on-computerDuring the school year, young computer users are heavily using the internet, searching for information and using online resources for homework and study. PC Web Control experts have prepared some tips for parents who want to be sure that their children will avoid online threats and will not be withdrawn from their duties by the inappropriate websites. Effective protection methods of young users against internet threats or spending too much time online, are discussed below.

Control is essential

First of all is the parental controls. Children are becoming more and more technically advanced over time. There would be no exaggeration to say that in most families it is the youngster, who is using the computer, smartphone and the internet most efficiently. It is difficult for parents to monitor all the time what their children are doing in front of the screen. The parental control feature might be very helpful here, because it allows to restrict the content to which the young person has access while using the computer and the internet. Also, it can define the types of files that can be downloaded. There are even programs that are able to control communications with specific contacts in social networks (Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter). You can control and limit the exchange of messages by social networks. If control is enabled, text messages and contact time will be recorded in the report.

Anti-thief measures

Second important thing is theft protection. Both adults and children all around the world are increasingly turning from traditional computers into mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, when it comes to browse the internet. Additionally, some schools provide tables to their students as a teaching aid. Unfortunately, in such crowded place like school, a small mobile device can easily be stolen or lost, which in turn can lead to identity theft. Parents need to be sure, that mobile devices used by their children are protected by anti-theft features. Some features like these, can remotely erase all the data stored on the mobile device, locate it, or even take a picture of the thief!

Computer needs protection as well

Protection against harmful software is the next thing to consider (more information here). The more time our children spend on the internet, the greater is the probability of an attack of malicious programs. Therefore, the equipment should be properly protected by using an effective and comprehensive anti-virus and anti-malware programs.

Before you act, try to talk

Every parent should remember that the use of technical measures like parental control or anti-virus, is only the beginning, and does not solve the problem itself. There is no substitute for a serious conversation with children, during which they will learn about potential internet threats. Young people should also find out what kind of information is safe to share online, and what they should keep for themselves.

Here is an interesting survey on Internet threats and risks children are exposed while online.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asNYCbjBqYs]

Summary

Summarizing, we have to be very careful about our children’s presence in the internet and do our best to monitor their activity. To have good results, we can use various parental controls along with smart conversations about what children should be aware of when browsing the web.

The information in this article was offered by PCWebControl-a parental monitoring software. It is commonly used in private homes just like in public facilities like schools. Check pcwebcontrol.com for more details.

If you have any questions, please ask below!