How to keep children safe from Online Threats
Learn how can you keep kids safe from online threats and reduce the risks by following some simple steps.
There are many security risks when present children use a computer. Now a day when children use internet, there are many unseen dangers which they may encounter. They need to be protected from them. Some of the risks are: software and music privacy, giving away the personal information, illegal downloads, spam emails, spyware and other sort of online viruses and the threats goes on. It is important for you to keep them safe and should also protect the data that are on your computer.What are the online threats for children?
Before knowing the tips to take action, let us first discuss about the possible risks that your kids may encounter through online. The following are the common risks that has been seen haunting children while they use internet:
1. Viewing of Inappropriate images or contents.
2. Using inappropriate chat rooms and emails for sexual solicitation.
3. Online threatening or harassing.
4. Software, video or even music piracies.
5. Spywares and viruses.
6. Disclosure of personal data and information.
7. Illegal downloads of music and other files.What do you need to do against these threats to children?
1. You need to understand the risks and you must plan yourself about the solutions, before allowing your kid to access the internet.
2. Allow them computer only after considering a particular conditions to follow.
3. Tell and educate them about the risks and possibilities of the threads to affect them.
4. Communicate with them and try to know what they exactly do online.
5. Monitor and keep track on their internet use.
6. You must set boundaries for your kid according to your kid's ability, age and technical skills. Safety measures to be taken to protect children
The objective here is not to create a large boundaries, but you must ensure that you are really helping your children understand about why the rules have been set. This will not only keep them safe, but it will also help them to take their own responsibilities and to judge their own actions.
The steps that will help your kid away from online threat are as follows:
1. Use internet content filtering to ensure safety, you can also use spam filters in order to avoid your kid from viewing unwanted contents accidentally.
2. Set ground rules for your kids, make them follow each of your commands on what to do and what to not. Also set limits when they use computers for too long.
3. Agree and accept the permissible sites and ask them to stay away from inappropriate sites by reasoning a proper reason.
4. Restrict them downloading any kind of softwares or files or any other content without your permission.
5. Explain them and educate about the viruses and how they can harm your device. Also ask them to approach you, in any case if they get an alert online.
6. Set a boundary for them in the field of online purchasing or you can allow them after explain about, how it works.
7. Research yourself for 'age appropriate sites' on the internet and suggest them each by each, so that they will be engaged on such sites and will be away from online threats.
8. Explain them all the details about the possible threats that they may encounter while giving away their personal details such as full name, address and phone number.
9. Allow or disallow them by giving proper reasons while giving their email address while registering some sites.
