WHILE the internet is proving to be an invaluable tool for home-schooling during the Covid-19 lockdown, uncontrolled online access can pose a risk to your child.
The change in learning and teaching has amplified the need for greater security awareness, not only on how much screen time children have, but what they could be exposed to online.
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‘Cyber bullies, stalkers, hackers and wholly inappropriate content are also online unfortunately,’ explained Jacques de Villiers, Head of Fibre-to-the-
Home of Metrofibre Networx. ‘Make sure you spend the time to educate your children about the risks, how to identify and avoid them before they happen, and that anything that makes them feel concerned or uncomfortable is cause for immediate attention and intervention.’
Metrofibre Networx shares some tips on how to keep your child safe online while embracing the educational value the internet offers:
1. Open cards and straight talk: Before you allow your child to access any digital platforms, have the talk. Make sure that your children understand the risks, the potential content that they could be exposed to, and what is appropriate and inappropriate. They should understand that the same ‘stranger dangers’ that lurk in the real world exist on the web too, just in different formats. Make rules with your children, such as never uploading or downloading photos of themselves or friends, never divulging any personal information (age, gender, address and so on) and never talking to strangers online.
2. Controlling online content and browsing: With the right online app and parental controls on your favourite browsers such as Google and YouTube, you can block inappropriate content and pop-up ads.
Google has a child-friendly version (https://www.safesearchkids.com/) which is a safe search engine specifically designed for children offering loads of excellent material on how to keep safe online. YouTube Kids also has curated selections of content, parental control features, and filtering of videos. You will need to set this up on your child’s devices and manage the settings via YouTube’s Parent Guide.
3. Social media platforms: These are not intended for children and any participation of younger children requires consent of a parent or guardian. Many platforms have introduced age restrictions which have been reinforced with the European Union’s introduction of its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 that set the age of 16 as the digital age of consent.
4. Virtual assistants: Google assistant, Siri and Bixby could take a child to online places that aren’t appropriate. To restrict the path your smart device’s voice assistant leads your child, read this simple tutorial – https://sfpsmom.com/siri/
5. Monitoring apps: There are various parental monitoring apps that allow you to keep track of your child’s online behaviour, what they can access, and even setting time limits. Qustudio, Net Nanny and Kaspersky Kids are some examples of apps that will send you notifications if your child ventures into searches that are blocked.
6. Keep track of time: Lockdown has exponentially increased the amount of time that children are spending online and on screens. This does not mean that they should have unfettered access as digital media addiction is a growing and serious reality. Set timetables or rosters for when they need to do their online schooling and classes, allow some leisure and play time, and then set clear times for screens to be off.
7. Virus and malware protection: Just like any work laptop or device, make sure your child’s devices are protected from the usual threats posed by viruses, malware and spyware, and keep these up to date.
Applications such as Kaspersky Total Security provides protection for the whole family from computer viruses, cryptolockers, protects payments encryption, secures passwords and blocks webcam spies.
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