Getting Started with an Online Safety Strategy for Your Kids

Nowadays, children of all ages are present on the Internet, watching videos or other content, sharing data and communicating on a daily basis. While this has become a regular part of everyday life, what additionally needs to be boosted is their awareness of the potential dangers, and the best ways to avoid them.

As many as double the children aged 3 to 4 years have gained access to the Internet between 2010 and 2015, from 19% to 39%, as stats drawn up by safeatlast go to show. Nevertheless, so have the potential threats targeting such young users online. In order to develop an online safety strategy for kids of all ages, you need to be aware of several factors — the most common online activities they engage in and the threats lurking at such platforms, as well as the most suitable solutions for each of them.

Kids’ Online Activities

The most common online activities for kids include:

–                  Gaming

–                  Surfing the net

–                  Doing schoolwork

–                  Communicating.

Children nowadays can choose from a range of gameplay, online content providers, search engines and social networking platforms. As a result, it is hard to find a single efficient solution for day-to-day practice.

Most Common Threats

One thing that could help parents determine the most suitable approach to this matter is identifying the actual threats present at such sites and platforms:

–                  Violent or otherwise inappropriate content

–                  Cyberbullying

–                  Financial or other scams.

Kids online are considered to be the most vulnerable group of users, with up to 75% of them claiming they would share personal information about themselves and their family for something in exchange. Therefore, they often fall prey to online scammers, malware or cyber bullies that mainly look for ways to put youngsters in harm’s way.

Top Online Safety Tips and Strategies

Some kids may need a more dedicated approach, while others could be made to see reason through a simple conversation. However, the best ways to get some peace of mind when it comes to your kids’ online safety is through:

1.     Installing monitoring and restriction software;
2.     Limiting access through online tools;
3.     Staying connected on all social media;
4.     Raise their awareness about proper online conduct;