The spread of social networking happened extraordinarily fast. Just 15 short years ago, most homes did not have Internet connectivity. 10 years ago social networking was confined to small specialty forums and blogs were something few people paid much attention to.
Today, the Internet surrounds every aspect of our lives. From how we manage our banking accounts to how we connect with friends and family, the Internet is at the center of our activities.
This immersion in Internet technology is wonderful for productivity, but it can be a nightmare for children. With the explosion of social networking, online safety for kids has become more important than ever.
There are so many threats that face children online. Here are just a few examples of the dangers that lurk:
- Child identity theft – because a child’s social security number can often be used for years without being discovered, kids make excellent targets for identity theft.
- Child predators – as kids use social networks to communicate, the risk of a child predator engaging a child is much greater. These criminals can use social networks to gain the trust of children and make predation very easy.
- Exposure to undesirable content – We all know that gambling, pornography and violence are rampant on the Internet. The trick is to prevent your child from being exposed to it.
- Reputation – All it takes is one compromising picture of your child to appear online and it can have a huge impact on their life. Colleges and Universities are now using Social Networks to determine the character of applicants; one bad picture can make a difference!
It is clear that there are many threats to children online. The good news is that there are things you can do to protect your child. Creating a safe environment for kids to use the Internet is not complicated if you follow a simple strategy that includes three steps:
- Set up an Internet filter for your home. There is software available that allows you to limit the type of content your child can see online. These filters work in many ways including keyword filtering, category filtering and “block lists” of undesirable content.
- Monitor your child’s internet use. This can be done with software that allows you to set up time frames for your child to surf the web, or the old fashioned way – only allowing Internet access while a parent is present.
- Merely being online “friends” with your child or “following” your child is not enough protection to keep them safe. You’ll need to set up an alert system so that if there is a danger to your child from an online situation, you know about it.
This last point warrants further discussion. Alerts can be set up for child online safety in a number of ways. Credit monitoring alerts, for example, will tell you if a credit inquiry is made with your child’s social security number. There are also services that continuously search various social networks for mentions of your child’s name and for images that are tagged with your child’s name.
Parental monitoring for Internet safety does not have to be difficult. By following this three-step process, you’ll have a safe environment for your child to experience the wonders of the Internet, without being exposed to its dark underbelly.