IMPORTANCE OF PARENTAL CONTROL
There is a new generation of tech-savvy kids. Younger people use tablets and teens use instant messages to communicate. Most educational institutions use computers and tablets as part of their curriculum. Today, parents allow their children and teenagers to use a smartphone because it is one of the best ways to stay in touch with them. Parents also feel reassured knowing where their children are and learning more about their activities.
As a parent, you will be faced with a challenge: you have to weigh the pros and cons of giving your child digital freedom, but also clearly set limits. Many understand that limiting their access to the Internet can have an effect on their ability to learn and develop. Yet it also means exposing your children to threats and online information that may be beyond their comprehension.That's why installing reliable security software that includes
parental controls on all devices can help parents and their children navigate
the digital world around them. Just like you teach your kids to lock all doors
when they're home alone, they also need to learn how to use a security system
that helps protect their digital activities on their devices.
There are many reasons to buy and install parental controls on
all of your child's devices. Here are ten:
1.
Parental controls help monitor your children's devices
As your kids learn how to be good citizens of the digital
world and make friends online, you can walk with them by keeping an eye on
their iPad, iPhone, and other devices. Visit your favorite app store for
options to better protect your child online. Parental
control apps can help you monitor things like email messages, social
media profiles, text messages, and other mobile features.
These types of apps can help you when you are particularly
concerned about problematic conversations or activities. For example, some apps
warn you when they detect specific words, such as “drugs”. To allow your
children to be independent knowing that there are limits, it is best to let
them know when monitoring their devices, especially since you will need certain
information, including their account information, including their passwords, to
benefit from certain functions.
2. Manage
the results your kids see on search engines
Search engines have revolutionized information retrieval
methods, even though they represent a big problem for parents: access to
endless content that may be inappropriate for some children, depending on their
age and stage of development. Parental
controls, help you block adult content and explicit images, videos
and websites from search results.
Depending on the program, you may need to update your
operating system to the latest version and sign in using custom user profiles.
Let your kids know when you use these filters and take the time to talk to them
about inappropriate and age-appropriate content. They should know they can come
talk to you or a trusted adult whenever they need to.
3.
Parental controls may block some features of games your children can access.
Today's game consoles come with Internet access that allows
your kids to browse the web, make in-app purchases, and chat with other gamers
online. These features can make games more fun, but you may not want your child
to use account-linked credit cards or even talk to strangers.
Parental Controls allow you to set up user profiles with which
your children can only access certain features or which allow you to monitor
what they do when they play.
4.
Parental controls can help you locate your children
GPS apps can help all family members locate each other. This
information helps you know your children are safe (and that they are where they
are supposed to be) and also helps you find them in an emergency.
Typically, your phones must be turned on for the GPS tracking
feature to work. It is still recommended that you talk to your children about
the safety measures to be observed. Ask them to avoid tagging or posting their
location on social media, in case strangers can access this information, and
help them configure privacy settings.
5.
Parental Controls Help Build Good Cybersecurity Habits
Cybercrime is a multibillion dollar industry and
cybercriminals often take advantage of our bad cybersecurity habits.
A child's brain is constantly developing and learning is
ongoing. His thirst for learning can lead him to involuntarily engage in risky
online practices, such as giving too much personal information to a stranger,
such as the name of his school or his date of birth. This can jeopardize his
own safety, as well as that of others.
6.
Parental controls can set online screen time limits
Time spent on a screen can be addictive for some users. He can
"hypnotize" an adult to the point of spending hours in front of a
device. And what goes around doesn't matter anymore. Compared to an adult, a
child may have even more difficulty giving up on their favorite show or game.
For children, excessive screen time can negatively affect
posture and eyesight, disrupt sleep, stop physical activity, or reduce
attention span. Parents should try to implement a healthy lifestyle by limiting
screen time for their children and for themselves.
Parental
controls can help set limits by setting maximum usage
times depending on the types of media used by children. Set up device-free
hours for the whole family, and offer fun activities like walking, driving, or
family play.
7.
Parental controls can help defend your child's digital reputation
Children sometimes flood social networks with posts and photos
from their weekends and holidays. Most of these innocent posts go unnoticed.
However, a simple Internet search often gives a quick glimpse into an
individual's life, via their online publications.
Many higher education institutions and businesses inspect
public social media pages for information about their potential candidates.
These organizations could decide whether to accept or hire someone based on the
information they find.
Remember to protect your children's social media accounts by
setting their security and privacy settings. The majority of sites allow you to
set the level of confidentiality of your posts, and if this is not the case,
they generally offer the possibility of making an account private.
8.
Parental Controls Can Help Teach the Importance of Safeguards
Children sometimes use the Internet for homework and to write
school projects. It is very important to back up their data in a safe and reliable
place to prevent data loss.
Teach your children about the importance of saving and storing
their data safely. Many free programs on the Internet offer storage services.
But some of them could be infected with malware and viruses.
Children also keep a wealth of precious memories in the form
of photos, videos, text messages and e-mail messages. Backing up these files is
essential. Smartphones break, fall in water, get lost or stolen, or simply
reach the end of their life. Make sure you protect the digital memories they
contain with a secure backup.
9.
Parental Controls Can Teach Digital Manners
For children, making the right decision is a cognitive skill
that positive education techniques help develop. Teach your kids to use the
same good online manners that you would like them to adopt in everyday life.
Teach them the importance of exemplary behavior, both offline and online.
Explain to young people the consequences of cyberbullying and
unethical hacking. Tell them that there are laws that protect the victims of
these crimes.
10.
Parental controls must be customizable
Blocking content, locating and setting screen time limits can
be useful for the whole family. However, not all family members need this level
of control, or at least not all of the time.
Numerous parental control features allow you to set up different profiles so that each family member can access a level of online content that suits them.
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