The internet is an invaluable resource for kids and people of all ages. However, accessing the web comes with its fair share of risks. Kids and teens are especially vulnerable to dangers that lurk online.
These time-tested internet safety tips can help to protect your child:
- Educate your child about the dangers online. Create a safe environment and encourage them to tell you about their online experiences.
- Keep devices in a shared space and supervise children when they’re online.
- Set secure passwords and teach kids how to do this too.
- Use the privacy settings built into apps and devices.
- Set healthy limits and rules for internet usage.
- Change the rules as your child grows.
You can also use parental control apps like Qustodio to regulate your child’s online activities. For example, you set time and usage limits, filter what your child can access on the web, monitor their communications, and more. To learn more about Qustodio, click the button below.
Continue reading the article to learn more about the threats online and how to protect your child.
There’s an ever-present risk of falling victim to online threats each time we browse the web. Children and teens are particularly susceptible to this.
Kids are getting access to the internet at an increasingly young age, so this threat is more pronounced. In the U.S., about 95 percent of three to 18-year-olds have internet access at home, according to the 2019 American Community Survey. Similarly, in Europe, 95 percent of young people aged 16 to 29 reported using the internet daily in 2021.
Internet safety for kids is a pressing issue for families, schools, and governments. This article will highlight some common online threats to children and outline simple rules to help increase your child’s safety online. We’ll also tell you how to adapt these rules to specific age groups and briefly look at the best tools to keep kids safe online.
Internet Safety for Kids: Know the Risks
The best way to keep your child safe online is to know what dangers to look out for. As the renowned Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes puts it, “forewarned is forearmed.” So, let’s look at common threats your child may encounter online.
Online threats to kids can broadly be classified into four categories or the “4cs of online risk,” according to the Children Online: Research and Evidence (CO:RE) consortium.
Content risks
The internet is filled with all kinds of content. This makes it an excellent resource but also makes it difficult to prevent children from accessing inappropriate and harmful content, such as cruel, violent, or sexual images and videos. It’s easy for children to stumble on things online that are explicit, upsetting, or inappropriate.
Even online platforms built specifically for kids, such as YouTube Kids, sometimes contain harmful content disguised as innocuous entertainment.
A harmless Google search could bring up websites promoting racism, religious extremism, violence, suicide, and other radical ideas. There are also unavoidable ads online that can be highly exploitative and manipulative.
Contact risks
Children can come in contact with predators or dangerous strangers online. Kids may be persuaded, tricked, or threatened into disclosing personal information to people they meet online. This can lead to harassment, stalking, sexual abuse, or exploitation.
Most social media platforms are screened for inappropriate content aimed at children. But it’s nearly impossible to regulate the millions of posts that appear online daily. As a result, social media platforms like Reddit are rife with predators, misinformation, and inappropriate or disturbing content.
Chat rooms and messaging apps, such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, are even harder to regulate, and virtual reality content (VR) presents a new challenge. While they can be highly immersive and entertaining, they could also expose kids to more risks.
Conduct risks
Without proper supervision, children can behave in ways that may hurt others online or could be victims of such behavior. This can include sexual harassment or sexting, bullying, peer pressure, creating or sharing potentially harmful content, and engaging in gambling or copyright infringement.
In 2018, the Pew Research Center found that 59 percent of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online. One of the reasons behind this rise in cyberbullying is the anonymity provided by the internet. Under the cloak of anonymity, children can say and do things they would never consider doing in person.
Cyberbullying can be hard to spot, as children and young adults are often private about their social media profiles and the content of their messaging apps. To learn more about this threat and how to protect your kids, check out our article on cyberbullying.
Predators are known to target children on social media and gaming platforms. They often stalk children online, taking advantage of their innocence and the lack of adult supervision. Predators manipulate kids to earn their trust and lure them into dangerous personal encounters virtually and in real life.
Contract risks
While browsing online, children can agree to unfair contracts, privacy policies, and terms & conditions that they aren’t aware of or don’t fully understand. For example, children might click a button that allows a business to send them inappropriate advertising or collect their data.
Other risks
Some online risks do not fit into these categories. These include privacy risks, advanced technology risks from things like Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things, and risks to health and well-being, such as poor physical and mental health from spending too much time online.
Children and young adults may also accidentally download malware or fall prey to phishing attacks.
Internet Safety for Kids: Tips to Keep Them Safe Online
So, how can you keep your kids safe online despite these threats? There’s plenty you can do to teach teach kids about internet safety and responsible online behavior without significantly restricting their access to valuable resources and opportunities on the web.
A blanket ban is a bad idea
It may seem like completely blocking off your child’s online access is the best way to protect them, given all the concerns about internet safety for kids. But this isn’t the best option for a couple of reasons:
The internet is everywhere
Cutting your child off the internet can be difficult, if not impossible. About 95 percent of schools in North America and Europe have access to the internet, and mobile internet penetration is around 80 to 90 percent in most developed countries. Many devices, from gaming consoles to smartwatches, need internet connectivity to function properly.
Even if you find a way to cut your child off the internet, it could be counterproductive as kids may go online behind your back without supervision, which can be even more dangerous. Multiple studies show that education is the best way to protect children online, while an all-out ban leaves them ignorant and vulnerable to potential internet safety risks.
The internet has significant benefits
The internet is an excellent educational tool, allowing children to learn, expand their horizons, and take advantage of invaluable opportunities. It is also an avenue for entertainment and communication. Children can play games and stay in touch with friends and relatives via the web.
Educate yourself and your child
Communicating openly with your child about their online experiences is one of the top online safety tips. Ask them about their lives online and in real life. This can go a long way to protect your child from cyberbullying, online predators, and other dangers.
While cybersecurity software and specialized apps for monitoring your child’s online and mobile activity can help, nothing can replace the power of open dialog.
Make an effort to be tech-savvy if you aren’t already, and take an interest in your child’s online experiences. Educate them about internet safety and set ground rules, such as never talking to strangers online or giving out personal information without your permission.
When considering internet safety for kids, it is important to involve children in the conversation. We live in a world where young children are getting increasingly better at using technology. This is somewhat dependent on your child’s age, but it is important to explain the basics of cybercrime to children.
The more they understand, the less likely they will be tricked into giving out personal information, trusting strangers, downloading dangerous software, etc.
Keep computers in a shared space
Placing your computer in a shared room and ensuring the screen is visible is a casual way to monitor your child’s online activities. The presence of an adult in the same room is usually enough to keep children from attempting to access anything they shouldn’t be exposed to. It also allows you to monitor their online interactions.
While monitoring your child’s internet activities is important, give them the space to learn and explore the online world safely. We should note that keeping an eye on your child every time they access the internet is almost impossible in the age of smartphones, tablets, and other portable devices.
Set secure passwords
This might sound simple, but most of us don’t even bother to pay attention to the simple rules of online safety. Setting a secure password on your internet-connected devices will keep younger children from accessing them when you are not around.
If the stories about toddlers accessing devices behind their parents’ backs and spending vast sums on games have taught us anything, it is that children of all ages are surprisingly skilled at using technology, and parents need to take this into account.
Review the privacy settings on devices and apps
Most social networking sites and instant messaging apps offer a range of privacy settings to help keep your child safe online. These include allowing only known people to view a profile, blocking messages from strangers, filtering out inappropriate content, etc.
Parents need to take advantage of these settings to keep kids safe. We have articles on how to tweak the settings of social media apps like Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, and TikTok to protect your child.
Set healthy limits and rules
While the internet is an excellent source of educational and entertaining content, spending too much time on it can seriously impact our physical and psychological health. Setting limits for games like Overwatch is important to prevent addictive behavior.
For instance, using devices for prolonged hours can cause eye strain, spinal problems, weight gain, and repetitive strain injury, among other things. Mental disorders like depression, anxiety, and body image issues have been linked to excessive internet use.
Therefore, it is imperative to have a daily limit for your child’s screen time. This can also ensure they are only online at times when you can supervise them. Of course, it’s vital to involve kids in the rule-setting process and tweak things as they get older or when they have schoolwork that requires using the internet.
Internet Safety Rules Should Evolve as Your Children Grow
Children change as they grow up, becoming more mature and responsible. Restrictions that made sense when they were young children can become unnecessary when they grow into young adults. And unnecessary restrictions on your child can have the opposite effect.
We recommend changing your rules over time as your child grows. For example, you may give your child more screen time but add a profanity filter on their computer to block swear words and inappropriate content.
Below, we list a few internet safety ideas for kids of different ages.
Five years and under
- Set the rules for internet use early. This is the best age to get your child used to the idea of restrictions and time limits on their internet access.
- Share your rules for internet usage with other people who will be looking after your child. If the grandparents, teachers, after-school clubs, and babysitters are all working from the same playbook, it becomes easier to maintain your internet safety rules.
- Purchase a device designed for children aged five or younger. These include playful tablets or computers that come with in-built controls on internet usage that can be customized by parents.
- Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may have built-in parental controls you can enable. It’s important to note that these controls will not work when your child uses a device connected to other WiFi networks.
- Install a third-party parental control software. These programs are generally more sophisticated and offer greater control over what children can access online and when they can access the web.
- Only download games, apps, and media with an appropriate age rating. Always test or peruse the media before allowing your child to access it. Sometimes, you may find disturbing content in children’s TV shows and games.
Six to nine years old
- At this age, you may need to set parental controls on a broader range of devices your child is old enough to use. Gaming consoles, smart TVs, and even smartwatches can access the internet and have built-in messaging capabilities. Look at the specifications of any device you buy for your child and try to understand how they are used.
- Set up devices in a shared space in the house rather than in the child’s bedroom when possible. For example, setting up your child’s gaming console in your living room will allow you to monitor what they do online.
- Discuss basic internet safety with your child, and agree on a list of dos and don’ts and websites they can visit. Outline what information they should not be sharing online, such as their name, address, or school address.
- Work with other parents to set reasonable guidelines for internet usage that can be applied to your child and their group of friends. Consistent rules on internet access are more likely to be accepted by children, and you won’t have to worry about them staying over with their friends.
10 to 12 years old
- Ensure your child adheres to the age limit of social media platforms. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and many other social media apps have a minimum age limit of 13. There are platforms designed for younger kids, such as YouTube Kids and Facebook Messenger Kids, but they come with risks. Supervise what your kids do on such apps.
- Talk to your child about the risks of using social media. Explain their dos and don’ts, like not sharing personal information, including photos, without your permission.
- Encourage your child to report suspicious behavior or inappropriate contact to you or any trusted adult immediately. And when your child does report to you, do not hesitate to contact the police.
- Teach your child to safeguard their devices, like mobile phones, tablets, and smartwatches, when they are away from home. This will minimize the risk of loss or theft.
- Insist on having access to all your child’s login details, and check their online activities, including the messages they send and receive.
13 years and older
- As your child transitions into a young adult, it is reasonable that they should have a degree of autonomy. You should work more with your child to develop online safety rules at this age. Include them in the conversation and give them the information they need to stay safe.
- Keep up with the latest devices, social media platforms, and mobile apps. The more you know, the better position you are in to secure your child’s safety.
- Reassess your parental control settings and ensure they reflect your child’s growing maturity. Once your child reaches puberty, let them know that it is okay to research certain online subjects such as health, well-being, body image, and sexuality. Remember to discuss these subjects with your child to ensure they are not getting false or misleading information online.
- Discuss the dangers of sexting and of sharing nude images with others.
- Your child can now access social media websites such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Discuss the concept of cyberbullying with them. Also, emphasize that communicating over the internet is no guarantee of security or anonymity.
- Discuss the basics of cybercrime with your child. Give them the information they need to avoid phishing scams, revealing personal details over social media, and downloading malicious software.
- Teach your child about the legal and personal ramifications of copyright theft and plagiarism.
Internet Safety for Kids: Protect Children With Parental Control Options
No matter your child’s age, parental controls can help keep them safe online. These controls automatically filter what your child can access, restrict the times they can use the internet, and allow you to monitor their online activity.
Of course, there’s the caveat of not violating your child’s privacy, so it’s essential to set the proper limits based on your child’s age.
Below, we show you how to enable the parental controls provided by your ISP and on your OS.
Built-in ISP controls
The majority of ISPs now offer a parental control option. These controls tend to be rather basic — using keyword filtering to stop users from accessing blocked websites with inappropriate content, such as violence or pornography.
The best way to enable your ISP’s content filtering feature is to contact them directly to discuss the details of the service and your specific needs.
Note: It is relatively easy to circumvent keyword and DNS filtering using proxy websites or even a different browser. While this might sound complicated, you should assume your child is tech-savvy enough to do it.
Also, ISP parental controls typically won’t filter content on mobile devices unless the same ISP also provides your mobile broadband service.
Built-in operating system controls
Operating systems, such as Android, Microsoft Windows, and iOS/macOS, have built-in parental controls that are generally more effective. They are also free! If you haven’t turned on your parental controls yet, here is a brief guide to activating them on the four most popular operating systems.
Android
- To enable parental controls on an Android device, go to your Google Play app and navigate Settings > Family > Parental controls. You can now turn on Parental controls and choose what type of content to filter. It is essential to set a PIN your child doesn’t know.
- Managing your child’s device via the Family Link app allows you to set parental controls. You can decide what content to filter and how to restrict access. To do this, go to the Family link app, select the account you want to limit, tap Manage Settings and choose Google Play.
Note: If your children use the same device, you can customize the parental controls for each child. Also, manufacturers like Samsung have additional parental control settings.
Windows 10
- To access the parental controls on Windows 10, type Family Options into the search bar next to the Start Menu.
- You can set time limits for internet and computer usage and take advantage of other Microsoft Family safety tools. For example, you can block inappropriate content, blocklist websites, and even add money to their Microsoft account so they can purchase age-appropriate games and media without needing your payment details.
- You need to set up a Microsoft account for your child to take full advantage of Family Options. Unfortunately, this parental control feature does not come with the ability to monitor your child’s internet activities.
- One of the benefits of using the Microsoft Family safety feature is that it extends to other Microsoft devices, such as Windows phones and Xbox gaming consoles.
Note: Window’s Content filtering and SafeSearch options only work if your child uses the Microsoft Edge browser.
macOS
- To turn on Parental Controls on a Mac device, go to System Preferences by clicking on the Apple logo in the desktop’s upper left-hand corner.
- You’ll see an option marked “Parental Controls.” When you click it, you will receive a notification that reads, “There are no user accounts to manage.”
- Follow the prompts to add a new managed user.
- Once you add your child as a new user, you’ll be able to control their access to certain apps, set time limits for their screen time, and even turn off access to functions like the microphone or built-in webcam.
- You can also set up controls to filter the websites your child has access to. This content filter only works if the internet is being accessed through the Safari browser.
iOS
- To set up parental controls on an iOS device like an iPhone, go to your Settings and select “Screen Time.”
- Tap “Continue” and choose the option marked “This is My Child’s iPhone.”
- You will be prompted to enter a Parent Passcode if it is your child’s phone or a Screen Time Passcode if you’re allowing your child to use your device.
- Once Screen Time is set up, you can prevent iTunes and App Store purchases, restrict access to built-in apps and features, filter website content, restrict the Siri web search, and restrict access to the Game Center.
Internet Safety for Kids: The Best Parental Control Apps and Devices
ISP parental controls and those built into your operating system are free but basic. Content filtering may not work on all the apps on your device. They usually only work with specific browsers, such as Safari or Edge. A child could easily bypass these restrictions by using another browser.
While some parental control options extend over a range of devices, most modern households have a variety of devices with different operating systems. This means you have to set up different parental controls, which can get confusing and potentially leave gaps in your restrictions.
One solution to overcome these limitations and ensure better internet safety is using third-party parental control apps. There are several options to choose from. We’ve highlighted our top three parental control apps below.
Qustodio
Pricing: Starts at $54.95/year
Qustodio offers comprehensive parental control with features like location tracking, screen time limits, social media monitoring, SOS alerts, and more. It’s available in eight languages and supports popular devices, including Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, iPhone, iPad, and Kindle. This is a paid app, but there’s a free version that offers basic protection for one device.
Qustodio’s features on iOS and Mac devices are limited. If you’re an Apple user, we recommend using Bark instead.
Bark
Pricing: Starts at $49/year
Bark offers great parental control features that can help you restrict and monitor your child’s online activities. It’s available for iOS, Android, Windows, and Amazon mobile devices. Bark is especially suited for iOS devices.
Bark allows you to monitor your child’s interactions online, filter websites, limit screen time, and get information about their location.
You can view your child’s texts, voice memos, photos, videos, Chrome browsing, and notes. Bark monitors messages on different email platforms, including AOL, Comcast, Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and iCloud. Unfortunately, there’s no free version, but Bark is well worth the cost to keep your child safe.
Kaspersky Safe Kids
Pricing: Starts at $14.99/year
Kaspersky Safe Kids is a popular parental control software created by Kaspersky Cybersecurity Solutions. It allows you to block inappropriate online content, filter websites, receive notifications when your child’s device has a low battery, and more.
We especially love the YouTube Safe Search feature, which blocks harmful searches and prevents kids from viewing inappropriate content based on preset filters that parents control. It also notifies parents when kids search for something that might be harmful.
Kaspersky Safe Kids works with Kaspersky Antivirus, making it a comprehensive cybersecurity solution for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. There’s a free version that comes with limited features.
Disney’s Circle
Pricing: The app starts at $7.49/year, and the device starts at $69/year
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of installing an app on every device in your home, Disney’s Circle is just what you need.
Circle is available as an app and a device. The Circle app offers parental control on mobile devices. However, the Circle device — Circle Home Plus — sits between your router and all the devices connected to it. It selectively filters traffic to block access to content, websites, and individual apps.
Circle Home Plus uses ARP spoofing in a similar manner to a man-in-the-middle attack but uses the technique to improve your family’s security.
Parents can use Circle to associate devices with particular family members. This allows you to set time limits across a range of devices. For instance, if your child only gets to access the internet for four hours per day, that four hours is tracked across their phone, tablet, laptop, or gaming console.
Circle also allows you to deny specific devices access to the internet selectively. You can also control how much time particular apps are connected to the internet. This is ideal for limiting your child’s access to social media or games or even shutting off the connection to the internet for all devices.
The Circle app doesn’t offer much that other parental control programs don’t. However, Circle Home Plus provides complete protection. It’s a user-friendly and straightforward option for parents who aren’t tech-savvy.
Our article on the best parental control apps contains more information about these apps, and others.
Things to Look For in a Parental Control App
There are numerous parental control apps, each claiming to have the best internet safety features for kids. But some excel at protecting children online better than others. These are some of the most important features to look out for in parental control software.
Supports a range of devices
Is the app compatible with the device(s) your child uses? Most parental control apps can be installed on different devices. This means you can use a single set of restrictions across all your family’s devices.
Content filtering
What content does the app filter? Third-party parental control programs filter internet searches, web pages, and content across various browsers.
Many of them include secure HTTPS filtering, which makes browsing safer and more secure. They can also block downloads of suspicious programs or specific apps.
Time limits
Does the app support time limits? Most parental control apps will allow you to set a daily or weekly time limit for internet and computer usage.
Some software can block access to certain apps at certain times, which is great for ensuring that your child is doing their homework or sleeping rather than playing online games.
Messaging and social media monitoring
Does the app monitor messaging and social media apps? This will allow you to keep an eye on your child’s interactions online and protect them from online predators, cyberbullies, and inappropriate contact.
Messaging and social media app monitoring is only recommended for younger children just starting out with social media. As your child grows, giving them more privacy is generally a good idea.
Remote notification and access
Does the app support remote access and notification? This allows you to keep tabs on your child’s internet activities even when you’re away from home.
You’re not always going to be nearby if your child needs an extension on their time limit to get an important assignment done or if they need access to a messaging service while they are away from home.
Remote notification and access give you the power to control the restrictions that parental control apps impose on your child’s phone. This also allows you to respond quickly and track your child’s location in case of an emergency.
Internet Safety for Kids: Key Takeaways
The internet is a fantastic resource but has its fair share of threats. Blocking children’s internet access is not a good way to keep them safe. Instead, keeping children safe online should depend on education, communication, and reasonable restrictions.
As a parent, building trust with your children and creating a habit of discussing their online experiences is important. From a young age, set reasonable ground rules for internet usage, and change these rules as your child grows and matures. What works for a 5-year-old will only cause friction with a teenager.
Interesting in learning more about how to protect your children online? Check out these articles:
- Is Roblox Safe? How To Keep Your Kids Safe Online
- Protecting Kids on Minecraft: Is Minecraft Safe for Kids?
- 8 Simple Steps to Stay Safe Online
- The Dangers of Internet Challenges: A Guide for Parents
Got a question about keeping children safe online? Check out our FAQ section below. Click a question to see the answer.
Kids can face various threats online, from cyberbullying and predators to phishing, pornography, invasion of privacy, identity theft, and more. You can learn more about them in our guide to keeping children safe online.
The best way to keep kids safe online is to educate them about the risks and maintain open communication lines, so they can confide in you if they encounter anything dangerous or uncomfortable. Also, set some ground rules and consider using parental control apps to regulate their online access.
