Are you aware of the dangers of the internet that children are susceptible and how to combat them?
As the school week draws to a close, if your home is like many others, children are ready to chuck their books under the bed and head straight to a computer. If they’re logging in to a battle Royale or a creative sandbox or watching their favorite internet celebrities, there’s a lot of potential for trouble.
For most parents, the trick isn’t completely forbidding internet use because if children aren’t learning to safely use the internet at home, they will end up playing online somewhere else. The best way to protect your children while they participate in online games and entertainment is to keep a close eye on what they are doing.
A Statistical View of the Dangers for Online Play
Experts from the medical, education, parenting, and online communities warn parents about the dangers of leaving children unattended when they’re online. Take a look at some sobering statistics:
- 130 million internet users are under 14 years old
- Children as young as four are surfing online
- 85 percent of 12-year-olds get online every day
- ½ of the younger computer users have visited content not meant for children
- Nearly half of users under 18 have seen adult videos while using the internet
- 40 percent of these children have faced pedophilic experiences
- Some of these children were approached by an adult for a meeting in real life
- A full third of young internet users have provided personal details to strangers online
This short list of internet risks is just the tip of the iceberg. This list doesn’t discuss cyberbullying, the tactics used by sexual predators, scams directed toward teens, or the phishing schemes that could destroy your entire family’s credit future.
Learn To Recognize Effective Tools
Fortunately, there are several tools and resources available to parents just like you. Some of the tools include keylogger software, web protection software, and parental controls.
The best keylogger software for Windows machines have some important features: video captures with keystrokes displayed at the top of the screen, the ability to check up on children from a remote location via your smartphone or another location, ability to install keylogger with your children’s passwords, quick and convenient installation, and a behind the screen operation that doesn’t alert your children to the program.
Today’s best keylogger software includes every one of these features and comes with a money back guarantee. The top choice of many internet users is pcTattletale.
This keylogger software lets you keep a close eye on the sites your children visit, the conversations your child has, and the amount of time spent on each site.
Access Protective Resources
There are also many important resources available to parents. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has a game-like teaching site that presents children with safe surfing advice, tips for how to avoid sharing personal information, and games that put safety principles in action.
The National Cyber Security Alliance, Be Internet Awesome, and eLearning Industry provide educational articles, strategies for safety, and references to other resources. Parents can convenient learn more about the very real threats to their children.
Internet Predators Constantly Find New Ways to Attack Children; Stay a Step Ahead
The internet has a lot of things to offer children in educational and recreational formats, and it’s good to allow access to those good things. If you’ve been a bit complacent, however, thinking that your children are safe while watching appropriate content on your laptop, think again.
Many online predators take advantage of the most popular child-geared sites. Use tools such as keylogger software and parental controls. Learn as much as you can about your role in keeping your children safe.
The more you know about how to keep your child safe and the more your children know about how to safely navigate the internet, the more confident you can be that your family will be safe.
More Internet Safety Resources
- Internet Safety for Kids
- How to Keep Kids Safe Online
- How to Talk to Your Kids About Safe Internet Use
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