Internet has become an essential part of our lives. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what you do, the internet has become an indispensable factor for our survival in this digital age. While the internet has made life so much easier on so many levels, parenting has become quite challenging since the evolution of smartphones, tabs, and laptops.
In the 21st century, the integration of tabs and computers in schools’ curriculum is the main reason behind why children become tech savvy at very young age.
Whether you are raising toddlers who love to watch jolly phonics on YouTube or teenagers who are obsessed with social media, raising tech-savvy kids in this digital age can be tough.
Today, parenting isn’t as easy as it was in the past because raising a generation of techie kids with fairly strong expertise and interest in the usage of digital devices makes it nearly impossible and futile to try to keep them away from its grasp.
Setting boundaries and weighing the pros and cons of exposing your children to the digital world can be a challenging task.
Digital freedom is everyone’s right, but when it comes to kids, parents need to be a little conscious to ensure that the freedom doesn’t lead to any kind of exploitation like cyberbullying, identity theft, malicious content and social media scams, which can leave a negative effect on the physical and mental wellbeing of the kids.
What are parental controls?
Bullying or harassment does not only happen in playgrounds, but on the internet as well. Did you know 7 out of 10 young people in the US experience cyberbullying before they turn 18 years old? Having said that, it is crucial to protect your kids from being exposed to any kind of harm while they surf the internet. Hence, you should install powerful security software that allows you to set parental controls on all devices so that your kids can navigate through the digital world safely.
Parental controls are features, software or tools that allow parents to regulate their child’s activities on internet-enabled devices like computers, smartphones, tabs, etc, to secure them from premature exposure to content, cyberbullying and various other online risks.
Here are some reasons why using parental control software is as important as ever in 2020:
Protection against Cyberbullying
Internet access and smartphone usage have become an indispensable part of our activities. When children are exposed to the internet, chances of them getting bullied or abused especially when they use social media increases.
Malevolent cybercriminals are always looking for users who aren’t too cautious or vigilant about cyber safety and in most cases, it’s the children who become their victims.
Stats by The Hillsborough County Anti-Bullying Advisory Committee, Florida show that almost 43% of kids have been subjected to cyberbullying and only 1 out of 10 victims inform their parents about being bullied or abused.
Cyberbullying and playing risky online games that aren’t age-appropriate may promote self-harm and pose a serious threat to the psychological health of children.
Parental controls allow you to block inappropriate sites or content to restrict premature exposure and regulate the use of social media, as well.
Monitor Downloading and Streaming of Content
Hackers are always on the hunt for innocent users who aren’t aware of hoax content, apps or sites. Children are capable of clicking on links that can initiate the download of certain software or apps that may look authentic and appealing, but are viruses or spyware.
Spyware can cause serious issues as they can help hackers and cyber thieves to steal your details like location, passwords, device activity, and internet banking information and viruses can cause operational issues in internet-enabled devices.
Parental controls allow you to limit or restrict download activities so that your children don’t install malicious content.
It is advised that you ask your ISP about security controls that they offer with the internet service. If you are in the US and happen to be in Tampa, FL, then contact a reliable ISP like Spectrum internet Tampa FL that provides a free impenetrable security system to its customers to give them a safe web experience.
Set Screen-time
Digital Addiction is a real thing! 47% of American parents think that their child is addicted to smartphones.
Children love using digital devices and can stay glued to them 24/7. Breaking free your kids from their favorite cartoons on YouTube can be difficult and troublesome.
Excessive screen time can cause serious damage to eyes and may lead to health risks, poor body posture, and sleep deprivation due to lack of physical activity.
Parental control helps you to limit screen time of your children to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Takeaway
Parenting is a tough job and parenting in the digital age is even tougher. Parental controls are specifically designed to facilitate parents in regulating their child’s online activity without any hassle or worries.
Thankfully, most ISPs today offer free security suites to protect your online presence. Click here to learn more about top ISP providers.
