Parental Controls, How to Set Them Up
The Internet is an amazing learning and socialization environment for kids, but there’s also a lot of content which is entirely inappropriate for a young audience. Finding a safe way for our kids to access the Internet can be a huge challenge.
Thankfully, parental control software can help parents by controlling the kinds of content and interactions kids have access to on the Internet. There are few varieties of parental control software. Some work simply by filtering content reaching the computer. Others provide a suite of surveillance tools to parents. Others still provide a guided experience for kids. While none of these offer a total solution, they are invaluable tools and can make a big difference in keeping a home safe.
Nerds On Call provides a parental control software installation service. We can set up all the tools you’ll need to keep your computers, gaming consoles, DVD players and cable TV safe and appropriate for a young audience. We’ll also teach you how to use them. Call us at 1-800-919-6373 or fill out our contact form and we’ll talk you through the options.
This article provides some solid introductory information into parental controls on the Internet. If you’d like to learn more about good family strategies for online safety, these articles from Parenting.com is a great place to start. You might also like to check out the US FTC’s information page on parental controls.
A few things you need to know about parental controls and the Internet
It is entirely possible to safely include the Internet in your kids’ lives. You just have to be smart and take it seriously. Here are some facts you need to know if you have Internet and kids under the same roof.
Adult content is everywhere
A 2017 study conducted by the University of New Hampshire found that 42% of children aged 10 to 17 reported seeing pornography online. 66% of that number say they did not want to view those images. The take-home message here is that adult content is everywhere on the Internet. Even if children actively seek to avoid it, they may be exposed to this content unless active controls are in place to prevent it.
Bullying is no joke
While anyone with basic empathy understands that bullying sucks and should never happen to any kid, a lot of parents don’t quite grasp how prevalent and devastating online cyber-bullying can be. It occurs all the time through all kinds of communication methods: from websites to social media to private SMS and emails. Stopbullying.gov (a fantastic site with a wealth of information for parents about cyber-bullying) points out that cyberbullying is especially harmful because it is persistent, permanent and hard to notice. Software designed to limit these devastating experiences is an important aspect of keeping our kids safe from harm.
Internet addiction isn’t just a buzzword
We often hear the phrase, “you’re addicted to the Internet” thrown around in a jokey fashion. It’s easy to play fast and loose with the idea of addiction but Internet addiction is very real. The nature of the Internet, with its constant stimulation and variety, lends itself to addiction especially among kids who are vulnerable to addictive behavior. Check out the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery website if you need more information about Internet addiction. Limiting Internet use through parental software can be an important strategy in households where kids are showing a tendency to spend too long online.
We can help make your computers safe for kids in your home
Nerds On Call is a passionate advocate for anti-bullying efforts, both online and in society at large. We’re actively involved in teaching parents to keep their kids safe from bullying and other threats online.
We can help keep your home safe by installing parental controls not just in your home computer but across all connected devices, from smartphones to console gaming machines to DVD players and cable TV.
Just call us at 1-800-919-6373 or fill out our contact form. We’d love to help.
