Multiple organizations that track online pedophilia estimate that there are 500,000 sexual predators are active on the internet each day. Alarmingly, as reported by the FBImore than half of the children victimized by these predators are aged 12 to 15. Equally as unsettling is that identity thieves target millions of children each year. However your child spends time online, it’s important to set up appropriate parental restrictions to protect them. While these controls can never be completely effective, they allow you to monitor your children’s digital habits and prevent cybercriminals from contacting them. With an ever-growing list of devices and apps children use, figuring out how to secure every platform can be time-consuming. This article will provide you with an effective strategy for each device and online platform so you can shield your children from harm. Editor’s Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
How to Hide Inappropriate Content and Restrict Viewing Time on Popular Streaming Services
Excessive screen time and kids seeing inappropriate content are two of the biggest concerns for parents whose children are streaming content. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to control these two factors on many of the most popular platforms.
Netflix
Understanding how to set parental controls on Netflix is crucial for safeguarding your children’s streaming experience. Fortunately, the streaming platform allows extensive restrictions to be applied to kids’ profiles. Begin by creating a Netflix profile for your children, which is easily done by navigating to the Manage Profiles section of your account and selecting the “Kids”. Kids profiles automatically restrict inappropriate content and prevent children from changing any of the settings. You also have the option of applying additional controls. To further secure your account, you can change your settings to make Netflix require users to input a 4-digit PIN before accessing certain profiles. Adding this layer of security to all the adult profiles on your account will help to prevent your children from accessing accounts without maturity restrictions. Switching autoplay off: Limiting access to age-restricted content: Kids accounts will automatically have their viewing restrictions set to “T” or “Suitable for all ages.” However, you may want to adjust these restrictions for teenagers.
Hulu
Although Hulu doesn’t allow for customized content restrictions, it offers an alternative in the form of Hulu parental controls. This feature lets you create a separate account for your child where kid-friendly programming can be enabled with a single toggle. With this option turned on, your children will only be able to stream content rated PG, TV-PG, and below. If you try to bypass it and set up parental controls on your device or router, it’ll completely block all shows on the platform. If you don’t already have a PIN protecting your account, Hulu will likely prompt you to create one when you add a kids account. You can also do this manually: Enabling this feature will prevent users from exiting a kids profile and entering a non-kids profile without using that PIN. It will also prevent anyone from creating additional profiles without entering the PIN. With Prime Video parental controls, you can restrict viewing to titles rated under PG-13, prevent autoplay, and disallow purchases without a PIN on certain profiles. It’s best to turn on parental controls using your laptop as there are quite a few steps to follow. For older kids and teens, you might want to set content restrictions instead. The age ratings that you select will apply to your entire account. This means that you’ll need to enter your PIN whenever you want to watch content above your viewing restricted age – even if you’re on your own profile. You can also toggle on “Creation and removal lock” to prevent anyone from creating a new, unrestricted profile without your PIN.
Disney+
Disney+ is a platform geared towards kids and teens, so you don’t need to worry about them coming across any R-rated content. However, as the app also has National Geographic and Marvel shows, some titles may be less appropriate depending on your child’s age. Luckily, you can block any content rated above PG by creating a Kids Profile with rating restrictions or using Junior Mode. Junior Mode will automatically restrict all movies and shows above a G-rating (appropriate for “general” audiences), prevent ads from showing, and disable autoplay. You can also enable the “Kid-Proof Exit” in this mode, which makes it more difficult for kids to leave their own profile and enter another. Keep in mind, however, that you will not be able to manually adjust content ratings when Junior Mode is on. There are two different routes that you can take to set up kid-friendly profiles, depending on whether you choose to enable Junior Mode or not.
Protect Your Children From Pressure on Social Media
YouTube TikTok Instagram Snapchat Facebook X (Formerly Twitter) Pinterest Twitch Reddit
YouTube
YouTube provides a tremendous amount of videos for users of all ages, but places absolutely no restrictions for any viewer by default. This increases the risk of your child accidentally stumbling upon explicit, scary, or disturbing content. Luckily, you can turn on restricted mode on the website itself or even download YouTube Kids—a separate, child-oriented platform that features only safe and appropriate content. YouTube Kids comes with limited functions and a restrictive filter that blocks most inappropriate videos. You can even apply age-based restrictions. “Pre-School” works best for children younger than 4 years old, “Younger” will display videos for kids up to 8 years old, and “Older” is designed for users aged from 8 to 12 years old. You can further customize your child’s YouTube Kids experience by adjusting various parental controls and settings. These controls let you block content, turn off the search feature, disable autoplay, review watch history, and turn on YouTube Premium benefits. However, YouTube Kids isn’t always perfect. It’s possible for some weird and disturbing videos to slip through the filters, so don’t let your child use the app on their own. Moreover, the older your children get, the more likely they are to rebel against using a restricted kid’s app. To avoid unnecessary arguments and stress, you can allow them to use the standard version of YouTube, but remember to turn on Restricted Mode. This option is available on both the browser and mobile version of the platform. There are some additional settings you can access on the full-access version of YouTube to ensure your child has a safer browsing experience. Following these steps will activate the restrictions within that particular browser. If your child uses any other browsers, you’ll need to repeat these steps for each one. You can block specific contacts that you do not want your child interacting with under “Privacy.” You can also disable inappropriate messages from appearing on any live videos your child hosts by switching on the “Hold for review” feature under the “Live chat” settings.
TikTok
TikTok is wildly popular with children and teens. Despite its 12+ rating, TikTok can still expose children to fantasy violence, explicit content, crude humor, and inappropriate references. The app’s algorithm customizes content on the main feed, often using extensive user data. As such, it’s essential to understand how to put parental controls in place on this platform if you want to keep your kids safe online. Fortunately, TikTok provides several options to enhance your child’s profile safety. To activate these, you’ll have to set up your own TikTok account and link it with your child’s. This “Family Pairing” feature enables you to block certain types of content, disable direct messaging, and control the amount of time your children can use TikTok for. Accounts held by users under 18 are automatically set with a 60-minute daily screen time limit. Once this limit is reached, a passcode is required to continue using the app, adding an additional layer of control. You can also set your child’s account to private to prevent strangers from viewing their clips. Using your kid’s profile, go into the privacy section, tap “Privacy and Safety” and switch on “Private Account.”
Nearly three-quarters (70.4%) of Instagram users use the platform to share photos and videos. With 62% of teens surveyed noting that they use Instagram, it’s clear that you need to have some measures in place to ensure that your kids stay safe when sharing content on the channel. Instagram has a variety of controls that you can use to manage what your children—and anyone who might want to interact with them—can share and see. These range from creating private profiles to limiting who can message, mention, or tag them. There’s also an option for you to get a report of their activities on the app. In addition to these safety measures, you can also activate “Supervision.” This will allow you to set limits on when and how long your child can use Instagram, see who your kid is interacting with, and approve any settings changes they want to make. Creating a Private Profile Setting your child’s profile to private will require them to approve follow requests and prevent anyone who isn’t a follower from seeing their activity. Limiting Who Can See Your Child’s Activity and Interact with Them Ensuring that unknown third parties can’t like, comment, message, or tag your kids is a great way to keep them safe online. You will need to invite your teen to Supervision. If you notice any inappropriate behavior related to your child’s account, don’t hesitate to report and block the account responsible. You should also teach your children how they can report it themselves. Instagram takes privacy concerns very seriously and will resolve your issue as quickly as possible.
Snapchat
Snapchat’s amusing filters and in-the-moment sharing makes it widely popular amongst younger teenagers. However, certain features (like displaying users’ specific location) pose a huge threat to children who use the app. Despite Snapchat having multiple privacy protection settings, reports of sexual predators on the platform are still a regular occurrence. Make sure to enable as many safety features as possible to increase your child’s security when using the app. If you have your own Snapchat account, you can set up “Family Center” to help monitor your child’s experience on the app. This tool will allow you to see who your teen is friends with and who they’ve chatted with in the past seven days, but it won’t show you the content of those messages. Once your child accepts your invitation, you will be able to see who they are talking to and set content controls.
According to its terms and conditions, Facebook doesn’t allow anyone under the age of 13 to set up an account. However, recent research reveals that 45% of children under the age limit are already using Facebook on a daily basis. If the platform’s user data collection isn’t enough to encourage you to add extra protection to your child’s account, its regular involvement in data breaches definitely should. Applying even a few additional security settings may save your kids from becoming victims of various cyberattacks, including identity theft.
X
X offers many of the same parental controls that were available back when it was Twitter. The settings aren’t turned on by default, but are very easy to find and enable.
Although it’s generally only a hub for users to find ideas like recipes, home, and fashion inspiration, Pinterest can occasionally contain content that’s not suitable for all audiences. While the platform lacks parental controls to block such content, you can still enhance your child’s safety on the site or app by implementing appropriate restrictions on their browser or device and regularly monitoring the images and boards your child interacts with.
Twitch
If you’re looking to apply parental controls to your child’s Twitch account, you’re not going to find many. Despite allowing gamers and streamers as young as 13 to set up a profile, the platform doesn’t actually put any protective restrictions in place. As Twitch is a live streaming platform, it makes it almost impossible to moderate and filter its content. The only protection you can apply is disabling direct messages on the website. Luckily, many official streamers (like Ninja or DrGluon) keep their channels child-friendly and avoid explicit language and references. While they may still play games aimed at a more mature audience, you wouldn’t find anything inappropriate in their chats. However, many gamers who stream Minecraft or other games popular with younger audiences may use extremely vulgar language. The best way to moderate what your child watches is to take interest in their favorite streamers and check if their channels are appropriate for his or her age.
Reddit is one of the biggest peer-to-peer information-sharing platforms on the planet. It has libraries on quite possibly every topic imaginable, from child-friendly forums about TV shows to extreme and explicit adult content. To alert younger users and their parents that the latter content is not appropriate for children, it’s usually clearly labeled as NSFL (Not Safe For Life) or NSFW (Not Safe For Work). Both of these tags automatically hide inappropriate images and videos. Nonetheless, it’s essential to have parental control on Reddit because this isn’t a guarantee that they won’t see harmful content. If you decide to let your child use Reddit, don’t let them sign up. Using the website without logging in will automatically block NSFL and NSFW content. Alternatively, if you do want to create an account, sign up for them with your own email address. This will allow you to regularly monitor what kind of content they view and prevent them from changing the password. Further enhancing the parental controls is the Reddit Enhancement Suite (RES) browser extension. It’s an independent, community-driven Reddit browser that provides safer browsing while using the platform. Although Reddit itself won’t allow you to block any subreddits, you can use RES to restrict user access to forums that display gore, sexual images, or other inappropriate content. Unfortunately, Reddit parental controls don’t exist on its iOS app. However, you can turn off R-rated content directly within the device settings on both iOS and Android devices.
Enable Maximum Child Protection on Every Device
Apple Devices
iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
Apple’s “Family Sharing” feature gives parents full control over their children’s iPhones, iPads, and iPods. On iOS Devices On Android Devices As the family organizer, you can manage screen time settings and enable “Ask to Buy”, which requires your approval for your children to be able to purchase or download apps. You can also use “Family Sharing” to monitor and approve screen time requests from your child. Your child’s requests will go to Messages and you can approve them directly there or or in the “Screen Time” section under “Settings.”
macOS
Setting up parental controls on macOS varies depending on what macOS version your child is using. macOS Sonoma brings a refined approach to parental controls, aligning them more closely with the Screen Time features found in iPhones and iPads. This new setup allows for more nuanced control over content and privacy on your child’s Mac, ensuring a safe and appropriate computing environment. To keep an eye on your child’s activity on their Mac, you can navigate to the main “Screen Time” menu under “System Settings.” Then click “App & Website Activity” to see how much time they’ve been spending on certain activities.
Android Devices
Unlike Apple devices, most Android phones and tablets don’t have specific settings for parental controls. While you can manage certain options in the Google Play Store to disable specific apps and prevent accidental purchases, you won’t be able to turn on phone-wide restrictions. To monitor your child’s phone habits, you can download the Family Link app on their device. This app helps you set ground rules for phone usage, such as managing which apps are allowed and setting time restrictions so you can choose when your child can use their phone and when they can’t. You will need your own Google account to set up and manage your child’s parental control settings. Simply open the Family Link app or visit g.co/YourFamily to access the settings.
Windows 10 and 11
Managing parental controls on your Windows device will differ depending on your device’s operating system. Before you begin enabling any restrictions, make sure your child has Microsoft accounts linked with your own. This will ensure their maximum online safety and it won’t limit your own digital experience.
Chromebook
Any child who wants to use a Chromebook or the Google Play Store needs their own Google account. Google’s underage profiles already come with a set of pre-programmed restrictions, such as blocking the use of the incognito mode in Chrome or the option to block explicit online content. To control specific Chromebook features, you need to download and set up Google’s Family Link app. The program is very simple to use, but to start you need to log in to both your and your child’s Google account. You’ll use Family Link to lock these settings and prevent your kids from changing them without your permission. If you want to make any adjustments, you’ll need to go to the Family Link app on your device to get a unique code that you can then use to unlock the settings on your child’s device. This code changes every few minutes and can only be accessed via the app or website. Once the child’s account is created, you can apply more restrictions like screen time limits and age-specific filters.
Google Home and Google Nest
Google home devices allow you to control explicit content and block it from playing on YouTube apps, Google Play Music, and other apps you have installed. The speakers come with a built-in Digital wellbeing setting that filters unwanted content when turned on. These restrictions can be applied to all speakers connected to your account or selected supervised accounts and guests.
HomePod
Safeguard Young Players on All Gaming Consoles and Platforms
PlayStation 5, 4, and 3 Xbox Series X, Series S, One, and 360 Nintendo Switch Steam Origins/EA
PlayStation
PlayStation 5
PlayStation 5 (as well as PS5 Slim) come with Sony’s latest parental control features. In order to enable them, you’ll have to create a family account and assign yourself as Family Manager. Doing so will allow you to make sub-accounts for all your children. This system makes setting up the restrictions much faster as you can apply them to all sub-accounts at once.
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 (as well as PlayStation Pro and PlayStation Slim) offer similar parental controls to the PlayStation 5, with some small differences in procedure and wording. To access the parental controls, navigate to “Settings” and select “Parental Controls” or “Family Management.” From there, you can access the same parental controls available on the PlayStation 5. To change the spending limit on your child’s account, you will need to select “Applications” under “Parental Controls” or “Family Management”. Next, press “Devices” and then “Network Features”. Select “Monthly Spending Limit” to manually adjust the amount you want your child to have access to.
PlayStation 3
Parental restrictions on PlayStation 3 aren’t as extensive as on Sony’s later consoles. You won’t be able to create time or spending limits or monitor your child’s gaming activity from your own device. However, you can choose age-appropriate game restrictions and disable internet browsing.
Xbox
All Xbox consoles come with a set of strict parental controls. These built-in family settings allow all parents to set spending bans, control how much time their children spend playing games, and restrict social interaction. To alter any settings, you and each of your children will need to use separate Microsoft accounts to log in to the console.
Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S
To manage parental controls on the Xbox Series X and S, it’s essential to first set up a Microsoft family group. These settings will extend across all Microsoft products you use, including Windows and Office. The process is more straightforward when done through a web browser on a computer. While some parental controls are adjustable directly from the console, others can be managed through the Family Safety page on Microsoft’s website or via the Microsoft Family Safety apps for Android or iOS. To prevent your child from switching user accounts, it’s advisable to set up a PIN for your user account on the Xbox. You can do this by navigating to “Account” on your Xbox console and selecting “Sign-in, security & PIN.” Screen time settings are not accessible directly on the Xbox and can only be managed via the Family Safety website or mobile app. To access these settings online, click the three dots next to your child’s profile and navigate to “Overview” and then “Screen time.” In the mobile app, select your child’s profile, then press “Manage” next to “Screen time.”
Xbox One
Xbox 360
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch is considered one of the safest gaming consoles. The console’s creators installed pre-made control levels to make the process even easier for busy and less tech-savvy parents. By enabling parental controls, you can make sure your little ones don’t accidentally play an M-rated game or make any purchases without your knowledge. Don’t worry if you’re not entirely sure how to use your child’s Switch—you can apply parental controls from your own smartphone! However, before setting any restrictions, you’ll need to link your smart device with your child’s Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app.
Steam
If your child prefers computer gaming to consoles, then Steam is likely to be their go-to platform. It holds an impressively large cloud-based library of games—sadly, not all of them are age-appropriate. To make sure your child uses the platform safely, you can use Steam’s Family View controls. This will restrict content and display only family-friendly titles while your child is logged in. The feature can be turned on and off with just one click of a button once it’s set up, so it won’t limit your own gaming experience if you share your account with kids.
Origins/EA
Origins automatically applies restrictions and parental controls for any user under 13. This means that your child won’t have access to any of the platform’s online features, such as multiplayer games or the Origins Store. Child accounts also won’t show up in the user search bar, removing any possibility for social interaction through the platform. To create a child account, you’ll need to sign up yourself first. Do so by navigating to the Origins website and clicking “Register.” Once you’ve created the account, download the Origins app on your computer and open it. This will prompt the account setup page to show up.
Apply Child-Friendly Controls on Smart TVs
Roku TV Apple TV Fire TV Samsung TV
Roku TV
Roku TV doesn’t allow for many parental controls to be applied and those that do exist will only restrict Roku Channels and Roku TV features. Enabling them on the TV box itself won’t apply them within the third-party apps (like Netflix or YouTube), so you’ll need to turn those on manually.
Apple TV
Apple offers a multitude of features on its TV box that allow you to control every feature available, including online purchases, maturity rating, Siri, and screen recording. Keep in mind that changing these settings won’t have an impact on restrictions within third-party apps, such as Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube. You’ll have to manually block their content using in-app settings.
Samsung TV
Samsung TV’s parental controls are limited. To stop your child from accessing mature shows on any apps installed on your smart TV, you’ll need to lock each app separately. This will prevent kids from opening an app, but they’ll have full control over what they watch unless you apply parental controls within the streaming apps themselves.
Configure Parental Controls on Internet Browsers
Firefox and Opera Google Chrome Internet Explorer Microsoft Edge Safari
Firefox and Opera
Firefox and Opera are the only internet browsers that don’t have any built-in parental restrictions. To stop your child from accessing inappropriate content, you’ll need to apply external parental controls by downloading a third-party app (also known as an extension). Some of the most popular extensions include FoxFilter, Family Friendly Filter (on Firefox) and Disconnect (on Opera). Alternatively, you can apply parental restrictions on the device they use to browse the internet. This will automatically apply content protection on any internet browser installed. You can refer to our device section above for step-by-step instructions as to how to do this on each device.
Google Chrome
Chrome online protection can be enabled directly within the browser and using the Family Link app. As the browser and the app have different protection controls, it’s best to turn parental controls on for both platforms. Remember to log in to your child’s Google account so you can apply the changes to their browsing rather than your own. Creating a child account within the Family Link app will by default disable the use of the incognito browser mode and access to the Google Play or Chrome Store. Additional protections need to be turned on manually.
Internet Explorer
Older Windows laptops have this browser already pre-installed so it’s likely a go-to browser for your child. Luckily, it also comes with a set of built-in security features that are very easy to switch on.
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is the latest internet browser from Microsoft, replacing Internet Explorer as the company’s main default browser. Microsoft Edge comes pre-installed on all Windows 11 and 10 devices. One of its best features is Kids Mode, which provides a secure online environment for children, with features like custom themes, suitable content, and strict Bing SafeSearch, all without the need for a child account.
Safari
Safari automatically comes with certain built-in restrictions you can turn on for your child. These can be applied to any version of the browser—whether your child uses an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. You can even completely disable Safari and stop your children from browsing the internet.
Why You Should Consider Applying Parental Controls on All Platforms and Devices
Research from the children’s commissioner for England reveals that 45% of children aged 8 to 17 have encountered material that they found inappropriate, worrying, or upsetting, yet half chose not to report it. This exposure includes not only pornographic and violent imagery but also content related to self-harm and suicide, as well as anonymous trolling and images promoting diet restriction. While creating an open and understanding environment and implementing rules around device usage in your home can help to protect your kids, the chances that your children will come into contact with inappropriate content remains high. The average age at which children first encounter pornography is 13, with exposure beginning as early as age 9. The prevalence of violent pornography, involving coercive or degrading acts, is also alarming, with 79% of children encountering it before the age of 18. This type of content is not restricted to dedicated adult sites, either. Research has found that children are most likely to encounter pornographic material on X (formerly known as Twitter), with Instagram and Snapchat following closely behind. While you may think your kids are responsible enough to be independent, it’s clear that it’s impossible to prevent them from inappropriate browsing without appropriate protection. Children, teens, and tweens in particular, are also adept at evading family internet rules. A study carried out by McAfee found that 59% of children engage in some form of action to conceal their online activities. Common tactics include clearing the browser history (26%), swiftly closing or minimizing the browser when a parent enters the room (21%), hiding or deleting instant messages and videos (15%), browsing in incognito mode (15%), and being untruthful or vague about their online activities (15%). Additionally, 10% use a device that their parents rarely check. As children grow older, these methods of maintaining privacy, especially clearing browser history and using incognito mode, become increasingly prevalent. Applying even the most basic parental controls is essential for protecting your children from harm, whether intentional or not.
The Most Common Features of Parental Restrictions (And Why You Should Implement Them All)
Nowadays, almost all apps and devices come with built-in parental controls. Depending on the platform and device, the options for restrictions often include:
Filtering inappropriate search engine results, explicit or violent images and videos, and vulgar songs. Placing time limits for each day of the week. Disabling various online sharing capabilities and account links between different platforms. Blocking any pop-ups and clickable ads. Enhancing online privacy and preventing excessive data collection. Tracking your children’s physical location from your own devices and monitoring their online activity through regular email reports.
Each of these features can protect young online users from different types of harm. Filtering content and disabling online sharing protects your children from online sexual predators and bullies as well as content that isn’t appropriate for their age. Applying time restrictions ensures teens don’t spend hours scrolling through social media instead of prioritizing their homework and other responsibilities. Certain controls will also allow you to prevent accidental online purchases and block access to chat rooms. Finally, you can choose from various tracking settings to know exactly where your children are—as long as they have their phone on them.
Are Parental Controls Actually Effective?
Despite their advantages and protective features, parental controls are never 100% effective. Their capabilities are remarkable, but sometimes inappropriate content is created specifically to bypass all online restrictions. This is particularly insidious on YouTube, where creators can use certain child-friendly tags under incredibly frightening or explicit videos. Incidents include fake Peppa Pig episodes that display graphic and explicit scenes. Experts argue that although the majority of parental controls are able to enforce restrictions and prevent certain behaviors, they don’t create positive changes your child can learn from. That’s because it can be difficult to find a balance between what’s right and wrong when applying controls. Overprotection may also cause long-term harm to your children. In many cases, it can impact their decision-making skills or encourage them to rebel against existing rules. Even though parental controls aren’t perfect, you shouldn’t disregard the importance of applying them to protect your kids online. A total lack of boundaries can put children in direct danger of radicalization or sextortion. Combined with effective parenting and open conversations, digital restrictions are an extremely powerful tool that can shield your children online.
Expert-Approved Guide to Applying Digital Restrictions
It can be tricky to enforce parental controls, especially if you didn’t implement them as soon as your child began using online platforms. That’s because, as children get older, they tend to rebel against any restrictions that inhibit their freedom. Experts advise following the 4 easy steps below to apply parenting controls effectively.
Step 1: Decide Which Platforms and Devices to Secure
Write down a list with your choices as well as short clarifications of why applying restrictions will benefit your young family members. Depending on their age, your children may try to talk you out of applying parental controls. Creating this list will help you to explain your reasoning to them a lot better.
Step 2: Have a Conversation With Your Child
Explain why parental controls are important and be open about the dangers that could be lurking online. Even if your kids are too young to fully understand what’s going on, they should know these restrictions are there to protect them from extremely harmful content. It’s likely that your children will want to voice their opinions. If possible, see if you can reach a compromise. This will show your kids that they’re important in the decision-making process and that their point of view is valued.
Step 3: Implement Your Chosen Parental Controls
You can apply as many or as few parental controls as you’d like, depending on what you and your children agreed on. As teenagers are more likely to disobey the rules as they grow up, consider enabling regular monitoring settings to know if they’re following your guidelines.
Step 4: Regularly Review the Applied Parental Controls
Research shows that children who are involved in discussing and planning house rules are less likely to rebel against them in the future. That’s why it could be highly beneficial for you and your child to schedule regular talks about parental controls and why they have to be implemented. Creating this safe space for open conversations with your child will also allow them to share details about their online experiences.
Tips for Safe Internet Browsing for Each Developmental Stage
Depending on your child’s age, there are different precautions you can take to create a safe online space for your child.
First Digital Steps: 2–4 Years Old
As your child begins their digital journey, it’s crucial to never let them do it on their own. Whether they choose to watch videos on YouTube Kids or play games on your phone, parental supervision will ensure they don’t accidentally click on inappropriate hyperlinks or ads. Children at such a young age are especially at risk of being frightened. That’s why it might be beneficial to restrict any access to the internet at this point. Instead, find various offline games and apps to teach your child how to use technology. If you decide to allow your child access to the internet, always ensure the right parental controls are enabled. It’s also a good idea to build a whitelist with chosen sites and apps that your child can access while blocking anything else.
Learning the Basics: 5–8 Years Old
As your child grows, they’ll want to become more independent online. While you still shouldn’t leave them to browse on their own, you can allow for more freedom by installing child-friendly search engines, like Mobicip or The Children’s Internet. Set up content restrictions on any streaming apps and devices your child uses to prevent dangerous media from being displayed. Disable instant messaging in any form, such as email, chat rooms, and others. At some point, you should also introduce a set of digital rules for your child to follow when they’re online. These should include not talking to strangers, entering any personal details, and using only an agreed online nickname. Most importantly, create a safe space for your children to encourage them to tell you when they access anything inappropriate or frightening online.
Becoming More Independent: 9–12 years old
This is the time when your child will likely express his or her interest in joining social media apps. While many of those platforms won’t allow anyone younger than 13 to make an account, tweens are very likely to enter a fake birthday so that they can keep up with their peers. It’s also the time when your child might express the need for more privacy and won’t want you to monitor their online activity. If that’s the case, try to place digital devices such as family computers and tablets in communal areas so you can still keep an eye on what your child does online. Place time limits on how long your child can use digital devices for. At this age, they’re likely to need it for schoolwork and hobbies, but tweens often stray from their responsibilities to interact with their friends online or play games. Setting time limits on certain apps or devices in general will make sure they aren’t able to waste their time on something they shouldn’t be doing. Begin constructive conversations about what ethical online behavior is. Your child should understand that the online space isn’t to be used for bullying or spreading gossip. The older they get, the more aware they should be about what could happen to them or others with just one click of a button. The devices your child uses should still have parental controls in place. Protect them with various PIN codes, if possible, as your child may want to bypass the restrictions or turn them off themselves. Consider doing sporadic spot checks to view the browsing history and what apps have been used. You may want to install specific monitoring apps to stay up-to-date with what your child does online.
Walking Into Adulthood: 13–17 year olds
It’s not a secret that teenagers are a lot more difficult to keep safe online. However, they are also more aware of what could happen online, whether that’s from their own experiences or someone else’s. It’s important to talk to teens about their online activity just as you would about their offline lives. Take interest in their hobbies and get to know their friends. If you had any internet rules before, try to reevaluate them together or create completely new ones. Set reasonable expectations and don’t be alarmed with their interests. As teens mature physically and emotionally, they’ll be more interested in sexual exploration. This is a normal part of growing up. However, it doesn’t mean you should allow free access to pornography sites. Always make sure you restrict access to overly explicit content through a set of available parental controls. You may need to carry out regular checks on their personal devices to make sure the restrictions haven’t been turned off. If possible, protect the settings by enabling PIN access only.
Protect Your Children From the Dangers of the Internet Today
As children are becoming increasingly interested in digital devices from a very young age, it’s crucial for parents to implement as many protective methods as possible. Parental controls are a great method of keeping your kids safe online, but they can never be fully effective. Without constructive and open conversations about how dangerous the internet can be, as well as active parenting, your children may feel overly restricted and rebel against the protective software. This is why you should never rely solely on parental controls to keep your young ones safe. Instead, consider implementing digital upbringing alongside your chosen restrictions to teach your children about both the benefits and dangers of the internet.