Internet Safety for Kids - Kids Safety Online

There is never an excuse not to take the time to configure all of the tools you have at your finigertips in order to protect your children. From internet service providers' safety tools to your operating system's parental controls, and even your browsers settings, you should be familiar with all the options. And take action today!

Your Kids Online Safety Checklist

Once you are familiar with all the features it should take you less than an hour to be up and running with a safer digital environment for your young ones. Over time we wil have tutorials to make the whole process easier for you. Cross off the following list as you go:

  1. Set up login accounts for each of your children. No one should be able to access the computer without logging in, including the parents.
  2. Configure your operatings system's Parental Controls - See tutorials below
  3. Configure filters and parental controls through your ISP
  4. Configure Options at the Browser level. While Firefox only has a feature to block and unblock certain websites, the standard Internet Explorer has security settings that are very useful.  Simply open Internet Explorer, select Tools > Internet Options, click on Content Tab and enable.  You can set ratings levels for language, nudity, sex ande violence.
  5. Configure the actual search engine itself. Bing has some very good options for setting strict, moderate or unfiltered results.
  6. Chat - We recommend that you DON'T allow your children to chat online until they are at a mature age. Unfortunately with all the social media options they have at their disposal, this is difficult to control. So if they must, be sure to configure settings to save the conversations.
  7. Nothing beats supervision and communication with our children. Take the time to talk to your kids about online safety and how and when to report anything unusual.
  8. Don't be afraid to be detailed about the types of online activities you don't want your children to participate in. This could include anything potentially harmful, such as cyber-bullying, spying and sending inappropriate messages on social media.
  9. If your child has a bank account, or you have allowed them to use your own, make it clear that this is not information that should be shared with anyone online, ever. Keeping an eye on your bank statements may also be a good idea.
  10. Downloads - any picture or program can contain malware that can be used to obtain your personal information. Educate children about how to download safely, and ensure that they speak with you prior to downloading anything from the internet.
  11. Create a list of internet rules for the whole family, and place it in a spot where everyone can see it. It will be easier for children to follow the rules when they know that the entire household has to follow them as well.
  12. Having a designated area for the computer, such as in a high-traffic area like the family room will make suspicious online behavior much less likely. You may also be better able to catch inappropriate behavior before it can do any harm.
  13. Take advantage of the fun and free games that exist to help teach kids about online safety.
  14. If you don't know which web sites your kids like to visit or who they frequently talk to online, find out. Getting to know your child's online friends and sites will help you be more aware should an internet rule be broken.

There is nothing wrong with redundancy when it comes to safety, so please take the time to configure your parental control tools to the appropriate levels.

If you have not done so already, you can install one of the best and most reputable software products online, called "Safe Eyes." Yes this one has a price tag, but for 39.95 a year, you cant go wrong. Usually it is 49.95, but we have a relationship that will give you a 20% off code when you check out. The families in our company "really" use this product and highly recommend it.

20% off on Safe Eyes Parental Control Software

 

Windows 8 Parental Control Tutorials

Other Online Safety Tips & Tutorials

 

If you are in the market for internet service providers from the reputable companies n your area, you have come to the right place.  We have done much of the legwork for you so that you can get to the business of comparing your options.

You can start by comparing internet providers using various criteria, such as speed, features, and special online only incentives.  In addition, you'll want to know which providers actually service your zip code so that you don't go through the motions of contact those who don't.

Finally, when you take the step to order internet access online, we make the process as painless as possible.  Additionally, we provide great tools and tips for keeping your family safe.

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Categories: internet service,  parental controls,  kids safety,  anti virus software,