How to Monitor Your Child’s Internet Activity

Technology offers a variety of benefits that allow children to communicate with friends through social media websites, play online games, and also self-teach on the internet. Adding to that the internet is becoming more easily accessible for all ages. Your child can reach all the websites they want using their desktop computer, mobile, or their laptops. Unfortunately, the internet is not a very safe place for children, and sometimes, it is best to observe what they search for. Here’s how to monitor your child’s internet activity.

Keep an Eye on What the Child Is Exposed To

These days, it’s common for predators to stalk children online, taking advantage of their lack of awareness of what type of people they should avoid talking to. Adding to that they may, unfortunately, be bullied even by people that don’t even know them. Some individuals might choose to send hateful messages and comments while they hide behind a screen. This can all undoubtedly affect the child’s mental health, and can cause a constant worry about what to post, how many likes and comments the child is getting for his posts, and can compel them to compare their lives to others’. Plus, your child potentially seeing offensive and inappropriate images is something you need to worry about. They can also accidentally download malware onto their computers by visiting untrusted websites.

Use Parental Control

You can set up privacy settings on their accounts so you can choose who has access to what information. Moreover, you could use parental control settings, which will enable you to block whatever websites you are not comfortable with. It can notify you whenever your child tries to access one of these blocked websites as well as allow you to see what texts they send and receive.

Have a Shared Device

Start with keeping a computer in the living room. It allows you to keep an eye on your child while they’re using it and see what they are accessing. Furthermore, you can add screen time on their phones, which will allow you to know what apps they use and for how long. Also, it can help you limit their time on certain social media apps. If you want to take it up a notch, you can also download software that sends detailed reports about your child’s activity, what websites they visit, how long they were on their device, and if there was any kind of communication between them and a stranger. Last but not least, you can change their accounts’ settings to receive texts and calls from only a trusted list of contacts, while all other numbers are automatically blocked. This will allow you to make sure that your children are not being contacted by strangers.

In conclusion, it’s natural for every parent out there to ensure that their child has the safest experience of exploring the internet without having to take away their phones or limit their access to the internet. By activating parental control settings and controlling your child’s list of trusted contacts, you can rest assured that your child can gain the benefits of having access to the internet without being harassed by strangers or having access to obscene visuals and content. 

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