As the internet evolves, having safety rules in place is key to keeping your family safe and sound while online. Various individuals, like scammers and hackers, might try to take advantage of young children, or the elderly, to gain access to your information and data. To protect your family, here are some key rules you should have in place.
Use account protection tools
To keep your data and accounts secure, you should start with a few account protection tools.
2-Factor Authentication
Most online accounts now offer some type of 2-Factor Authentication. This is when a unique login code is sent to your phone or email address to approve a sign-in attempt.
Unique and complex passwords
Not only should your accounts all use different passwords, but each password should be complex. Typically, that means above 8 characters, and using upper and lower case, alongside numbers and symbols. Of course, this can be extremely difficult, which is why we recommend using a password generator.
Set screen-time boundaries and device curfews
You also want to help ensure your children develop a healthy relationship with technology. Enforcing tech-free time can help them avoid spending significant time staring at screens, or even developing an addiction. Social media and some modern children’s shows are designed to drive constant engagement, so enforcing these limits is a good way to help prevent them from forming any bad habits.
Of course, children also learn from their parents, which is why you should also try to lead by example. Having family-wide tech curfews can help your children understand the dangers of technology.
Teach kids to spot scams and fake content
Various scams try to appear as trustworthy sources, such as friends, family, or even a company. While it can be difficult to recognise phishing messages, there are some telltale signs, such as spelling and grammatical errors, or questionable links.
Teaching your family how to recognise these scams is a key method for ensuring they don’t fall for any suspicious content. It’s always better to err on the side of caution.
Stay updated on parental controls and platform rules
Many websites and platforms have built-in parental controls and age-restriction settings. This is designed to help you prevent your child from accessing inappropriate material. YouTube and Roblox are two such platforms that offer these controls, especially as there can be content targeted towards more mature audiences.
Knowing and understanding the various parental controls for the platforms your children use is key to protecting them from inappropriate content. You should also be aware if any games or other content have age ratings, and ensure your child adheres to these rules.
Monitor online communities and harmful content
Of course, you should be aware of what content and communities your children are accessing. Regularly checking the communities and content within them can help you keep your child safe from harm. You should also encourage your child to talk about anything that bothers them, as this can help you discover and report any unsafe content.
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