Internet Safety for Kids: Measures Parents Can Take (Free and Paid)
The internet is a huge place where you can find lots of things to do, but it can also be dangerous for kids. As a parent, it's important to take steps to protect your children from bad things like online bullies, people who want to hurt them, and things they shouldn't see. Here are some ways you can do that, both for free and by paying for them.
Free Measures:
Talk to Your Kids - Make sure you talk to your children about the dangers of the internet and what they can do to protect themselves.
Set Up Parental Controls - Many devices and internet browsers have settings that let you stop your children from seeing things they shouldn't.
Teach Good Online Habits - Encourage your children to use strong passwords, not share their information, and be careful when clicking on things.
Monitor Online Activity - Keep an eye on what your children are doing online and what websites and apps they're using.
DNS Filtering - DNS filtering is a tool that lets you block bad websites from being seen. There are some free ones like OpenDNS, CleanBrowsing, and 1.1.1.1 for Families (from Cloudflare), which we will show you how to set up later in this blog post.
Paid Measures:
Install Parental Control Software - You can pay for special software that lets you control what your children can see and do online.
Hire a Someone to Help - If you're worried about your children's safety, you can hire someone who knows about internet safety to help you.
Enroll in Online Safety Programs - There are many programs that teach children and parents how to be safe online.
If you want a free and easy way to keep your children safe online, we recommend setting up a parental filter using DNS filtering on your router.
DNS filtering is like a phone book for the internet. It helps your computer find the website you want to visit. By using DNS filtering, you can block bad websites and content from being seen. There are two types of DNS filtering:
Free DNS filtering - Some internet service providers and companies like Cloudflare offer free DNS filtering. Cloudflare has a free service called "1.1.1.1 for Families" that is made for families who want a safe online experience. This service can block adult content and other things that children shouldn't see. You can find out how to set up "1.1.1.1 for Families" in Cloudflare's guide here: https://blog.cloudflare.com/introducing-1-1-1-1-for-families/
Paid DNS filtering - You can pay for more advanced DNS filtering that can block more things, like malware and viruses. They also have more tools for parents to monitor their children's online activity.
At Infomatrix Technology, we know how important it is for kids to be safe online. That's why we offer cybersecurity solutions that are made just for families and children. We have DNS filtering, parental control software, and cybersecurity consultations that can be personalized just for you.
We believe that every child should feel safe and secure online, and we want to help parents make that happen.