The internet was invented and introduced as a source to connect people. It was primarily used for business purposes, news and making the world as global village. But as social media sites were launched, the use of internet became really dangerous and serious. Many children and kids have lost their lives due to the internet and social sites.
There are many potential risks and dangers of the internet for teens. The use of internet is not bad but the purpose should be safe. It can risk your life if you are serious about your safety and take most care in the use. We are going to discuss the risks and dangers of internet for the kids and then the measures parents can take to protect their children.
Potential Risks of Internet for Children
As said earlier there are many dangers of the internet for teens and children and some of these are given below.
Cyberbullying
Kids spend most of their time on social sites and dating apps when their devices are connected to the internet. On social sites, bullying is rife and many teens have suffered badly. They are exposed to the predators as well as bullies who are the bad guys of the internet. A few teens suffered the most when they were bullies on social sites and other apps. They even committed suicide.
Body Shaming
You might have seen many teens share their photos and images on the internet. They get harsh comments, body shaming remarks and are discouraged. The senior people who bully others also try this with the teens. When children are bullies and body shamed, they lose their self-confidence and it hurts them really bad. Teens can do nothing about it but the parents can take measures to protect them online as well as offline.
Adult Content
On the internet, you will find every type of content. Facebook, Instagram and such other sites are full of adult content, body images and explicit images that teens should not view. But as everyone shares and teens view them, you can’t prevent the impact. Rather such content can be reduced and hidden from the newsfeeds of the children.
Private Information Sharing
Most of the teens and kids share too much details and personal information on the internet. The social media apps and other apps track the users all the time and they have access to the location. Apart from that, teens put their images and family photos. They share locations when they go to eat out and at any other place. This makes them vulnerable to predators.
What Should Parents Do to Make Internet Safe?
Parents can do a number of things to make the internet use safe for their teens and kids. They should keep check on them. Following are some important measures parents should take in this regard.
Screen Time
First, the parents must monitor the use of devices. They should restrict the use of internet as well as phones for the teens. There should be a time limit when they will use the internet and devices. This will help parents keep the kids away from internet and social sites all the time. They should be given phones when they have done their homework, study and are free.
Encourage Playing
With this, the parents should divert the attention of their children. They should be encouraged for games and outdoor activities. They should be allowed to go out and play with friends. This will be really helpful to keep children away from the internet and encourage good activities.
Use Parental Control
Now, most of the computers and phones come with parental control feature. This allows parents to create a separate account on the devices for teens. All the adult, porn and social sites are restricted. Parents should also check what their teens have been doing on their phones. They should educate kids about online safety and the dangers of social media as well as internet.
Get a Monitoring App
If parents still feel they need to keep eyes on the children, they can use Android spy software. This kind of app is really useful for monitoring teens, tracking their internet and social media activities, restrict content, check screens, view instant messengers, track locations and do a lot more. Parents will feel better and relaxed with a parental control app.
