Why You Should Keep an Eye on Your Child's Online Activities

Kids can benefit greatly from the Internet. It can be used for research, interacting with teachers, and playing interactive games.

Online access, however, also presents risks, such as inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators. The predators may pose as a child or teen looking for a new friend through apps or websites that facilitate interaction with children. Kids might be encouraged to provide them with personal information, including their address and telephone number, or to call them, seeing the number on their caller ID.

In today's world, we have access to the internet anywhere, anytime and can use it across the spectrum of industries for a wide range of purposes. As kids have easier access to the Internet than ever before, parents face a new set of dilemmas:

• Should you be monitoring your kids' online activities, such as their level of social media participation and their web search history?
• Do you think kids should enjoy the highest level of privacy without having their parents watching what they do online?

Modern-day parents are responsible for protecting their children against both online as well as offline threats. Although there is a right to privacy for each individual, a level of monitoring that is acceptable needs to be determined, and the sooner you do this, the better.

Research has shown that 88 percent of teenagers in modern economies between the ages of 13 and 17 own a cellphone. 91 percent of those teenagers use tablets, smartphones, or other mobile devices to access the internet at least once daily.

A very contentious discussion among parents is whether to monitor children's texts and phones with parental controls. It is indeed difficult to find the right balance between letting children have self-directed technological exploration while maintaining appropriate levels of parental supervision.?

Do you check out the window to see how your child is doing when they are playing outside? As long as you answered yes to that question, you should also be open to seeing what they're doing on the Internet.

Nowadays, kid's online browsing and search history has to be secured since they have a lot more internet skills than their parents. The reason for this is that parents no longer have an 'elder' generation to turn to for technology advice since millennials already dominate that segment. Instead, many parents are turning to parental control software like Fenced.AI.

Potential dangers for teenagers

There are countless benefits to using digital connectivity, from connecting with colleagues to accessing educational resources. Parental concerns regarding teens and the internet have also been raised throughout the world. They are concerned with the users with whom they communicate and the private information that is made accessible.

Cyberbullying is increasing at an alarming rate in the international community. Parent's concerns about their children's online behavior shouldn't be restricted to cyberbullying. A lot of predators are using the Internet to communicate with gullible children and teenagers due to the increasing accessibility of cheap devices and the anonymity of the internet.

There is still a lack of information on how all of this technology is affecting children in the long term. A good way to get a sense of what's going on around us is to look at trends. Among people between the ages of 15 and 19, there were 47 percent more suicides in 2017 than in 2000, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This isn't entirely the fault of technology, but we can take steps to prevent such tragedies. The rate of suicide is higher than it's been in nearly two decades, so it's essential to be aware of and watch for the signs of suicide.

When you consider these types of horrifying statistics, it is nearly impossible to argue that monitoring children at least in some capacity is not necessary, even into their teenage years. Despite the benefits of allowing children to make mistakes and learn from them, too much freedom can have dire consequences, especially in the age of the Internet.

Is it ethical to monitor your child’s online activities

In the eyes of cybersecurity experts, any surveillance activity is intruding on privacy, since it undermines what is supposed to be the sole purpose of what they are fighting for. A parent's constant monitoring might invade their privacy and cause long-term harm since it might destabilize a relationship based on trust.

Despite the fact that your kids might use the internet in a constructive and healthy manner to get information and support, they may feel that they can't explore anything online because their online behaviors and web search histories are being monitored.

Even though this might be advantageous to parents, it may end up negatively affecting children. The parents, however, need to be concerned about cyberbullying, cyberstalking, online harassment, hate speech, etc.

Monitoring a child's online activities becomes more challenging as they grow. They may always have their smartphones with them. There is probably a desire - and need - for privacy. It is normal for children to become more independent of their parents as they grow up. Taking precautions can make the Internet a safe "virtual" environment for experiencing freedom for the first time.

Be an example

We're all guilty of "do as I say, not as I do" in our daily lives. It's your responsibility to set a better example for your children when it comes to internet usage. This means occasionally putting the phone down. A dinner table ban is in effect here, for example, but other parents ban smartphones and tablets after a certain time or from bedrooms. The idea of giving up the smartphone may still annoy your child, but at least you can say it's part of the family rules.

Talk to your children

As simple as it seems, this is the single most important weapon in the fight against online predators. It's easy to have all the technology solutions you want on your device, but they aren't 100% effective and they don't replace talking to your children and being aware of what they are doing online. Make sure they are aware of the risks associated with giving out too much personal information to strangers, and encourage them to talk to you if they feel uncomfortable about something or someone they encounter online. Although they may understand online fraud, they may not completely comprehend the dangers.

Digital Monitoring Apps

Parental control and monitoring apps are also a great option for parents who want to save their children from cyberbullying, harmful digital behavior, and exposure to inappropriate content. Parental control apps allows you to keep track of your child’s online activities so that you can protect and maintain their digital footprint. These apps can be used to smartly monitor the online activities of your child without necessarily having to ask them to disclose their passwords or spying on them. Fenced.AI offers a free plan to monitor your child’s smartphone

CONCLUSION

The potential for unmonitored and unlimited online interactions can make it difficult for parents to screen the content and sites their child view. Even if parents take steps to limit their child’s browsing capabilities, inappropriate apps and websites can still be accessed with a friend.

But understanding the nuances and potential dangers of popular apps and platforms can help build a sensible monitoring strategy.

It’s also important to train your child to navigate the internet safely, smartly and with a certain level of skepticism. Every child is unique and requires a different approach. There is no exact or perfect age to allow complete digital freedom for your child. Rather, it’s about gradually granting more freedom as its earned.

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