Keeping your family safe when they browse the internet is one of the most important measures you can take to ensure a happy household. It is worth cutting no corners when it comes to safety, as the internet can often be a dark, scary and dangerous place.
Thankfully, centurylink internet explains that by implementing just a few methods, you can make it a much safer place for you and your family. In this article you’ll find four key techniques for you to follow. Read on below to find out more.
Talk to your Kids
It is essential to have a sit down conversation with your kids where you lay out the dangers of the internet but where you don’t go into too much detail about what can be found there. This should start as soon as they are old enough to use a computer or a tablet, and should cover the threats of phishing scams, the perils of addictive online games, the strange people you can meet on social networking sites and spammy-looking websites. It’s good here to lead by example, allowing your children to see you navigate the internet yourself and the ways to have a safe and enjoyable experience.
Use Alphanumeric Passwords
Using obvious-to-guess passwords leaves your data wide open for hackers to come in and steal your precious information. That’s why it’s important to implement strong alphanumeric passwords — featuring a combination of letters and numbers, as well as special characters — that simply cannot be guessed. While these passwords can be rather irritating, they can be stored on a central password chain found in your browser. These can be safely secured behind a master password, which should also be a memorised alphanumeric password. Nonetheless, strong passwords cannot work just by themselves, which is why it’s important to:
Install Child Protection Software
With child protection software, your computer can automatically block access to dangerous websites, such as pornography, gambling, and illegal shops. Creating a strong firewall should be your first port of call, as by simply blocking access to certain websites, your children will not be able to get on to them. One firewall that you can install comes courtesy of SonicWall, a UK-based company that can help to get you started with a wide variety of secure firewalls.
Limit Screen Time
To avoid your children from spending too much time online — which can be harmful by itself, regardless of what they find there — we would recommend setting hard limits with them about the amount of screen time that they have each day.
This is important, as it can be rather unhealthy for your children to spend too much time on the internet as this means that they might not be getting enough exercise. Nonetheless, be flexible in your limits and be sure to agree on a reasonable time with your child, as it is likely that they are using the internet for good — such as accessing online learning resources — rather than for ill.