How to Keep Your Kids Safe on their Smartphone

When you buy a smartphone for your kid, the thrill of gaming, talking to friends, browsing fun videos, and meeting new people is very satisfying.

However, the same smartphones pose a lot of security threats to the kids. From online predators, cyberbullies, identity theft, and access to adult content, the dangers are always beckoning. Well, think of it this way; if dangers of cyberspace can rattle you as an adult, the impacts will traumatize a kid.

Even with all the threats, comes the additional dilemma of kids’ privacy. The question is how do you keep the kid safe on the smartphone?

Because the notion of taking the smartphone away is retrogressive, the best way is using latest technologies to keep the kids safe. This article brings out four main methods you can keep the kids safe on their smartphones.

How to Keep Your Kids Safe on their Smartphone

1. Monitoring and filtering web browsing

The greatest safety risk for your kid comes from the internet. Because the kids are not analytical enough, they might engage strange people and get lured to  inappropriate things like drugs, pornography, and even crime.

To counter this, look for appropriate monitoring and control apps to identify and stop the dangers.

• You can filter and deny access to bad websites by setting keywords related to pornography, sex, drug, robbery, and other online ills. If the kid hits a pornographic site, it is blocked promptly and a notification is sent to the parent so that he/she can review what made the kid go there.
• Just like the monitor keywords follow the browsing history, you can also set them to follow the kid’s social media messages and chats. If a discussion related to sex, pornography, and drugs is noted, the accounts are blocked from accessing the kid’s smartphone.

 

2. Preventing installation of harmful apps from the kid’s smartphone

When a kid uses a smartphone, he/she may be prompted to install tricky apps that often come as ads or popups promising rewards. In other cases, some apps targeting to take images remotely or steal the kid’s info on the smartphone might forcefully get into the smartphone.

Using the latest apps, you take full control of the kid’s smartphone so that any app that the kid wants to install or malware trying to force the way through will first need permission from you.

When the kid clicks to install, you will be prompted to accept or deny the app. Take a few minutes to check the nature of the app and only allow it to install if it is good. Some good apps you can allow include online education tutors and age appropriate gaming.

3. Utilize geo-fencing technologies

When the kid leaves for school, party, church, or even shopping, how do you keep him/her safe? Geo-fencing technologies utilize latest GPS applications to categorize areas you think are safe for the kid. All the other parts are classified as unsafe and you will be notified when the kid gets into them.

For example, if the kid has left for school, the entire compound is designated as a safe zone. You will, therefore, know when the kid gets outside the school compound and take appropriate action.

4. Restrict phone usage to allow the kid only engage in useful activities

While addressing the online threats and taking control of where the kid go to are tremendous steps in keeping him/her safe, the time taken texting, chatting, calling, and browsing can equally be dangerous. Many kids will keep chatting and browsing even under the bed sheets at night.

Smartphone apps allow you to take complete control of the phone and disable major features such as calls, messaging, games, and internet at night, during supper, or when doing homework. The apps allow you to block everything but leave important things such as emergency call or the parent number open in case the kid needs help.

Conclusion

Your kid’s security is priceless and no effort should be spared to know where he/she is and doing when the parent is away. Depending on the smartphone you have bought for the kid, check for inbuilt parental control features and buy monitoring apps to get full control. Besides, always take enough time to guide the kid so that he/she can keep developing safety skills with time.

How to Keep Your Kids Safe on their Smartphone, what’s your take on it?