The internet has become a part of everyday life for almost all of us now. We use it for everything from purchasing groceries to reading the news, banking, or communicating with loved ones. However, the online world can be a dangerous place as criminals may use it to enact scams. You could also encounter misinformation and unsavoury content.
Safer Internet Day, on 11 February 2025 aimed to raise awareness of the potential dangers we might face online, and how we can protect ourselves.
This is particularly important for the younger generations who are growing up increasingly reliant on technology. In fact, a 2023 study from Ofcom found that 76% of 5- to 7-year-olds use a tablet computer and 24% own a smartphone. Additionally, 32% of children this age use social media without supervision.
As such, children could be exposed to the perils of the online world from a young age. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect them.
Here are three ways to ensure your younger loved ones are using the internet and social media safely.
1. Learn how to use parental controls
Parental controls are one of the best tools at your disposal when trying to keep your younger loved ones safe online.
Most devices allow you to choose which apps or websites your child can access, and you may be able to set usage limits too. If you set up a family smartphone plan, you can often manage the parental controls for all devices from your own phone.
Alternatively, your broadband provider will likely offer filters that allow you to block certain content for any device that is connected to the home Wi-Fi network.
Further to this, social media platforms typically have specific accounts for children, which give parents increased abilities to monitor activity. For instance, Instagram offers a teen account for 13- to 17-year-olds which allows you to see what your child has looked at and limit the time they can spend on the app. Any inappropriate content should be blocked on this child account too.
If you are planning to allow a child access to the internet, it is important that you do some research into these parental controls and understand how to use them, so you can manage how your child operates online.
2. Set clear boundaries from a young age
Having clear boundaries from a young age can help children to establish healthier behaviours around the internet and social media.
If, for instance, you allowed them to use a device as much as they liked, and then later tried to limit their screen time because you were concerned, this could cause conflict. Yet, if you establish the clear boundary right away, they may be more likely to develop a good balance from the outset.
Rules about where children are allowed to use the internet can help to protect them too. For instance, you might specify they can only be online while in common areas of the house, so somebody is able to supervise them. It is important to remember that, while parental controls do exist, they are not foolproof, and it may not be sensible to let children browse the internet alone.
Ultimately, it is up to each parent to decide what rules they want to put in place. However, you may find it easier to keep your younger loved ones safe if you introduce these clear boundaries from a young age.
3. Educate your children about online dangers
While you can put safeguards in place, children could still be exposed to scams or harmful content online. That is why it is important that you educate them accordingly and encourage them to come to you if they see anything that they are concerned about.
For example, it may be useful to discuss different methods that scammers might use to convince them to share sensitive information. You may also need to talk to them about the importance of not communicating with strangers on the internet.
Bear in mind that technology is changing rapidly, and new issues arise all the time. As such, it is equally important for you to educate yourself and keep up to date. For example, scammers are currently using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to convincingly impersonate public figures online.
By staying abreast of these kinds of developments, you can ensure that you are always able to educate your children and keep them safe.
Get in touch
If you need help protecting your wealth against online scams, then please do get in touch with us at DBL Asset Management.
Email enquiries@dbl-am.com or call 01625 529 499 to speak to us today.
Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.
