The widespread adoption of smartphones has made parenting more complex by increasing the vulnerabilities for children. And kids spending lots of time on mobile phones, Tabs, and using social media apps, instant messengers are more likely to become victims of Cyberbullying, Child Predators, and Cyberstalkers.
Parents are needed to protect their children from these dangers and The most efficient way to ensure protect your kids online and offline is monitoring with the best parental control app or software.
Here we will discuss how parents can monitor their kid’s digital devices to safeguard them from the dangers of online bullying, predators, and stalking.
What is Cyberbullying?
The use of digital devices such as mobile phones and computers to frequently harass, threaten, humiliate, offend, or tease someone is called cyberbullying. The humiliating comments on social media and offending posts are examples of online harassment.
Consistent cyberbullying can put severe impacts on the mental, psychological, and physical health of the victim. It can also negatively influence the behavioral and social skills of the target.
Here are some of the most advanced forms of Cyberbullying. Many cyberbullying victims develop suicidal thoughts after suffering from depression, anxiety, and fear.
What is Online Child Predators?
The adults posing to be teens to trap other teenage girls and boys are known as online child predators. They trap the target to sexually exploit him/her and produce sexually explicit photos and videos related to child porn.
Once the target gets into the trap set by predators, it is almost impossible to get out of it. Many victims of child predators have committed suicide after being blackmailed by these molesters.
What is Cyberstalking?
Cyberstalking also known as online stalking, e-stalking, and internet stalking, is an act of using electronic means to stalk the victim. The cyber-stalkers use social networking platforms, instant messengers and emails to victimize the target without revealing their identity.
Like other online crimes, cyberstalking also puts horrible impacts on the psychological health of the victim causing him/her to suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety and depression.
How to Protect Kids from Online Threats
Help your kids learn about the most common online dangers such as online child molestation, online harassment, internet stalking and scamming. Let them know how they can deal with online crimes without being victimized. Given are a few most effective practices that can help protect your kids from online threats.
Educate Yours, Kids, about Online Dangers
The first and foremost step to ensure kids’ online protection is education. Educate your kids about the online endangerments. Get them to know how predators, cyber stalkers, and bullies can access and target them. Having frequent discussions with your children about their online experiences can also help them learn about the potential dangers of the internet and mobile phones.
Also, let them know the best practices to combat bullying, predators, scamming, and stalking. For instance, if your kids know how a bully should be treated, it would be convenient for them to protect themselves and their fellows from online bullying.
Supervise Use of Digital Devices.
Monitoring of the digital devices of children is of great importance. Parents are not obligated to provide their kids with mobile phones, computers, and the internet but they are also responsible to protect their kids from the menaces of these technologies.
It is necessary that you monitor kids’ use of digital devices and electronic communication means. It should be in your knowledge how they use their mobile phones and computers; how much time they spend on these machines; whom they frequently contact. When you would be vigilant about your kids’ online lives, it would be easy to protect and safeguard them from any unpleasant incident.
Use Parental Control and Monitoring App
Take the support of parental control such as TheOneSpy monitoring app to remotely and secretly supervise the digital behavior of children.
This app keeps you updated about your kid’s online and offline activities. It also lets you know if your kid is being victimized by an online criminal by providing access to your children’s online and offline chats, posts, and important information saved on their smartphones. You can detect bullying messages; listen to threatening calls and read humiliating and trapping posts without accessing the devices.
And Set Rules
Rules provide great support in getting your kids to learn responsible behavior. You can set rules regarding the use of digital devices. For example, you can forbid your kids from using their smartphones late at night or going online after a specific time of the day.
Make it compulsory for kids to inform elders about any unpleasant online experience before responding. These rules would help them learn good practices regarding the use of digital devices.