Tips for Parents Sharing PCs with Kids

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In today’s world, with its huge number of gadgets, smartphones, tablets, laptops and PCs, it’s becoming increasingly common that within family units, each member is able to access and enjoy the internet on their own. The idea of a family computer; the common state of affairs in the late nineties and early noughties; is still relatively commonplace, but has very much been overtaken by mobile internet-enabled devices, proving a headache for parents who wish to keep tabs on their children’s internet usage and who want to provide the utmost level of protection for their kids as they explore the internet.

For parents who want to make sure their children aren’t exposed to online nasties and negative online content, internet filters are the first and most obvious port of call. Adults naturally should be able to view any content they wish whether it be controversial sites not meant for younger eyes, sites where items can be bought easily, or online gaming sites such as http://www.GamingClub.com; but with internet filters, parents can enjoy the best of both worlds- safety and security in equal measures.

There are many products out there for concerned parents, internet protection software being one of them. Online safety and anti-virus providers such as Kapersky, McAfee, Avast and the like all have in-built internet blocking software that parents can utilise to block adult content; most of these are simply a password-locked system that password holders can turn off if they wish to visit certain sites.

Many ISPs now offer customers the ability to turn off access to negative content; any device connected to the customers’ Wi-Fi box has to conform with the block (or use a password to temporarily disable the blocks), meaning this sort of system is great for families where even younger family members have their own tablets or smartphones. In some countries such as the United Kingdom these kinds of filters now have to be offered by all ISPs to their customers, taking the headache out of having to either buy software or call up the ISPs.

The best way to ensure your children’s internet safety, however, is to talk to them, cluing them up on the dos and don’ts of internet usage. Make sure they know to tell you if they come across anything awful or suspicious; lots of things on the web aren’t made for children’s eyes, and to the innocent child’s mind a terrible image or video can really plague their minds. Knowing as much about the internet and technology as your tech-savvy kids will also make it easier for you to bridge the digital ‘language gap’, and will ensure your kids are confident that they can come to you if they see something untoward.