With the technology taking over our lives, there is little we can do to avoid the kind to content our kids are exposed to. We all are constantly worried about the sites and portals our kids are visiting. With the summer break on, I found myself really worried with my kid spending long hours in front of his desktop, playing games, downloading various software.
I am not a techie mom but do have some basic know-how about computers & internet. I am sharing here few settings & checks I did on my PC which kept the unnecessary pop-ups & alerts at bay. I may not have been 100% successful in doing that, but you can always seek an expert advice for that.
1. Unwanted adult content on YouTube
Loads of links to adult videos keeps appearing on YouTube. Kids use this site often these days, to seek information, watching their favourite ShinChan recording or watching Roblox videos. On YouTube, you can switch on “Restricted Mode- On”. This takes care of the unwanted notifications while browsing.
2. Pop-Ups/ links to dating sites
Pop-Ups like “Call Me tonight Honey” with a skimpy clad woman can be easily handled with a simple Pop-Up Blocker or Ad Blocker. These simple tools are available on internet, mostly free. Look for a reliable brand while choosing from the results of Google search.
3. Location trackers
Always instruct your kids not use location services while net browsing. Absolutely not necessary.
4. Unwanted extensions
There are lot of free gaming soft wares, which once downloaded, add extensions to the browser. These extensions divert you to a porn site or open new window automatically with adult videos & images.
It’s advisable to keep deleting these extensions from your browser often. Google gives simple steps to get rid of these extensions.
5. Remove pirated programs
If you are still receiving unnecessary pop-ups & alerts of objectable nature, check for any new downloads on your PC. Few pirated programs add add-ons to PC which send such pop-ups / links. Uninstall any new downloads and that should take care of it.
6. Parental Controls
Anti-virus softwares offer excellent parental controls. Use settings to set your child’s age. This will filter the content he or she gets to view. Do keep “Automatically Upgrade” option ON.
This will keep your antivirus updates, always. This will also keep other known & unknown viruses & malwares away from your computer.
Lot of other guides & tips are available online. We may not be able to filter everything that’s reaching our kids, but we can save them from some embarrassment and confusion.
Keep an open communication with your kids regarding adult content online. Tell them about hacking and advice them to keep secrecy when on online games & portals.
They need to be told about what is available & why that is not appropriate for them at this age.
Malika Dhongde, Operations Manager, ProEves
About me: Mother of a lovely child who is already into making YouTube channels & uploading videos, I had to upgrade myself to match up with him J so that I could keep him safe & secure.
Image – Resources – uKnowKids