If we go back a few decades, 11-year-olds didn’t even know how to operate a digital microwave. If you were one of the many people born in the ’90, then there is a huge change that you didn’t have access to the Internet until you were an adult. However, these days, things are much much different than they used to be. Today, seven-year-olds have excelled in the field of technology more than adults ever could. So, what happened? Did God feel that the children of the Modern Era deserve to be more intelligent than the kids born before? No, that’s not the case. The only major difference is the fact that technology is considered a dire need in our society. Think it yourself – when was the last time you saw an eleven-year-old child without a phone. The truth is that no individual in this world can live without a Smartphone, and the children are not an inch behind.
It is truly an interesting topic of conversation when you ask an 11-year-old about what they do on the internet. It’s is no hidden fact that children have access to computers in their schools as well as their homes. The most common answer would be watching cartoons, playing games etc. That is what a child does during most of their day. But, a sane person would realize that the internet is as dangerous as a loaded machine gun in the hands of underage children. There’s always a chance that they’re doing things on the internet that you probably wouldn’t approve of….
Watching Pornography
Porn is pretty easy for anyone to access on the internet. You’re probably thinking about the age restrictions that porn websites have. Well, let us assure you, those age restrictions are probably the most useless lines of code you’ll ever come across. All you have to do is press “Yes, I am 18+” and Voila! You’re in. An individual who wants to watch porn would never press “Get Me out of Here”. Now, what dangers does Porn have? An 11-year-old is still in his or her childhood. This is the age when they are learning new things, learning how the world works, learning how to differentiate between right and wrong. If they’re watching porn in this age, then they’re probably ruining their entire lives.
Using Social Medias
Almost all social media applications state that all of their users must be at least 13+ years of age, while there are also some apps that go to the extent of calling themselves 18+ apps. However, 9+, 13+ or 18+, it’s all the same for children. They don’t really care if an app is 18+, they will still get in because they don’t realize all the dangers that come when an underage teen signs up on some social networking platform. We discussed age restrictions once before as well, however, the age restrictions on these sites are not a tad bit useful. All you have to do is make a new email address with a fake date of birth, and you can easily get in. A little bit more time taking than pressing “Yes, I am 18”, but, easy nonetheless. Once they are in, the most common thing teens do is talk to strangers. Men or women doesn’t matter, but it has been observed that they prefer talking to their opposite genders more often.
How Can You Make the Internet Safer?
You’re probably thinking how you could make the internet a bit more friendly for your child. It is important to note that you could never make the internet safe, but you could make sure that the way your child uses the internet is as safe as it gets. You could:
- Limit the time that your child can use a computer or laptop.
- Stay close to them when they spend time on their PCs.
- Keep an eye on their browser history.
- Try to look at what apps they use.
If you think all these things could make your child feel that you don’t trust them, then it is a better idea to get Parental Monitoring Applications.
What Are Parental Monitoring Applications?
The word itself is pretty self-explanatory. Parental Monitoring Applications are the apps that parents can use to monitor children – a spy app, but without the James Bond aspect. These applications can easily track your teen’s online activities. This includes monitoring social media application (if any). You could also get access to their browser history and even ban a website that you think is inappropriate. Hence, these apps make sure that you protect your children from all the predators lurking in the dark, waiting to strike…
Author Bio:
Elizbeth is a professional writer and blogger, working with TheOneSpy kids monitoring software to show her skills as a senior writer. She loves to write about technology, digital parenting, and relationship issue and their solutions. Follow her on twitter @elibethsewell6