For many parents, the convenience of knowing where their kids are at all times is more than enough to warrant the price of a smart phone. In fact, a solid 90% of children under the age of 16 in the UK have a mobile. But as with anything else, smart phones come with both their pros and their cons, and when you’re talking about kids, the issue gets even trickier.
There is a lot of peace of mind that comes from being able to contact your child wherever they are, and them being able to contact you. Missed buses are no longer a problem, and the days of yelling your child’s name up and down the street to try and find them are gone. Along with that peace of mind though, comes the niggling worry that every parent is used to having: is my child really safe?
From cyber bullying to inappropriate web content, being able to contact strangers, being able to rack up hefty cell phone bills, all these things come to mind when we start thinking about the dangers of impressionable kids using a mobile. And truth be told, those dangers do exist. There’s no avoiding the fact that you do run a risk by giving your child a mobile.
And add to that the fact that you might not be savvy enough to protect them, and the situation gets even more worrying. Most parents can remember the days before smart phones, and as much as we’d like to think that we’re on top of the tech things in life, our kids just might be better. Today’s generation grew up with the internet, smart phones, apps, and to them all these things are simply second nature.
As a parent, protecting your child is of utmost importance. But the technological world changes quickly, not to mention how fast the trends and fads of an adolescent’s world transform. There are plenty of general safety statements around that aim to help you protect your child and his phone, but these just aren’t enough. Checking your kid’s Facebook chat messages might seem like a great thing to do, until you realise that more and more kids aren’t using Facebook chat anymore. It’s just not cool. So which app are you supposed to be checking?
If you really want to be on top of protecting your kid from the potential dangers of smart phone use, then the infographic below is exactly what you’ve been looking for. Don’t know your Snapchat from your Kik? You can bet that your kid does, so maybe it’s time that you got with the programme and found out precisely how to protect a modern kid from the dangers of the modern world.
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How to Protect Your Children on Their Smartphone
At the start of the 2014-2015 school year, 59% of UK parents reported that they planned on getting a smartphone for their children. And smartphones have plenty of apps to entertain children, help them with their homework, and more. But just like anything else that’s connected to the internet, parents need to make sure their kids are safe while using smartphones. Here are some tips on how they can do that.
Basic Best Practices
The Internet Keep Safe Coalition–a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping children safe online–recommends that children understand the 3 Cs of the internet:
Contact – Do your children really know that person they’re friending on social media?
Content – Is the content your child is watching appropriate for their age or maturity level?
Conduct -Is your child bullying or being bullied by others while online?
Parents should speak to their children about what other kids are doing with their phones. This will help parents:
Understand what their children see as social norms
Better explain to their children what is and is not appropriate
Parents should set clear guidelines for their children regarding certain topics, including:
Texting while driving (for those with teens)
Texting while driving makes accidents 23 times more likely to occur
Sexting
Sending sexually inappropriate pictures or messages is not only unacceptable, those message are permanent and can easily be shared with others
Phone-free times
Consider making certain times, such as family meals or from 9 PM to 8 AM, phone-free times
Kids can place their phone in a certain area, or parents can restrict phone usage at specific times by managing their data plan
Cyberbullying
Let children know that they can speak to you if someone harasses them online or through text
Children should also be aware of the harm they can cause by bullying or abusing others
Sharing their personal information
Personal information, such as full name, address, or phone number should:
Never be given out to strangers
Not be posted online where anyone can see it
Making in-app purchases
Many apps (not just games) allow users to purchase additional content and features
Children should know whether they are allowed to make purchases, and if not, the consequences for purchasing things without parental permission
In addition to speaking to their children, parents can go through their service providers and directly manage smartphone usage through their data plan. Many service providers allow parents to:
Set limits on texts, data, purchases or voice minutes
Receive alerts on phone activity
Monitor number of texts and other usage
Review and block contacts
Review apps (and add money to be used to purchase apps)
Lock phone usage on-demand or at specific times
N.B. Please be aware that children may be able to get around parental settings by accessing public WiFi.
How to Keep Kids Safe on Popular Apps
To comply with COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act), most services like Facebook and Snapchat require their users to be at least 13 years old. Keep in mind children can lie about their age in order to sign up for sites.
If parents allow their children to use these apps, they should know the following:
Snapchat
Snapchat
What it is:
Users can send photos and videos that delete themselves after a few seconds
Risks:
May encourage risky behavior
Teens may think that since the inappropriate photo or video will be deleted, it doesn’t matter
Pictures and videos are not gone forever
With technical knowhow, they can be retrieved
A screenshot of the screen with another device can also capture the image
What to do:
Ensure children know that anything digital (including “self-destructing” pictures and videos) can still be shared with others
Manage account settings so that your child can only receive pictures from their friends list, as opposed to everyone
Follow up by monitoring their friends list
Kik Messenger
Kik Messenger
What it is:
A texting app that doesn’t limit number of characters or texts
Many services that allow parents to limit texts will not affect messages on Kik
Risks:
Kik has numerous ads and in-app purchases
It’s easy for children to contact people they don’t know on Kik
What to do:
Review your child’s contact list
Make sure your children know they should never share personal information with someone on Kik (or any other app)
Kik users have the option to turn on a feature called Address Book Matching that connects the user to other people in their contact list
Keep this feature turned off, and only people who know your child’s username will be able to contact them
Facebook
Facebook
What it is:
Popular social media network
Users can send messages, share posts and pictures and connect with people around the world
Risks:
Easy to post personal things publically
Photos, statuses, and other things posted on Facebook may be visible to people that shouldn’t see them
Both college admission officers and potential employers may check your teenager’s social media presence
Even old posts can affect children in the future
What to do:
Manage privacy settings
Users can choose whether to share things publically or only with their friends
Kids should know they don’t have control over who shares their information once it’s posted
Review your child’s friends list and messages
Instagram
Instagram
What it is:
A photo and video sharing/editing app that allows users to comment on and share their photos and videos publicly or with their followers
Risks:
Unless users modify their privacy settings, everything they share will be public
Everything users share can easily be shared with others (even if they don’t want them to be)
What to do:
Ensure your child’s account is private
Only their approved followers will be able to see their photos
It’s still possible to find and connect with someone even if they have a private profile
Parental Control/Monitoring Apps to Consider
Many phones offer parental controls. While each phone is different, parental controls can generally be found in the phone’s settings.
Apple products:
Setting → General → Restrictions
Android devices:
Settings → Add user or profile
From here, parents can: Toggle on/off apps they want their child to access (including internet browsers)
To restrict app/in-app purchases parents must access the Google Play account – Settings → Change account so any purchase requires their password
They should also modify their account (in Security) so that apps can only be downloaded from the Google Play store
Windows phones:
Go to My Family on the Windows phone website
Manage their “Family,” which includes: Parental accounts & Child accounts
Once in My Family, parents just have to click on “Change settings”
Generally, parental controls allow parents to:
Restrict purchases
Add a password to the phone
Block off apps
Remove the ability to change privacy settings
And more
Parents can also use apps to keep their kids safe:
Mobile Guardian
Mobile Guardian
Available on: Apple, Android, Blackberry and Kindle
Cost: Can pay monthly or annually
Features (Note: Features are available on all devices):
Remove ability to text while driving
Block off periods of time when the device cannot be used
View and block contacts
Receive web browsing reports
Receive an email if phone turns off or goes out of reach
Locate and track device
Screen Time
ScreenTime
Available on: Android
Cost: Can pay monthly, biannually, or annually
Features:
Manage times when the device can be used
Set timers for apps
Once a time limit has been passed, the app can’t be used until a password is entered
Allow certain apps not to be used during school or bedtime
Parents can add additional time usage as a reward
For example, give more screentime when kids complete their chores
Receive reports when children buy apps and on general app usage
Parents can pause children’s devices from their own phones
Qustodio
Qustodio
Available on: Apple, Android and Kindle
Cost: Free version is available, but with limited features. Subscriptions available with annual payments
Features:
Schedule times when the device can be used
Monitor social media usage (including Twitter and Facebook)
Advanced Facebook monitoring features include:
Status updates
Relationship status updates
Pictures uploaded
Track device location
Block specific games and apps
Monitor apps, search, and web usage (and ensure SafeSearch is used)
Net Nanny
NetNanny
Available on: Apple, Android and Windows
Cost: A variety of licenses and subscriptions are available; Prices vary by device
Features (Note: Features depend on the license chosen):
Filter web searching
Set times when the device can/cannot be used
Block porn
Mask profanity
Choose which apps can and cannot be used
Monitor social media usage
Receive activity reports
TeenSafe
Teensafe
Available on: Apple and Android
Cost: Users pay monthly for control over unlimited devices
Features (More features are available for Apple than Android):
Monitor messages (text, Kik and WhatsApp)
Can see sent, received and deleted text messages
See incoming and outgoing calls (including numbers and call duration)
View browsing and search history
Track current phone location, as well as location history
View social media activity
Only requires child’s user info to access the device
My Mobile Watchdog
My Mobile Watchdog
Available on: Apple and Android
Cost: Monthly subscription after a two-week free trial
Features (Note: Many features are not available on Apple devices):
Manage contact list
Receive alerts when user contacts anyone besides those on the “Approved Contacts” list
Block specific websites and apps
Manage times when the device can be used
Monitor pictures sent and received
Review web usage and visited websites
Review text and call histories
Zoodles Kid Mode
Zoodles Kid Mode
Available on: Apple and Android
Cost: Free, though a paid premium account offers additional features
Features:
Parents can create a digital “playground” on their device
Includes free educational games, videos, and storybooks
Children cannot leave the playground without parental permission
On the premium version parents can:
Block specific apps, sites, or characters
Receive reports on which subjects kids are spending time on
Add non-Zoodles apps (like Angry Birds)
Record themselves reading a storybook
Receive video from trusted people
Set time limits on how long the device can be used for
MMGuardian
MM Guardian
Available on: Android
Cost: Monthly and annual subscriptions are available
Features:
Parents can monitor devices from their own phones or a website
Lock and unlock device remotely
Set time limits (for the device in general or specific apps)
Track location (on-demand or at specific times)
Monitor texts and calls
Option to receive more detailed reports on calls and texts
Set up alerts if certain keywords appear in texts
Web filters
Prevent phone use while driving (above 10mph)
Whether parents decide to rely on apps, phone settings, or simply talking to their children to keep them safe, they need to be aware of the risks smartphones can pose to their children. Just like with every other portal to the internet, parents should make sure their children understand the dangers posed by their online activities. Posting a private picture or firing off an angry tweet may have consequences years in the future.
Sources
Introduction
https://www.tigermobiles.com/2014/08/smartphones-top-list-back-school-gadgets/
Basic Best Practices
http://www.ikeepsafe.org/about-us/
http://www.ikeepsafe.org/parents/
http://www.parentfurther.com/technology-media/cell-phones/boundaries
http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com/texting-and-driving-stats/
https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/Pages/Talking-to-Kids-and-Teens-About-Social-Media-and-Sexting.aspx
http://www.parentfurther.com/technology-media/cell-phones?utm_campaign=parentfurther-search&utm_medium=search&utm_source=google&utm_term=parental%20control%20phones
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
How to Keep Kids Safe on Popular Apps
http://www.coppa.org/
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/15-apps-and-websites-kids-are-heading-to-after-facebook
http://www.connectsafely.org/wp-content/uploads/snapchat_guide.pdf
http://appamatix.com/5-best-kik-secrets-2014/
https://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/mobile-security/does-kik-messenger-pose-a-danger-to-your-kids
https://kikinteractive.zendesk.com/entries/24745228-How-can-I-keep-my-Kik-account-private-
http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-websites
http://www.connectsafely.org/pdfs/fbparents.pdf
https://safesmartsocial.com/facebook-for-kids-parents-guide/
https://www.facebook.com/help/325807937506242/
https://help.instagram.com/116024195217477/
Parental Control / Monitoring Apps
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/google-android/3461359/parental-control-on-android/
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/how-to/wp8/apps/set-up-my-family-for-windows-phone
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/pictures-story/596-best-parental-control-apps.html
https://mobileguardian.com/
https://screentimelabs.com/pricing/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.screentime&hl=en
http://www.qustodio.com/en/
http://www.netnanny.com/
http://www.teensafe.com/
http://www.howlifeworks.com/technology/How_to_Monitor_Teens_Online_and_Texting_Activity_to_Keep_Them_Safe_701
https://www.mymobilewatchdog.com/
http://www.zoodles.com/en-US/home/faqs
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zoodles.kidmode&hl=en
http://www.mmguardian.com/
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