Mobile phones are no longer reserved for adults, as many kids starting at least at age 5 have access to mobile phones, which can make them vulnerable to cybercriminals.
Every parent whose children are already online should prioritise protecting them from cybercriminals. According to Carey van Vlaanderen, CEO of ESET South Africa, kids should not be left unsupervised during the online holiday period, when scammers and criminals are well aware that youngsters are online and prone to boredom.
“There are, of course, very real risks to children in virtually every online space. Fortunately, the more empowered parents are with the right information and the right cybersecurity tools, the better they can protect their children. This is especially true during the school holidays, when kids of all ages may be using the internet more than usual for fun and entertainment,” said Van Vlaanderen.
Van Vlaanderen said that, similar to how wearing a seat belt and being cautious on the road are default attitudes, online safety is achieved by teaching children about the repercussions and the risks at a young age through consistent counselling that comes from several sources.
The following are four applications that can be used to protect your kids from the scavengers of the internet.
Kaspersky SafeKids
According to their website, they protect your kids online and off-line. Parents can monitor the behaviour of their kids and teach them self-control.
You are also able to block access to inappropriate or harmful content, set screen time limits per child and per device and track your kids’ location with GPS.
Safety 4 Kids
Another highly recommended app is Safety 4 Kids, which is a non-profit organisation designed to help kids make better decisions about their personal safety, especially online.
Life360 Family Locator
The app helps you see your family’s real-time whereabouts throughout the day. You get notifications that help you monitor their movements as they come and go in their frequented spots.
Mobicip
The app keeps track of everything the child does, including the amount of time spent on different apps and when settings are changed. Mobicip is supported on various types of devices, such as the iPhone and Android.