With each day passing by, the number of children accessing the internet is increasing. And, so is the undesirable content on the internet. There are a plethora of websites on the internet that promote content that is not appropriate for children.
Keeping children safe online is another challenge that modern parents have to face these days. Whenever parents talk about the dangers of the internet, undesirable content marks its position in the discussion.
Kids are unaware of the impact wrong or inappropriate content can cause on their overall well being and development. To know more about this issue, read the whole article and safeguard your children from the threats of undesirable or inappropriate content.
What Is The Most Undesirable Content On The Internet For Kids?
- Violence and cruelty
This is a part of the dark internet that cannot be visited accidentally. Such sites are not very popular in terms of searching. Such undesirable content is deliberately placed on the internet by people who aim to spread hatred. This may contain instances provoking emotional ill-treatment, physical or mental abuse, cultural violence, and other such undesirable content that can leave a long-lasting and wrong impression on a child’s mind.
- Drugs
Such websites come in the narcotics category. If we talk about their presence on the internet, they are not really difficult to locate. These drugs aren’t the ones that offer medication. They are the ones that are used for all the wrong reasons. Teenagers are widely allured by the use of such things and the internet is the easiest way to search for this undesirable content.
- Pornography
This is not a new thing that parents should worry about. Such websites have been on the internet for over a decade now and taking them down seems to be absolutely impossible. Many countries have tried taking them down completely but they reappear in a while. Such sexually explicit content is undesirable and can drastically impact a child’s behavior and development. This undesirable content has a number of disadvantages including the normalization of physical abuse.
- Gambling
Many people take gambling as a sport but in reality, for your kids, gambling is nothing but undesirable content. There are many platforms available on the internet that support gambling through multiple means. One common way through which a child may fall prey to such websites is online games. Some of the platforms instigate children by sending appealing advertisements suggesting getting rich quickly. This is where most of the children become a victim of this online undesirable content.
Other than these, some other categories may include the use of strong language, anonymous proxy servers, online games, hate speech, illegal software, weapons, fraud payment systems, etc.
How Can I Protect My Child From Undesirable Content?
Have a look at the points given below.
Communication
The first and foremost thing that you should do to keep your child safe from everything including the undesirable content is honest and open communication. Ask them what websites are they visiting and if they like to visit a particular website and why.
Spend time online with your kid
To cut out undesirable content, try to surf the internet with your child. Show interest in visiting different websites with them. Also, make them understand the vulnerabilities and risks associated with surfing unknown or doubtful websites.
Take help from Parental Controls
Use internet browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, etc. that offer parental control features so that you can block undesirable content. Doing so will safeguard your child.
Use appropriate content filtering methods
There are some software available on the internet that aims at filtering undesirable content, use them. Such software automatically removes content that is undesirable for your kids so that you do not have to worry about what your child is accessing on the internet.
Do not allow them to play just any game
Games are a hub of undesirable content and many other risks for your child. Before you allow them to play just any game on the internet, make sure you check its ratings and whereabouts thoroughly.
Spread awareness
It is important to educate your child about the threats available on the internet. There can be spurious or malicious links and by clicking on them, your child can land on a page filled with inappropriate content. It is basic and important to teach them not to click on just any link.
Final Thoughts
The information available on the internet is increasing each second. There is no limit or restrictions on the availability of online content. And going by the pace of this world, it is impossible not to allow your child to use the internet. Luckily, there are a number of ways which parents can use to their benefit so as to protect their children from unwanted content. Follow the steps given above and if you feel there is more information that other parents should know, feel free to share your experiences with us in the comments section below.
4 Comments