How to shield children from Internet porn sites

Due to the allure of the tech gadgets, children as young as six years are comfortable using them as playthings and also for accessing the Internet — chasing after online games. Some schools also require children to carry out some research on the internet as part of their homework.

In fact, many young children learn to use a touchpad or touchscreen way before they can read or write, using colours and symbols instead of words to navigate websites in order to get to a video or game they like.

Unlike in years gone by, devices like smartphones and tablets make a parent’s job harder, especially because some of the children are more tech-savvy than their parents.

It’s not good to completely block children from going online. There are millions of good sites with beneficial information, but there are also many sites that have troubling text and unsuitable graphics. In using email or visiting websites, children can be enticed into viewing pornography.

They can be sent unsolicited “spam” emails with explicit pictures or be pushed to go to pornographic sites. “Pop-up” windows appear on their screens inviting them to visit hardcore sites, and as soon as they close one another one opens.

Even YouTube isn’t necessarily safe. Innocent searches could turn up unsuitable material, and some people make a habit of swapping the soundtracks of, say, children’s cartoons with foul-mouthed music.

The good news is that you can prevent children from visiting most of these sites without too much time, effort or money.

COMMON ROOM

The most important thing to do, of course, is to talk to each child and explain the dangers that the internet could pose to them and why they can’t have a computer in their room. It should be in the common room under adult supervision.

Also encourage them to tell you whenever they see anything that makes them uncomfortable or upsets them or simply isn’t what they expected. You can delete inappropriate websites from your browser’s history and add the site’s address to a parental control filter list.

The easiest solution is to download a kid-friendly browser that lets them access on the web but keeps them away from inappropriate content. Two recommended browsers are Mobicip Safe Browser (www.mobicip.com) and Ranger Browser Safe Browser available on Google store. They’re both free.

Then you’ll need to turn off your regular browsers like Safari and restrict any installation of new browser apps. Another option is to use an all-in-one system like AVG Family Safety (www.avg.com/avg-family-safety) that blocks inappropriate sites, and you can customise which sites can be accessed.

SINGLE APPLICATION

It’s a good practice for parents who have devices just for the kids. But if you share your device, consider temporarily locking it into a single application that disables areas of the screen that give them access to the internet, but they can still play games or watch a movie.

The other effective way to restrict children’s exposure to Internet pornography is to require internet service providers to filter all content. This wouldn’t restrict adults’ access but adult computer users could, if they wish, opt out of filtering to gain access to websites classified as X-rated.

Even when all these safeguards are in place, there are so many websites and so much information and activities on the internet that it’s all too easy to spend far too much time online.

Sitting motionless at a computer desk could mean your kids aren’t getting enough fresh air and exercise, or it could be a case of too little sleep if they’re staying up late on social sites or playing games. Staring at that screen for too long isn’t good for their eyes, either.

Sam Wambugu is a monitoring and evaluation specialist; [email protected]