One of the fundamental human rights is the protection of one’s privacy and personal information. This freedom has been significantly questioned in light of the fast advancement of digital technology and the Internet. Although the Internet can be used to gain many benefits, it also has a dark side, particularly if the users are the most defenceless group, such as children. However, your child’s privacy can also be endangered “offline,” i.e., at home by the neighbour’s prying eyes. To that end, here are some tips on how to protect your child’s privacy at home!
Enhance home privacy
As the cities are becoming increasingly crowded, there are more windows and terraces surrounding your house or apartment. This can lead to some privacy issues since many people can see what is happening in your home, even unknowingly, by simply looking from their window outside and accidentally seeing something they should not.
On the other hand, adults are usually aware of this fact, and to that end, they make sure they don’t expose themselves in an inappropriate manner in front of the windows. However, children are the most sensitive and susceptible population to privacy violations. This is simply because they are not aware of the importance of privacy. To prevent this, consider the fact that bathroom shutters beautifully balance sunlight and privacy and thus protect your child from prying eyes. Not only will shutters increase privacy control at your home, but they will also make your home more comfortable and aesthetically better!
Talk to your child about the importance of privacy
There will always be cases when you may be away from home while your child is home alone. To that end, make sure you prepare him/her for that. Always advise your child that strangers are not allowed to enter your home without your personal authorization. Likewise, talk about the importance of privacy maintenance and measures to protect it. This way, your child will be more self-aware and can protect him/herself better.
When it comes to online privacy control, it should be provided with special care. In that way, look at the following tips!
Keep the safe mode on your children’s phone
Youngsters can access a variety of inappropriate online materials without their parents‘ awareness. There are many websites that discuss kidnapping, suicide, crime, narcotics, and many other illicit and inappropriate topics. In order to prevent this, make sure you turn on the option called “safe mode” on your child’s phone!
Control their social media use
Parents have the most influence and obligation when it comes to children, especially those who are of school age. This is especially so because children today start using computers and the Internet at a young age. Through amusement, they begin with such innocent games. Their area of interest widens as they develop. Teenagers begin utilizing social networks, creating profiles, and sharing content including photographs, words, and current emotions. All of this wouldn’t be as risky if they hadn’t included strangers in their circle of friends, unaware of all the risks involved and the potential repercussions of such a “relationship.”
Thus, children should be made aware of the risks associated with posting personal information online because of this. Besides that, you can check who your child is following and who is following them on Instagram or Twitter. This way, you can prevent your child from getting in contact with someone with ulterior intentions.
Use the parent control apps
The best safeguard for a youngster is, undoubtedly, for the parent to be aware of what the child is doing online. Programs that offer parental control and support in keeping their kids safe online are available for this purpose. These are applications that keep track of everything your youngster does online and the websites they visit. By limiting access to certain software or to a computer, or by permitting usage of a computer just during specific hours of the day or week, programs provide you the opportunity to regulate the computer that your child uses.
By the same token, certain websites may be readily tracked, restricted, or blocked by programs. Also, some apps offer monitoring features that enable parents to monitor all social media activity, including friends’ posts, publicly available photos, personal information, and communications.
Read the privacy policy
If your child wants to have games on their phone, make sure you read the privacy policy before installing the game for them. Similarly, teach your children to do the same later on. Likewise, when visiting a website that requests personal information, you should verify that the data won’t be exploited and find out why they want it. This is another occasion where you should read the “privacy statement” before submitting the information.
Make sure you implement these tips and you will increase the privacy control at your home!
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