Safer Internet Day is celebrated every year on Tuesday of the second week of February, with the aim of making the Internet a better and safer place for everyone, especially children. In today’s era, it seems impossible to keep children away from gadgets, but it is also important to save them from the quagmire of adult content.
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Safer Internet Day – Photo : freepik
There is no restriction, there is a need to understand the technology
Often parents strictly stop their children from using smartphones or assume their responsibility by saying “don’t use the phone”. But the message of Safer Internet Day is completely different from this. Running away from technology is not the solution, rather understanding it and making it safe is the only way. Instead of imposing restrictions on children, setting digital limits for them, controlling screen time and choosing the right settings proves to be more practical and effective.
Also read: Tech companies failed to stop child exploitation: Complaints increased by 41% in one year, report revealed
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Safer Internet Day – Photo : freepik
Where is the digital threat hidden?
Earlier it was believed that obscene content was available only on certain websites, but today the situation has changed. Now adult and pornographic content has breached those platforms which we consider safe. As:
- Social Media Algorithm: The engagement model of Reels and Shorts inadvertently draws children to videos with provocative visuals and obscene gestures.
- Gaming and in-game chat: The risk of obscene language remains through chat features and third-party links within online games.
- New threat of AI: Recently, the controversy over AI chatbot Grok making objectionable pictures has made it clear that AI tools without filters can pose a serious threat to children.
In such a situation, Safer Internet Day reminds us to recognize and prevent this danger.
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Symbolic photo – Photo : adobe stock
Which apps can help?
- Google Family Link: These apps are considered best for children below 13 years of age. Through this, you can remotely decide which app the child will download and for how long he will be able to use the phone at night. Once the time is up, the phone will lock itself.
- Watcher – Parental Control: This app is only for Android. Through this you can see the child’s screen live and access the gallery.
- FlashGet Kids: With this, you can remotely turn on the camera and mic of the child’s phone and see what is going on around him and what he is talking about.
- ScrinTrim: Like a psychological trick for small children. This app reduces the brightness of the phone to zero after a fixed time, due to which the child thinks that the phone has been damaged.
- Screen Time (Apple) and Digital Wellbeing (Android): These are in-built features that help in setting app-wise time limits, thereby overcoming screen addiction.
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Social Media (Symbolic) – Photo: AI
Make changes at these places immediately
1. YouTube: Restricted Mode and Kids App
For this, go to General Settings of YouTube and turn on Restricted Mode. For younger children, stick to YouTube Kids only, where the content is already curated.
2. Instagram Instagram: Teen Safety and Less Content
Make the child’s account private. Then go to Settings and Content Preferences. Set Sensitive Content to Less here. Abuses can also be blocked with its hidden word feature.
3.Rein in on AI tools
Instead of letting you use tools like ChatGPT and Gemini directly, add them to your family account through parental controls. With this you will be able to monitor what questions the child is asking the AI.
