The top five parental controls for security-savvy families

While what should or shouldn’t be seen by youngsters is ultimately up to parents or carers to decide – often based on things such as their age, ability, religion and family values – parental controls help to manage all manner of things, such as internet access times and limits, as well as what content family members can see. 

What’s more, such security settings can be used to create filters on websites or apps which might contain inappropriate content. Here’s our rundown of the top five places to establish parental controls. 

Wi-Fi warrior

Your broadband provider should allow you to configure the settings for any device which is connected to your router. While you’ll need to talk to your supplier on how exactly you do this, it’s the first step towards managing who can get online, and when. 

Remember though, this only limits wi-fi access – anything using mobile data would need to be controlled separately, using the device itself, something which can be configured via your sim provider.

Gaming guards

The gaming community has evolved significantly since the original Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was introduced. These days, people can ‘meet up’ with friends in virtual worlds, chat to each other ‘live’, or make in-game purchases. 

Most consoles will come with parental controls already installed and ready to be activated, allowing you to limit the features available to users. For example, some devices can prevent gamers talking to people they don’t know, impose restrictions based on the player’s age, and turn off in-game purchases. 

Microsoft Family Safety, which enables you to manage many settings across all linked logins – such as setting screen time limits, blocking inappropriate content, and receiving activity reports – also offers Xbox Family Settings.

Device defence

The days when youngsters’ only route online was via the family PC are long gone, and as modern kids use all kinds of internet-connected devices, each one will need to be protected in its own right.

Don’t panic though, it isn’t a big job. Most modern devices – be it mobile, tablet, or computer – will have parental controls as standard. And if not, there are plenty of programmes you can install following the product purchase.

Social security

According to Digital Awareness UK, 56% of children aged 5-15 use social media, which means it’s incredibly important for parents to keep a handle on what’s happening through their kids’ accounts. 

Most platforms already have a security feature built in; therefore, parents should seek to set the necessary restrictions early on – and across any online accounts. Some examples include TikTok’s Family Pairing feature, Instagram’s dedicated ‘Parental Guide for Teens’ website, and YouTube’s Supervised Experience option. 

Search engine safeguarding

While most of us will have innocently ‘Googled’ one thing and been shown something quite the opposite, it’s important that youngsters aren’t faced with anything NSFW (not suitable for work). 

It is possible to make sure any content which is displayed is suitable for their age – or in line with what you’re happy for them to see – by using the in-built parental controls and filters on search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing.

While our broadband packages can support whatever it is your family does online, speak to us directly to find out more information on the parental controls available to BeFibre customers. Get in touch, or click here to check availability in your area.