Keeping minors away from the web is unthinkable. Still, children can be educated in healthy use of digital systems, providing them with the cognitive tools to understand and prevent any risk situation, even within the limits of their abilities.
Children and safety on the Internet: it is a priority nowadays when between smart working and online lessons, all family members are often connected to the Internet to maintain relationships with the outside world.
The access of their children to the network is one of the most decisive (and very current) challenges that arise in front of every parent; following some indications, the navigation of the youngest could be safer and more aware.
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Internet and minors are the two main dangers.
The most severe risks, let’s face them immediately, are perhaps two:
The risk of addiction and interdependence from poor quality content: too often, unfortunately, we see the birth of apps with dubious content, which instead of educating very young users, try to take advantage of their addiction to induce them to purchase “in-app ” with the most varied characteristics (famous, among all, the theme of” loot-boxes, “which, especially in the minor subjects, determined the development of addictions such as to be similar to gambling, if not correctly limited and managed);
The risk of ending up a victim of sexual predators: new technologies and new services involve, in fact, new techniques of enticement towards minors, with the risk of being absorbed by a child pornography crime system that exploits their naivety to obtain profit, not only personal.
Therefore, digital learning is welcome where; however, today’s technologies are not used for the very purpose of a “shut-up toy” or “digital pacifier” to calm and “control” children, but rather there is careful control of apps and games by adults able to detect possible danger signs and to correctly channel the attention of children towards contents designed 100% for them, in a digital environment full of possibilities that can quickly degenerate into pitfalls.
What are the risks?
The age at which children use connected devices has dropped more and more in recent years. Such quick and easy access to the internet can expose them to some risks, however: viewing content that is not appropriate for their age; the possibility of being contacted by strangers or pedophiles; be victims of cyberbullying, mainly when they use social networks and again, the violation of their privacy.
How to protect them?
More and more connected, according to the data collected before the “confinement” at home, 46% of children surf 3-4 hours a day, 23% even between 5 and 10 hours.
Here are some tips that parents could adopt to help the little ones already in their first approach to the world of the web:
- Placing the computer in a central room of the house rather than in the children’s room will allow you to keep their activities under control without making them feel spied on ;
- Give your children a fixed amount of time to spend online (also to be agreed together);
- Find out what their interests are and give them advice on which sites are best to visit and which ones to avoid;
- Use “filter” software to prevent access to specific sites. However, remember to make sure that the filtering system works correctly periodically;
- The use of parental control is a further helpful precaution to be adopted;
- Teach young people not to reveal their identity online, it is essential that they understand how valuable their data is ;
- Find out which social networks (TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook etc …) are where they spend more time and ask them if they have ever received insults or if strangers have contacted them;
In this sense, it will be helpful to explain to children not to reply to e-mail messages of a vulgar, offensive type and, at the same time, to sensitize them not to use bad or inappropriate language in turn.
At what age is the first social account?
It is a question that many ask themselves: at what age should you let your children enroll in social networks?
Given that the child’s parents must make such a choice based on what is deemed most appropriate for his growth, let’s see what the law provides, and that is the minimum age to have a social account.
The regulation on the protection of personal data (GDPR) establishes that the minimum age for subscribing to a social network or a messaging service is 16 years.
However, the possibility is left to individual states to legislate to raise or lower this limit. In 2018, the minimum age for social network registration was 14. And for children between 13 and 14 years of age, it is still allowed to register as long as there is prior authorization provided by their parents or whoever takes their place.
Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about the advisability of increasing the age limit for access to these platforms. However, it should still be borne in mind that this limit is easily circumvented (and so it happens punctually) by inserting a false date of birth at the time of ‘signing up.
Pending more stringent legislation or intervention by social platforms, which, according to many, would be able to quickly determine the actual age of their users, the help that can be given to younger people is to increase their digital skills by informing them of any risks they run.