New research from the regulator Ofcom reveals a very rapid increase in internet access in children’s bedrooms and as a result a huge jump in children’s unsupervised access to the internet.
According to the research, 35% of kids aged 12-15 and 16% of 8-11s now have broadband access in their bedrooms. This represents a huge increase in just two years when the last research was conducted, when the figures were 20% and 9% respectively.
The effect of broadband http://www.simplifydigital.co.uk/
There is clearly still more education required for parents as one in ten parents said they didn’t know the parental control features were possible on a broadband connection.
Charlie Ponsonby, CEO of Ofcom accredited broadband comparison service Simplifydigital.co.uk comments:
“The internet is so helpful from an educational perspective, that it is not surprising that parents allow broadband access in children’s bedrooms, but equally it is irresponsible to let young children use the internet for long periods unsupervised.”
So what can parents do to better supervise their children’s internet usage?
There are two key areas that parents should think about to help ensure a safe online experience for their children: educating children about the pitfalls of surfing the web and make sure they understand the implications of giving out personal details for example; and using parental control technology that can be bought off the shelf and is also available with most broadband packages.
Charlie Ponsonby continues:
“With little effort, parents can make their children’s internet experience far safer, even if children are using the internet unsupervised. All parents should educate their children about the pitfalls of the web, and should also consider using “parental control” software to control their children’s web access.”
Simplifydigital’
1. Make sure you are involved with your children’s internet usage. Ask them what sort of sites are their favourites and what their friends like to do. Discuss with them that the internet contains “good” and “bad” stuff and they should take care where they go online.
2. Teach your children the basic “rules” of internet use - they should never give out personal details such as their name, address, school and telephone numbers to online friends they don’t know in person; and they should never to respond to junk email or open attachments that are from people they don’t know.
3. Stay aware of any changes in the way they use the internet, such as the amount of time they spend online.
4. Use the “history” function on the internet browser from time to time, to check which websites that your children have been using.
5. Best of all, install Parental Control software which comes free with many broadband packages, if not it can be bought off the shelf. The software is very easy to install and allows you to block access to certain sites, or conversely define a “walled garden” of sites that are accessible.
Choosing the best broadband package with children in mind
Many of the broadband providers offer parental control software for free or for little extra cost. An impartial broadband comparison service such as Simplifydigital can help you make your choice. Simplifydigital is accredited by Ofcom and has experts available to talk to for free when choosing a broadband provider.
Leading broadband providers that offer parental control include: Orange Broadband which offer parental controls through the McAfee Privacy Service; Sky which offers parental controls through the McAfee security service (trial only); O2 Broadband which offers parental controls through the McAfee security service; and TalkTalk which offers parental controls through their Security Boost which costs £2 per month.
