Curious, inquisitive, and independent – these descriptors vividly paint the picture of most Gen Z’s. While these qualities are admirable, they can pose challenges, especially when guiding them through the complexities of navigating the internet. The innate curiosity that drives them to explore and investigate, while entirely natural, adds an extra layer of complexity for parents — particularly when it involves safeguarding them from the abundance of inappropriate content online.
Defining Inappropriate Content
In essence, inappropriate content online refers to material that your children may find disturbing or are not yet developmentally ready to encounter. This can take the form of offensive images, videos, or written text, and it may occur both accidentally and deliberately.
While many of us immediately associate inappropriate content with sexually explicit material, there’s a broader spectrum to consider. It encompasses material promoting extremism or terrorism, violent imagery or copy, hateful or offensive sites or posts, as well as false or misleading information.
How Many Kids Have Been Exposed
As one can imagine, obtaining precise data on how many children have encountered inappropriate content is challenging. Many kids may be reluctant to confess what they’ve seen, feeling embarrassed or too distressed to report their experiences. Consequently, the actual statistics are likely higher than what is officially reported.
- 70% of kids ages 8-18 have accidentally encountered online pornography, very often by entering an innocent search term while doing their homework.
- According to Ofcom, one in ten children aged 8 -11 who go online say they have seen something nasty or worrying online.
- The NSPCC found that 56 % of 11–16-year-old’s have seen explicit material online.
- Over 23% of children have been exposed to hate speech online. While only 9% of parents are aware of their child’s experience.
- Ofcom reports that one-third of British children 12-15 have encountered sexist, racist or discriminatory content.
Minimizing Exposure
Can we completely avoid encountering inappropriate content online? The answer is no, but the truth is that, at some point, it’s likely that your children will come across something confusing or upsetting. Therefore, the goal for parents is to delay this occurrence as much as possible and ensure that when it does happen, their children are prepared.
- Set Ground Rules: Establish clear family tech agreements outlining expectations and rules, including permissible sites, apps, and information sharing. Tailor these agreements to be age appropriate.
- Open Communication: Foster an environment where kids feel comfortable discussing their online experiences openly. Engage in regular, calm conversations about online behavior, emphasizing the concept of a digital footprint and the potential consequences of sharing inappropriate content.
- Utilize Parental Controls: Implementing parental controls can be an effective tool for monitoring and managing online activities. These controls can block specific websites, filter out inappropriate content, monitor online time, and set usage limits.
- Child-Friendly Search Engines: Introduce your children to search engines designed for their age group, such as Kiddle, and Kidzsearch. These engines employ strict filtering to provide safe and age-appropriate results.
- Lead by Example: Demonstrate healthy tech habits by enjoying tech-free time and establishing boundaries. Be open with your children about your online activities, setting a positive example for responsible digital behavior.
Netsweeper’s Approach
Netsweeper provides an effective web filtering solution designed to protect kids from stumbling upon harmful content while navigating the internet. By employing advanced filtering mechanisms, Netsweeper helps parents and guardians ensure a safer online environment for their children. This technology goes beyond traditional parental controls, offering a comprehensive approach to content filtering that addresses various forms of inappropriate material, including explicit content, violence, extremism, and more. As we navigate the digital landscape, leveraging tools like Netsweeper becomes increasingly essential in fostering a secure online space for our children to explore and learn.
Parenting curious tweens and teens in the digital age requires a proactive approach. By setting clear guidelines, fostering open communication, utilizing tools like parental controls, introducing child-friendly search engines, and being a positive role model, parents can guide their children towards a safe and positive online experience. While challenges may arise, an engaged and informed parental presence significantly contributes to the digital resilience of the next generation.