Consumer Alert: Tools to Protect Children Online
The topic of this consumer alert is making sure your kids are protected when they’re online. School starts again next week, and keeping kids safe online is a top priority for most parents. And we need to get our kids educated early. While some experts recommend that kids wait until age 13 to buy a phone, surveys show that kids are getting phones much earlier. A study by Verizon found that 46 percent of kids get their first smartphone by age 9, and a quarter of kids get their first smartphone by age 8. Ultimately, it’s up to us as parents to assess our kids’ maturity level and critical thinking skills.
It’s also up to us as parents to use the tools available to keep our little ones safe. Verizon’s study found that 79 percent, or about four in five parents, use digital safety features on their children’s phones, such as content filters, privacy settings or Wi-Fi time limits. I spoke to a Verizon spokesperson yesterday about this very issue.
Chris Serico/Verizon spokesperson: “I happen to work at Verizon, so Verizon Smart Family is a great choice. But not just because I work there. It offers services ranging from turning off internet activity during school hours or before bedtime or dinner to blocking certain apps or websites that you don’t think are appropriate for your children to use.”
Deanna Dewberry/WHEC: “That’s fantastic. And I know that’s what a lot of parents feel, once they have the world in their hands – and that’s exactly what this (phone) is – it opens up a world that they think they can’t control.”
Serico: “Yes, it can be intimidating, and that leads to perhaps the most important piece of advice I have. It’s not really technical advice; it’s really just a human element. It’s important to encourage your children and everyone else to think critically and behave well online.”
And if your child isn’t ready for a smartphone, there are transitional devices like smartwatches. For example, Verizon offers the Verizon Gizmo Watch, which lets you limit your child’s contacts and internet activity.
T-Mobile also offers a cool kids’ watch called the SyncUp Kids Watch and AT&T offers the amiGO Jr. Smart Watch for kids. All models have built-in protection features.
If your child already has a smartphone, Verizon Smart Family also lets you restrict your child’s contact list and block explicit content. If you’re an AT&T customer, you should use the AT&T Secure Family app, and T-Mobile offers the T-Mobile FamlyMode app with parental controls and tracking.
If you don’t have one of the big three apps, the New York Times recommends Apple’s Screen Time for iPhone households and Google Family Link for households with Android devices. The Times also highly recommends Qustodio for Android households with children over 13.
