Kid-Proofing Your Technology

Filters for Computers 

Children should not have unsupervised access to the internet as certain content can be extremely harmful to their developing brains. Graphic violence, for example, can cause PTSD and other psychological issues with children. Adults who have taken the job of moderating Facebook have raised concerns over the internet about the brutality of the job description—a job that literally requires nothing but sitting at a desk all day and viewing a video. If viewing graphic content is harmful to adults, imagine what it can do to a child. Furthermore, children may not be aware of the dangers of talking to strangers online, nor are they aware of how much information they’re putting out there when they do interact with strangers online. For these reasons, parents ought to provide adequate supervision to their children when online. Filters such as Bark, Qustodio, Covenant Eyes, and Net Nanny may prevent children from seeing graphic content that can harm their psychological development. 

Feature Phones, Gabb, and other Distraction-Free Devices 

You probably didn’t even know that they’re still making flip phones, but they are. Unfortunately, companies have yet to bring back the iconic classics like the Sidekick and the Razr—but that doesn’t mean that your kids can’t enjoy the benefits of a feature phone. Feature phones can help help keep your children off of social media, especially during school hours where they’re not likely to have access to a laptop or desktop. Phones like Gabb have been hitting the market with fabulous success. While these phones look like smartphones, they’re designed to be distraction free and keep children safe. Other parents have opted for an Apple Watch over an actual smartphone, allowing the parents to contact the children without giving them what is, essentially, a computer in their pocket—though parents need to understand that smartwatches do have internet capabilities and may require additional monitoring to keep children safe.  

Gaming Systems 

Gaming systems like Xbox One, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and other platforms do have an online connectivity, and some devices may have web browsers of their own, or devices such as the PS5 may allow users to get to a web browser, though the device does not have its own dedicated web browser. Regardless, if your child has a gaming system in their room, they may have unfiltered access to the internet. If your child plays video games online, they could be playing games and coming into contact with virtually anyone, including predators who may be looking to harm them. Sextortion scams are rampant amongst teenagers, causing a wave of suicides and other mental health crises. Preventing your children from coming into contact with perpetrators of these scams may start with monitoring their gaming activities. 

Smart TVs and Streaming Services 

Parents ought to be careful with smart TVs and streaming services. Many parents are unimpressed—and rightfully so—at the content posted on YouTube, especially after influencers like Andrew Tate have caused millions of teenage boys to develop hateful and misogynistic attitudes toward women. Parents may need to set up parental controls on their smart televisions to ensure that their children do not have access to some of the more harmful content that’s posted on YouTube via the television’s YouTube app. Streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and HBO all have shows that are not suitable for young children. Furthermore, some streaming services have shows that contain graphic content and would be explicitly inappropriate for a person under 18 years old to view. If your child has a smart TV in their room, or your child is regularly left unsupervised with a smart television, you may want to be sure that the appropriate parental controls are applied on the television and on the applications and streaming services themselves. 

Promoting Your Child’s Safety 

It is incredibly important to keep children safe when they’re online. Our world is more connected than ever and there are many scams, instances of cyber bullying, and other dangers that children are liable to run into when browsing the web alone. Unfortunately, there is limited recourse for parents and victims in many of these situations. For example, many sextortion scams are unable to be prosecuted as the perpetrators live overseas and are unable to be located and/or extradited to the United States to face the consequences. This means that, tragically, children are ending their lives and the predators responsible are getting away with it in many cases. Parents also have a vested interest in ensuring that their children do not come across content that could be dangerous to their developing minds. We’re just now seeing the effects of children who grew up viewing such content unsupervised and, needless to say, the results aren’t necessarily good.  

Protecting Our Community

At Moxie Law Group, we’re dedicated to protecting our community and promoting the safety of others. While opportunities for compensation due to injuries sustained via online activity may be limited. Therefore, it is extremely important for parents to be aware of their child’s activity online. If you have sustained injury due to the negligence of another person and you’re considering filing a claim, Moxie Law Group is here for you. Contact us today to get started on your initial consultation.