How To: Keep kids safe online.

Statistically speaking, if you have children, there’s a fair chance they spend more time on the internet than you do—and often they have no idea about the warning signs for dangerous or illegal content, the threat of cyber-bullying, or how identity theft occurs.

If you’ve already talked to them about these issues—That’s a great start!

A rational use of Parental Controls can also play a large part in helping to keep your kids, and their information, more secure. And, sometimes, they can simply help limit the amount of time your kids spend staring at an electronic screen—and that’s a pretty good outcome, too

Today, there are many tools available to help you keep your kids safe—and they’re often available through a simple app download that you can control on your mobile phone or tablet.

Here are some key features you can look for:

• Block harmful websites: This Parental Control feature allows you to block entire categories, such as pornography or violence, or it allows you to designate specific websites you’d like to keep them from accessing.
• Block specific applications: Sometimes, you can block specific applications that you consider inappropriate for your kids. Examples might include games, such as Grand Theft Auto, or social applications like Snapchat or TikTok.
• Limit the amount of screen time: Don’t want your child spending more than 60 minutes per day watching videos on YouTube? That becomes a non-issue when you can set time limits for specific applications to make sure their screen time is kept under control.
• Safe search: Make sure they don’t stumble onto the bad stuff. Turn on Safe Search to block your children from harmful content when they’re searching on Google, Bing or YouTube.

At Blackfoot Communications, we care about keeping your family safe and secure when using the internet. If you have any questions about your service, we’re here and we’d love to hear from you. Contact us today!

• Email: customerservice@blackfoot.com
• Phone: 406-541-5000 or 866-541-5000
• Chat: Click here