All you need to know to secure kids online

The Internet has become part of our daily lives. Even little children whose minds are not fully developed access the Internet for one reason or another. It is therefore cardinal that we assure their safety on a communications medium that is not supervised by any single authority.

Public places that have activities/products deemed harmful to young minds are regulated in all communities. An underage is not allowed in a pub, night club, brothel, sex shop, gambling house or any such place. If owners are found to have allowed under aged patrons, they are subjected to punitive measures. The Internet is the world laid bare with no restrictions. When one owns an Internet accessing gadget like a smart phone – it literary means they have the world raw in their hands. Young minds are naturally inquisitive and if we do not control what they access online; we increase their vulnerability living them at the mercy of predators and cyber criminals. They will innocently share sensitive information or equally access emotionally damaging material. Once an insecure child becomes a target of hackers – the risk will spread exponentially through their circle of friends.

The safety of children online is crucial. Any compromise on Internet security can have far reaching implications. Cyber criminals can have access to sensitive information through clumsy actions by kids. Besides Cyber Crime; children are also targeted for Cyber bullying, violent and adult content. This sort of material has potential to cause emotional damage to young minds. With the advent of Education Technology it might be impossible to block kids from accessing the internet – we can only assure their Safety Online. The average parent might not be well versed with means of securing the safety of minors online. Most of us are actual at risk from cyber attack whether at work or through our personal cyber accessing devices. 

Innovation and Technology have been by far the major contributors to economic development. The world fastest growing companies – Facebook/Uber/Starbucks – testify to this fact. Most Schools are aggressive in their pursuit of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths). This program would be impossible to effectively roll out without access of the Internet by both Educators and Learners. Some subjects will require practice which can only happen with Internet access. Through Technology, innovation has caught up with the education process. There are now more efficient academic processes and products like smart classrooms, gamification of learning, use of mobile applications and the Internet as a research methodology. This has shifted attention from whether a school needs Internet Connectivity to whether the school has the best Internet connectivity. The Internet is known to be infested with Cyber Criminals of all sorts. Being online has various risks. How safe are Educators and their Learners when they are online? 

The Internet has become an integral part of the learning process. Every school needs Internet connectivity. With the Internet administration processes including communication are streamlined. Education Informatics makes it possible for Technology through Innovation to improve the learning experience and administration processes. Effectiveness and efficiency in classroom and all learning activities are improved through Technology. Most Innovations that are available online do not cost much. Infrastructure including hardware does not need huge capital outlay as most if not all stakeholders posses cyber accessing gadgets. A strategy to utilise owners’ gadgets is promoted through the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). The Internet is a haven for Cyber Criminals and a host of content that is harmful to Learners. It is therefore cardinal for any School to have an Internet Policy that protects the institution against Cyber Attacks.  Every School Administrator needs to be aware of best practice methods in formulating Internet Policy that protects the Institution whilst promoting the exploitation of Online Technologies for academic excellence. School Administrators ought to be equipped with the necessary knowledge that will help them maintain a safe Online Environment in their Institutions.  

We run a series of training for School Kids below 15 years; Parents or Guardians; Educators; School Administrators. For more details and bookings kindly visit the events page of our website

Smart Phone and Tablet the gift of choice for most parents

Most parents have bought their children gifts in the form of a smart phone or a tablet. Those that have not, are waiting for the perfect opportunity to do so. These clever gadgets are convenient. They make communication easy and affordable. With a budget of data only, you can still make voice calls. With these gadgets parents can trace the exact location of their kids at any particular time. Just this past week I saw a Facebook update of a parent who was fuming that her school runner had forgotten to pick up their child at school. If the child was in possession of a smart phone, the parent could have discovered this mishap earlier and easily by confirming the location of the child through online applications.

Don't we love these gadgets, they have saved many of us from embarrassment  as parents as they provide answers to our kids' home work. We can simply refer them to Google and this lady does answer any question you can imagine. With education technology, some of our schools are going paperless. Although in some instances tablets are provided, there are some instances where the child needs to have their personal gadget. If the tablet remains at school, when the child gets home, they at times become a nuisance disturbing us as we conduct important business on our gadgets. Hence the motivation to buy our kids these internet accessing gadgets. These gadgets have also eased up competition with our kids for the television set. When you want to watch your favorite program and the little one wants to watch their cartoons - its a battle you can never win. With a smartphone or tablet, kids can bury themselves in numerous games and educational material. 

However, good as these gadgets may seem, they can be very dangerous if we are not careful with what our kids are exposed to. The programs broadcast through televisions have have age restrictions, and we would not allow those under age to watch them. But even programs with 18SNVLP would not explicitly bare body parts and human copulation. The Internet accessed through smart phones and tablets leave nothing to the imagination. In fact, the Internet will show some things that are shocking to adults. This is not the only danger one encounters online, but the Cyberspace is infiltrated with strangers that have ulterior motives. Some may not be strangers but well known individuals who are given the courage of being anonymous to become iniquitous. Internet has innocent circles like Social Media networks, they may look harmless but are known to cause damage to human development.  Many families are dysfunctional because children are addicted to Social Media, they no longer converse nor are they interested in reading and school work.

It is cardinal to know what your child gets up to when they are online. They are measures that can be put in place to protect children. Schools have a role to play in Child Online Safety. For those of us in Social Work we need to understand how to care for the vulnerable who face challenges in the Cyberspace. Our community leaders must take charge in encouraging us to be responsible parents. It is now more than ever that we need policies that make the Internet a Safe Environment for all minors. In view of these concerns, on the 3rd of March, we will be hosting a conference on Social Media and Minors. You are invited to come and learn more about protecting your child from the hazards of the Cyberspace. We can not avoid having our kids access the internet - how can we secure their safety? For registration and more details visit http://alefinnovations.com/