This is why parents need to control which sites their children can access and which ones they can’t, especially those sites with content that aren’t appropriate for children. The best way they can do this is to install the best parental control apps. But before we even delve into how these apps can help parents control what their children can access online, we need to define what harmful content is and some of its examples.
Table of Contents
What is harmful content?
Harmful content generally involves images, videos, or information that can be misleading, upsetting, promote dangerous behaviors, or are meant for adults.
As your child spends more time online at a younger age, there are higher chances that they will see something harmful. This generally depends on what they are doing online. This is why parents should always monitor what their children are up to online.
Examples of harmful content
Now that we have defined harmful content, let’s see some of the harmful content your child may come across online.
- Content containing swearing
- Pornographic content
- Videos, pictures, or games that show images of violence or cruelty to other people or animals
- Sites that encourage terrorism, crime, vandalism, racism, and suicide
- Gambling sites
- Sites that portray females in traditional roles that do not reflect modern values and expectations
How parental control apps can keep kids safe online
As mentioned above, one of the most effective ways parents can protect their children from harmful content on the internet is by installing parental control apps.
Here is how these apps can help protect your child from harmful content
1. They restrict harmful sites
A good parental control app can block access to harmful websites either through a category system or a block/allow. Of course, this allows parents to restrict access to these sites that may have harmful content so that their children won’t have access to them.
2. Block inappropriate apps
Some of these parental control apps enable parents to block access to specific apps or games that may be inappropriate. This function is particularly important if a parent is concerned about their child downloading and using apps that are not ideal for kids.
3. Allow category filtering
More advanced parental control apps are generally designed to allow parents to block specific categories of content their children can access. For instance, parents can block their children from accessing sites categorized as providing adult entertainment or pornography. They can also block their children from accessing gambling websites or age-inappropriate content.
Final thoughts
While harmful content is nowadays all over, it is now crucial more than ever for parents to restrict their children from accessing them. This is the only way they can protect their children online. And fortunately, a parental control app can help parents achieve that.