A few wrong clicks, and your kids are on the dark side of the internet. But, if you’re digitally savvy, you can keep protecting your kids online when they’re browsing the internet. So, how do you keep cyber threats away? For starters, get a VPN. Let’s take a look at one of the most essential digital security tools for protecting your kids online.
What is a VPN, and does your family need it?
The simple answer is: if you and your family surf the internet, your household needs a VPN. VPN (virtual private network) is a digital security tool that secures your connection when surfing the net.
Once you connect to a VPN server, it changes your IP address. It may not seem like much, but an IP can reveal quite a bit about the person behind it: their location, internet service provider (ISP), the operating system, and even the browser they’re using.
A VPN also cloaks your internet connection from potential snoopers by encrypting online traffic on your device. Encryption works by scrambling data — even if someone were trying to eavesdrop on your browsing activities, the data would look like gibberish. This is especially important when connecting to public Wi-Fi, which usually has a weak safeguard against cybercriminals.
Some VPN services, such as NordVPN, for example, offer extra security features like CyberSec. CyberSec blocks annoying ads and prevents you from visiting malicious websites known for malware or scams.
What to look for when choosing a VPN?
If you decide to go forward with getting your family a VPN, there are a few things to consider, since opting for the wrong kind of VPN service may do more harm than good. Here’s what you should pay attention to when picking a VPN service.
Is the service free? A free service might be more tempting than a paid one. But any service needs to make money somehow. If they’re not getting paid by you, they might be selling your information to untrustworthy marketing companies. This defeats the purpose of having a VPN in the first place.
Do they have a no-logs policy? NordVPN has a strict no-logging policy, which has been tested by independent auditors. This means that the service keeps no data about your online activities or that of your family’s.
How many devices can you secure? Security matters on all devices, whether it’s a laptop, computer, or phone. With NordVPN, you can protect up to 6 devices with one account. Besides, installing NordVPN on your router will safeguard each device connected to it.
What do others say about the service? Reputation is important, so instead of just taking the company’s word for it, check out what the users have to say.
But simply getting a VPN will not ensure that your kids are completely safe online, but is an essential step towards protecting your kids online. While NordVPN’s encryption is virtually unbreakable, it can’t secure you from every cyber threat out there. Digital hygiene depends on you as much as on the tools you’re using. Let’s take a look at how to protect your kids on one of the most popular platforms on the internet — YouTube.
Protecting your kids online and how to stay safe on YouTube
YouTube can be an excellent platform for entertainment and even education. However, just like with any website, a few wrong turns may expose your kids to inappropriate content.
- Enable Restricted Mode on YouTube. Setting up restrictions will make sure your kids don’t stumble upon inappropriate or dangerous content. Restricted Mode filters out videos that are not children-friendly. To turn on Restricted Mode, go to your Google account, scroll down to Restricted Mode, click on it, and activate it when a pop-up appears.
- Opt for YouTube kids instead. The app is specifically targeted towards children with age-appropriate content curated explicitly for younger audiences.
- Try Netflix. The platform also allows you to set up restrictions to protect your kids. You can tailor content precisely for different age groups. And if you want to access mature content, you will have to enter a PIN code.
- Check out other alternatives. There are plenty of other child-friendly platforms available. To mention just a few, you can try out Jellies, kidzzTube, GoNoodle, and Nick Jr.
Whichever options you choose, don’t forget to secure your internet connection on all your devices with NordVPN. Stay safe!
We hope that this has been a helpful article covering VPNs for the family. We think that it is well worth considering one to keep you and your family safer around their internet use. If you want to take a look at some of the other resources we have on internet safety, do check these out:
KiddyCharts internet safety resources
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Take care,
Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine!Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time.KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10.It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania.Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on.Get in touch TODAY!