Computer Safety And Savvy Children!

I went to an event last week help by computer protection specialists AVG. They wanted to talk to parent like me, who have children born in the digital age, to find out what we do to secure them while they are on line.

I have to confess that although computer safety has crossed my mind I have done absolutely nothing to lock down any of the devices we use and make them 100% child friendly. To be honest, I didn’t really know how.

Florence is only four but a four year old left on your phone could easily end up buying apps, downloading things which cost money or even doing some on line shopping you don’t want! I know because this has actually happened to a friend of mine! Florence hasn’t done anything like this yet herself but I suspect it’s only a matter of time and when you think that these are some of the most harmless things they could do on a computer it does start to make you think a bit more carefully.

Florence often plays on our tablet looking at things she likes on YouTube. I don’t mind this at all and love to hear her singing along with the songs from Frozen and other Disney film clips she then clicks on after the first one I get up for her. I do mind however, that she could easily click on something unsavoury and I had no idea that there are things to stop her from being able to do so!

Tony Anscombe, Senior Security Evangelist for AVG Technologies has just written a book all about protecting our children on line. I think essentially it’s aimed at teenagers who can be wiley little mixes (we were told on the day of some teens who worked out their parent’s password by the finger marks on the screen) but is excellent for ensuring our younger ones are safe too!

Tony is also a parent so he knows just what we’re looking for, as well as a speaker at global events including Child Internet Safety and CTIA. He regularly contributes to industry forums and is an established media commentator on issues surrounding privacy, security, child internet safety, online threats and viruses. Tony also serves as the VP Marketing for AMTSO, the anti-malware testing standards organization and writes the AVG blog.

His book, ‘One Parent To Another-Managing Technology And Your Teen’ is out today and I would say is a thoroughly good read. I think it’s barmy that we release our children on the world wide web and open them up to every murky corner of it without ensuring first that what they see is suitable for them! It can be done and Tony’s book is there to tell you how in easy to understand steps!

You can download the FREE eBook here.