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Michael Phillips, product director of BroadbandChoices.co.uk, said: It s surprisingthat so many people rely heavily on their child doing what they ask it just isn tgoing to happen in most cases and the Government s research proves this.
However, there are a few simple steps parents can take to bolster protection fortheir child when online. Rather than relying on a single approach, they should useparental control and security software, combined with education, to stopinappropriate material and people reaching their child.
Our research shows that the top four ways parents monitor their child s onlineactivity are:
1. A verbal agreement to use the Internet safely (84 per cent)2. The use of parental control software such as McAfee and Norton (63 per cent)3. Restricting the amount of time children spend online (62 per cent)4. Manually checking the computer to see what they have been doing online (59 per cent)
1 This represents a three-fold increase on a similar study carried out two years ago.
Behind their parents backsThe poll also asked children aged 11-16 what they had actually been doing onlineduring the school holidays. The top three activities were:
1. Downloading music and photos (48 per cent)2. Joining in with chat rooms and making new friends online (45 per cent) 3. Using social networking sites such as MySpace, Bebo and Facebook (40 per cent)
The wide availability of the Internet has made stranger danger omnipresent.Parents need to be made more aware of the simple checks that they could put in placeto safeguard their children who are increasingly using the Internet to build newrelationships.
As well as the possible safety threats posed by the Internet, your child s onlineactivities could land you a bigger bill at the end of the month. With 48 per cent ofchildren regularly downloading from the Internet, usage allowances could easily beexceeded and parents could find themselves out of pocket at the end of the month ifthey aren t able to monitor it, concluded Phillips.
BroadbandChoices.c o.uk s top five tips for protecting your children online
1. Parental control software: Some ISPs like AOL and BT offer parental controls aspart of their service, while other users can get them with their antivirus andsecurity suites. Parental controls allow you to block certain sites and keywords,apply different settings for different age groups and monitor your child s onlineactivity. You can also use the Messenger Plus! program to keep a log ofconversations they might be having using Instant Messenger.2. Education: Completely banning older children from the Internet is unlikely tostop them from using chatrooms and social networking sites, so instead, explain whythey need to be careful on the Internet and make sure they know never to give outpersonal information or meet strangers without an adult around.3. All on one PC: Keeping the family computer in the living room is a great way ofensuring that your children stay safe online. They re far less likely to spend timein chatrooms or downloading illegally if their parents are in the same room. Also,make sure that you re set as the administrator on any PC in the home, so that onlyyou can change the settings on your parental control software.4. Antivirus and firewall software: Using security software to protect your PC willalso protect your child from spam emails with inappropriate content, and phishingemails where they could give out personal information including bank details.5. Monitor downloads: If you re concerned about the affect your children sdownloading is having on your monthly usage allowance, use a Download Monitor suchas ours to keep an eye on downloads and set alarms to alert you when you near yourlimit.
BroadbandChoices .co.uk s download monitor can be accessed athttp://www.broadbandchoices .co.uk/broadband-download-moni tor.html
About BroadbandChoices.co.uk: http://www.broadbandchoices.co .ukBroadbandChoices.co.uk is the second biggest broadband comparison service in the UK.Unlike other comparison sites, BroadbandChoices.co.uk doesn t just focus on pricebut total package value. Consumers can now refer to this impartial Website toaccess the latest broadband advice and deals, to help them make the right choice.
What makes BroadbandChoices.co.uk different: Most comprehensive range of consumer guides and advice Emphasis on value rather than cost alone Variety of ways to rank products according to individual priorities Detailed product information A community of like minded people where you can read reviews or share yourthoughts Up-to-date information regarding key industry developments Access to bespoke interactive tools (speed tester & download monitor)
