Surfing the internet can be dangerous for those who are not used to it, for those who want to discover it and for those who, like children, approach the computer and the Web for the first time. Even if it can present itself as a valid tool for recreation, study and socialization, the Internet can become a very dangerous place for children and minors, especially if left unchecked and without any means to defend them from the dangers of the Web.
Whether you are an apprehensive parent or if you simply want to make your child's browsing safe, in this guide we will show you the best methods to apply to protect children, family and minors from the dangers of the Internet .
By equipping the devices with the appropriate tools and apps, we will be able to guarantee quiet and safe navigation from pitfalls even when we are not careful or we cannot control what they do in front of the PC or when they use other devices such as game consoles, smartphones or Tablet.
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1) Apply a Web filter and computer activity monitor
One of the most effective methods to control and limit access to dangerous or not recommended sites is to apply a Web filter on your computer, so that you can immediately block all the sites considered dangerous and included in a special list constantly updated.
The best program in this sense is K9 Web Protection, downloadable for free on any version of Windows (but no longer updated)
By installing this program on the PC used by the minor, we will activate a process and a service that is perpetually active in the system, capable of intercepting any Internet communication and any type of keyword entered in the browser search bar.
Once installed we open the configuration panel and choose a master password: it will be essential to access the configuration settings and to allow exceptions on the computer.
After choosing the password, simply choose the categories to block in the Web categories to block menu, so that you can personally choose the type of filter to be applied (we can block pornography sites, social networks, magic sites, betting and online games sites, phishing sites, image sites and sites classified as unsafe for minors).
To increase the effectiveness of the filter, we configure Keyword URLs in the menu of the same name, so as to also block requests and addresses entered within the browser.
Whenever the minor tries to access a prohibited site, a warning window will appear asking to call a parent, who can (if necessary), authorize the visited site or unlock the filters for a limited period of time.
Certainly one of the best tools that a parent can use to protect and protect their children while they surf the Internet
To protect an Android smartphone or tablet, we refer you to reading our guide -> Best Android security apps to protect your phone .
NOTE: In Windows 10 you can use the control on the Windows PC of the Family account, without installing any program.
You can then filter content, see sites visited and used apps, detect the position of children or even older children (also on the phone), set a limit on the use of the PC and do several other checks. Before using a restrictive program like K9, it may be a good idea to try The Windows 10 Family account (derived from the old Family Safety program).
READ ALSO: Programs to control access on Windows
2) Apply a DNS filter
In addition to the Web filter, we can strengthen the blocking of sites by modifying the DNS of the computer or of the entire network, applying in place of the protective DNS servers capable of blocking requests to dangerous or not recommended sites.
The best secure DNS to use to protect a minor are:
- OpenDNS FamilyShield
- Cloudflare DNS
- Yandex.DNS Family
- Dyn Internet Guide
By changing the DNS on the computer (but also on any other device used by children, such as game consoles, smart TVs, smartphones and tablets) and using one of those reported above, we will obtain a very high level of protection, since minors they will not be able to access the filtered sites even if the Web filter fails (DNS calls do not start, therefore the browser will report an error).
To find out how to change DNS on devices, we refer you to reading our dedicated guides How to change DNS on PC, Mac and router quickly and How to change DNS on Android and iPhone .
3) Use a child-friendly search engine
If the child is small (under 10 years), it may be a good idea to add a child-friendly search engine as the home page of the browser, such as the one offered by the Ricerche Maestre site.
This Google-based search engine offers access only to content protected and verified by a group of primary school teachers, for a total of over 5000 sites.
Using this search engine, we can be sure that children will only be able to access educational sites, certified game sites and sites tailored to the child, avoiding surfing the "big" web full of pitfalls.
The interface is not that great, but the site does its job very well, especially if supported by the Web and DNS filters seen previously.
4) Install a good security suite
When we talk about minors on the PC, it is not advisable to rely on the integrated antivirus on Windows 10, but we will have to spend something and rely on complete security suites, which often include parental controls and very effective filters to protect minors.
The best security suites to protect a PC intended for minors are:
- Bitdefender TOTAL SECURITY 2019 (€ 40 per year)
- Avast Internet Security (€ 59 per year)
- AVG Internet Security (€ 59 per year)
- Kaspersky Total Security (€ 59 per year)
- ESET Smart Security Premium (79 € per year)
If we are interested in the security suites available for free, we refer you to reading our guide, present as a link below.
READ ALSO -> Best free and complete free protection and security suites
5) Install an interface for minors on smartphones and tablets
Children are increasingly using smartphones and tablets before learning to use the computer.
To protect them on these mobile devices we recommend activating, if available on the smartphone, the child mode, so that we cannot indiscriminately open new apps and open those that require interactions with payment methods or in which we must enter access credentials (many Samsung include this mode).
If child mode is not available, we recommend trying the following apps, so as to offer a protected and safe environment for our youngest children:
- Wawa (Kids Mode, Android)
- Space Parental Control (Android)
- Kid's Shell - safe kid launcher - parental control (Android)
- Parental Control -Kidslox (iOS)
If we are looking for other apps that can provide valuable help to parents with babies and children, we advise you to read the guide that we have created on the subject and available below.
READ ALSO -> Parental control and family filter on PC and internet
