Why you should protect your children from risky apps and internet software

Children’s experiences exist in two worlds, physical and digital, but increasingly they intersect, sometimes used as a route to commit physical, sexual and emotional violence.

Abusers can contact children anywhere and anytime, making it very difficult for their victims to escape violence and exploitation, says Tabitha Suubi, a children’s rights activist at Raising Voices.

“There are adults who target children online for sexual purposes on social media, gaming and messaging platforms,” Suubi says.

“Worse still, the Internet allows offensive content such as photos and videos to live in the digital world forever, potentially falling into someone else’s hands, leading to blackmail and further exploitation.

“If they share private information, nude photos or videos, it becomes public and remains permanent. They will stay,” explains the children’s activist.

With over five billion internet users today, the way children experience the world of learning is no longer confined to four walls.

In August this year The Minister of Education and Sport has opened the way to the use of digital gadgets in learning. The new strategy aims to meet the expectations of existing policy and regulatory frameworks, while improving teaching and learning outcomes through digitally enriched curricula.

Education Minister Janet Museveni has suggested that school principals should consider reconfiguring digital gadgets to protect students.

At the same event, Stanley Mugume, principal of Kyambogo College School, said the gadgets in their possession were yet to be secured.

IT expert Andrew Adroni discusses the different tools parents and teachers can use to protect children online.

“Digital security in schools is currently a concern because students are typically exposed to a lot of content. When it comes to keeping children safe, there are several apps recommended for parents, as well as apps for teachers and schools that they can use to protect children when interacting with these technologies, Adroni says.

“That’s why I recommend parents use these apps for homes. One of them is Google Family Link. This is a free application using Google. That’s why most parents use Android devices and most of the gadgets they buy for their children usually run on Android. So this tool can help them monitor their activities, block links they don’t want them to access, and block specific apps they shouldn’t have access to,” he adds.

The second app is Apple Screen Time for kids using iOS gadgets like iPads, iPhones, MacBook Pros. “It’s an app that parents can use to monitor time spent on screens, while also blocking access to websites that contain adult content and other content that is not specific to children,” he says.

He recommended schools to the Microsoft Family Safety app, which can be used to block students’ access to specific applications. Adroni says this is very helpful because it integrates well with the operating systems used in most schools.

“Most schools use Microsoft software and it is a Microsoft product that can be easily integrated into most of their systems. Additionally, I believe that schools need to do more when it comes to providing safety measures for children. This happens by setting up firewalls,” he explains.

He adds that: “Most schools have networks through which students connect. Therefore, they must also be protected against hacking and any malicious activities that may occur with these devices and the Internet.

He recommends Bark as a tool for both teachers and parents to monitor what’s happening, what students are accessing, and send reports to teachers and parents on what activities students typically engage in while using the Internet and other resources.

The other tools are Custodian and Net Nanny, which work similarly to Bark. Most of them are free and some are built into operating systems.

“For example, Apple Screen Time is already built into all Apple devices. Then with Google Family Link it’s free and most of the apps I talked about are free. There are a few that require payment, but as we know, we live in an era where digital transformation is increasing and artificial intelligence is emerging, and students have access to many resources. So some of these apps use some APIs to really protect kids. But most of them are free.”

During this month’s national day of prayer against human trafficking, the Ministry of Home Affairs revealed that online child trafficking is on the rise and urged parents to protect their children at all costs.

According to the Child Fund Alliance, children’s use of the Internet has become more invasive over the past three decades, and many of them are Internet users around the world.

Every day, over 175,000 children use the Internet for the first time. The Ministry of Education is concerned about this situation. As the likelihood of joining under the guise of study increases – there will be more concerns.