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Using parental controls to keep your child safe online

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Children spend a considerable amount of time online – watching videos, playing games and using social media apps, all of which can be harmful without adequate safeguarding. 

Broadband parental controls allow you to protect your children online. Our guide explains how parental controls can help you and how to set them up. We also list some broadband providers that offer this service. 

What are broadband parental controls?

Broadband parental controls allow you to restrict your child’s access to certain websites or apps. By using parental controls, you’ll have more control over what your children can access online.

The internet can be a dangerous place for children. Without parental controls, there’s a risk they could view harmful websites or content that is deemed inappropriate for children.

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  • Content filters: restrict or control which content your child can see. By doing so, you reduce the risk of your child viewing inappropriate or harmful content
  • Screen-time limits: children tend to spend vast amounts of time online, but you can minimise this with screen-time limits. This feature allows you to restrict access to particular websites (or restrict internet access completely) during set time frames or for set amounts of time
  • Website-specific controls: some popular websites, such as Netflix, Google and YouTube, have options to turn on a child-friendly filter so kids only have access to age-appropriate content. This isn’t specifically a broadband parental control feature, but it’s useful to know about 
  • Monitoring: this parental control feature allows you to see which websites your child has visited

How to set up broadband parental controls

Broadband providers that offer parental controls usually allow you to configure them in your broadband settings. Each provider will have its own way of setting up parental controls. You can likely find this information on its website or by contacting its customer service team. 

Some broadband providers include parental controls at no extra cost, including:

Other ways to set up parental controls

You can also access parental controls in the settings on your child’s device or the settings of specific apps and websites. 

You can set up parental controls on popular streaming platforms, such as: 

  • Netflix
  • YouTube
  • Disney Plus
  • Amazon Prime Video

Most web browsers, including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox, have parental control features. These allow you to stop your child from visiting dangerous websites. 

Children tend to begin using smartphones from a relatively young age. Your child may not always use their phone in your presence, so setting up parental controls can help you keep them safe online. 

You should also consider setting up smartphone parental controls for: 

  • Social media apps: although most platforms state you need to be at least 13 years old to create a profile, there’s typically no age verification process. It’s best to block social media apps altogether if you’re concerned
  • Screen time: setting screen-time limits on your child’s phone ensures they’re not spending too much time online each day

Other ways to keep kids safe online

Although the internet is a helpful tool that most of us rely on for day-to-day activities, with the good comes bad aspects. 

As children are often exposed to the internet from a very young age, online safety is something parents should be aware of. By teaching your child about online safety, they’ll have a better understanding of how to protect themselves online. 

Consider teaching your child about: 

  • Social media safety: anyone can create a social media profile, and fake profiles can be difficult to identify. Teach your child about the dangers of speaking to someone they don’t know online and how to avoid it
  • Online scams: the internet is full of online scams, such as phishing attempts and fake websites. There’s no escaping it, but knowing the signs and teaching children to create strong passwords can minimise their risk of falling victim to an online scam
  • Malware: the most common way that malware can infect our devices is through links – either on websites or sent to us via email. Teach your children to avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading unknown files
  • Personal information: it’s never a good idea to share personal information online because you don’t know where it may end up. This includes phone numbers, credit card details and addresses

Parental controls FAQs

Any parental controls set up via your home broadband won’t work if your child’s device is connected to a public wifi or mobile data network. However, any app- or browser-specific controls set up via the platform’s settings, or those set up directly on the device, should work regardless of the network they’re connected to.

You can use parental controls for children of any age if it feels appropriate. If your child is under the age of 5, you may prefer to sit with them and monitor their internet usage that way. As your children grow and begin to use devices without supervision, it’s a good idea to turn on parental controls. Between the ages of six and 10, children begin using apps that you may wish to monitor, and by the time they reach secondary school, most children begin exploring social media apps, which can pose significant risks without parental controls.

Yes, setting up parental controls on streaming platforms is a good idea. Most popular services, including Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video, have parental control features that can be configured within their settings. These controls allow you to restrict access to content that’s not age-appropriate.

Rachel Sadler new profile April 2024

Rachel Sadler

Home Tech Writer

Rachel is a seasoned writer who has been producing online and print content for seven years. 

As a home tech expert for Independent Advisor, Rachel researches and writes buying guides and reviews, helping consumers navigate the realms of broadband and home security gadgets. She also covers home tech for The Federation of Master Builders, where she reviews and tests home security devices. 

She started as a news and lifestyle journalist in Hong Kong reporting on island-wide news stories, food and drink and the city’s events. She’s written for editorial platforms Sassy Hong Kong, Localiiz and Bay Media. While in Hong Kong she attended PR events, interviewed local talent and project-managed photoshoots. 

Rachel holds a BA in English Language and Creative Writing and is committed to simplifying tech jargon and producing unbiased reviews.