Nowadays, children start using technology at a very young age as parents take advantage of smart devices to keep them occupied. While phones and tablets provide access to education and entertainment, they bring certain risks that parents might not be aware of.
For instance, cybersecurity and the lack of online privacy are a major threat for all internet users, let alone children and teenagers. However, the impact of technology on kids and young adults goes way beyond potential security risks.
How Technology Affects the Youth
At this day and age, children are growing up with smartphones and tablets tied to their hands. While the use of technology from a very young age does not have to be viewed negatively, it can easily lead to unwanted outcomes. For instance, uncontrolled use of the internet can lead to poor social skills, bad time management, and even health issues. Here’s a more detailed overview of how technology can leave a significant impact on children’s lives:
Spending too much time on the internet can affect children’s ability to develop relevant social skills. By immersing themselves into the virtual world, kids are less likely to spend time outdoors surrounded by real people. Instead, they communicate through the screen and base their social skills on these virtual interactions. Parents should control their children’s smart device habits to make sure they have plenty of real social opportunities in life.
2 Potential health concerns
Too much time spent in front of a screen can lead to serious health issues, including back pain, eyesight problems, and other complicated conditions. Nowadays, children are likely to spend hours tied to their chairs playing video games or binging on Netflix shows. The lack of physical activity can leave a negative impact on their health, especially during puberty. With that in mind, parents should encourage physical activity and find ways to engage their children in sports and outdoor events.
3 Cybersecurity risks
Lastly, parents rarely consider online security when putting a smart device in their children’s hands. However, cybersecurity is one of the most critical issues that children can be exposed to online. Without proper online security and privacy measures, your children’s personal information can be exposed to hackers and third parties. This leads to a series of consequences from data and identity theft to phishing and even cyberbullying. Since children are not aware of the potential security dangers lurking on the internet, it is the parents’ job to take care of these risks.
How to Make Sure Your Kids Are Safe Online
Instead of taking smart devices away from their children, parents should establish rules and boundaries to control the kids’ use of the internet. First and foremost, make sure the children’s devices are properly secured by setting up a VPN or virtual private network. A VPN will encrypt all personal information and thus allow privacy when surfing the web. Luckily, you don’t have to be tech-savvy to set up this level of protection.
All you have to do is find the right VPN service, download their software, and choose the server you want to connect to. The VPN will then route your traffic to the distant server and replace your IP address with a virtual one. That way, all your children’s information, and online activities will be hidden from third parties.
After ensuring online privacy, focus on teaching your children healthy smart device habits. This includes teaching them the importance of time management and how the overuse of the internet can affect their performance in other spheres of life. The best way to control the situation is to use parental apps that allow you to set time limits and block certain websites on your children’s devices.
Encourage Positive Habits
While some will argue that allowing children to use smart devices at a young age is not a good move, there is no doubt that the internet can positively affect their development. Some of the positive aspects of using smart devices include access to wider education, technological skills development, and on-demand entertainment.
However, with the lack of control, children can easily go down the wrong path of internet addiction, which can lead to poor social skills and even serious health consequences. As a parent, you should be aware of both the positive and negative influences technology has on your child. That way, you can guide your children toward developing positive online habits instead of becoming tied to the virtual world.
