Did you know that the average age that a child first sees porn online is 11 years of age?
Sadly, more and more younger children are accessing unfiltered internet enabled devices. Given the rise of adult pornography available on the web, the chances that your child will see porn under the age of 10 is becoming increasingly likely. Adult content age verification has still not been enabled for many pornography sites, and most have a preview option.
The first time a child sees porn can be through an innocent search through an unfiltered search engine looking for something they like, or looking for information for a school project. It maybe that their search is hijacked by others who are listing their content so that searches for an innocent term shows porn.
Unfortunately, many children’s cartoon shows have been re-made into semi or full porn animations and are sometimes available on YouTube and on other websites. Children might find these by searching for terms related to their favourite show. Children are also seeing adult content, if an adult who also uses the same internet connected device has been viewing porn and isn’t on incognito mode. Some porn sites then download “pop ups” onto computers, or show adult content in advertising, or may send spam emails to the computer that advertise porn.
Concerningly children are seeing porn when it is being shown around at school, having been brought in on mobile devices or accessed via 4G connections. With the introduction of “Bring Your Own Devices” in many schools, the likelihood of your child seeing porn at school on another student’s device is going to be more of a risk. It is imperative that parents enable adult content filters on any devices that a child or teen has access to, particularly a device that is taken to school.
8 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN FROM VIEWING PORN
Encourage younger children to ask you before they use a digital device or app
Talk to your child about disclosing to you if they see something that is “weird”, shocking or upsetting.
Use the available parental controls on all internet connected devices that your child has access to.
Set a screen lock on all your internet connected devices PC and mobile
Enable parental controls to limit spending and filter adult websites
Set up a separate parental controlled log in for your child on your/their PC or laptop
Sit with your younger child while they are using an internet connected device
Set up a safe content filter on your household modem or individual devices
OTHER TIPS
Use “Safe Search” settings available on software such as YouTube, Google, Bing (go to preferences on every browser on each device and then to the safety settings). Make sure it is also enabled on mobile device browsers or use a child friendly browser like Ranger Browser instead of Safari or Google Chrome.
If allowing your child to use a messaging app, choose child friendly Facebook Kids Messenger or Apples Messenger, and set privacy settings that don’t allow automatic acceptance of files or approaches by new contacts.
Always remember that allowing younger underage kids on adult or older teen apps is not safe with or without parental supervision.
Because it's not a matter of if your children will be exposed to adult material online, but when.
תגובות