6 tools to keep children safe online

MANILA, Philippines — While being online helps children because they get to learn a lot of things with just a click of a finger, the problem is that the very same advantage that they get when they go online might turn into disadvantage when they start showing their vulnerability.

The internet poses a lot of risks, especially because there are quite a number of unscrupulous persons out there, waiting to prey on young, innocent souls who may unwittingly access age-inappropriate content.

To keep kids safe while online without an adult to supervise over them, Google offers parents a slew of tools and solutions that will protect them.

1. Family Link

This is a parental controls app that allows parents to manage their children’s account and data settings. By linking the devices that the kids are using, parents can set screen timeouts, keep track of their digital activity, help change or reset their passwords if they forget it, guide them towards age-appropriate content, edit their personal information, or even delete their account if necessary.

2. Be Internet Awesome

Parents and guardians can tap on this program and portal that teaches children the importance of digital responsibility.

Through its interactive games, downloadable modules and an online show, parents, educators and kids learn how to be smart, alert, brave, kind and strong online.

Lessons include sharing responsibly, being kind online, recognizing red flags and scams, securing personal information and privacy, and communicating their online concerns with a trusted adult.

3. YouTube Kids

This is the kid-friendly version of the video sharing platform. It uses a mix of automated filters built by YouTube’s engineering teams, human reviews and feedback from parents so only age-appropriate content will be available for viewing.

4. Supervised Experience on YouTube 

YouTube Kids may be too young for tweens, so YouTube decided to introduce the supervised experience.

The feature allows young viewers to watch content from the regular app — YouTube and YouTube Music — but under parental supervision and control. With a supervised account, parents get to select a content setting that limits the videos and music children under age 13 can find and play.

Supervised accounts also change the features they can use, the default account settings, and the ads that they see.

5. Google Play Kids

This is the Kids category Play Store that presents a curated selection of teacher-approved apps for various age groups.

Google Play Store plays host to millions and millions of apps from around the world and it can be hard to find apps that are not only fun but also educational for growing children. This is why the Play Store introduced Google Play Kids, where children can learn a new language or early math skills and get to play games that are appropriate for their age.

6. SafeSearch

This is a setting parents, adults and guardians can toggle on and off using their Google account.

It helps filter explicit content from Google Search results. Explicit results include sexually explicit content like pornography, violence and gore.

This is helpful for parents who want to keep their children’s searches safe while allowing them to explore the breadth of content available online.

If you need more safety features for your kids’ online ventures, go to safety.google.

RELATED: Filipino kids are the second most vulnerable to online threats globally — study