{"id":178755,"date":"2023-12-13T09:34:26","date_gmt":"2023-12-13T17:34:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=178755"},"modified":"2024-11-19T07:57:49","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T15:57:49","slug":"five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Inquisitive, curious and fiercely independent. These are the three words that come to mind when I remember my boys as tweens and teens. Now, these are all wonderful qualities but when you\u2019re trying to teach your kids to navigate the internet, these \u2018wonderful\u2019 qualities can often make things a little harder!! Curious types want to discover and investigate \u2013 that\u2019s natural! But it also makes our job as parents even more challenging, particularly when it comes to protecting them from the slew of inappropriate content that can be found online.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What Is Inappropriate Content?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In short, inappropriate content is anything your kids may find online that they find disturbing or are not yet ready for, developmentally. It may be an image, a video or written text that is offensive and upsetting. Now, this could happen accidentally but also deliberately.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Many of us immediately think of sexually explicit material when we think of inappropriate content but there is, unfortunately, more. It can also include material that promotes extremism or terrorism, violent imagery or copy, hateful or offensive sites or posts as well as false or misleading information.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How Many Aussie Kids Have Been Exposed?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As you can imagine, it\u2019s hard to find accurate data as to how many kids have seen inappropriate content. Many kids would loathe to admit what they have seen, feel embarrassed or are simply too distressed to report their experience. So, it\u2019s likely that the real statistics are higher than the reported data. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.esafety.gov.au\/educators\/training-for-professionals\/professional-learning-program-teachers\/inappropriate-content-factsheet\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Research undertaken by our eSafety Office<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> shows that a high proportion of Aussie kids aged 12 to 17 have seen inappropriate content. Here are the details:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">57% have seen real violence that they considered disturbing<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nearly 50% of kids aged 9 to 16 have regular exposure to sexual images<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">33% have seen images or videos promoting terrorism<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What You Can Do To Minimise Your Kids Seeing Inappropriate Content?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Is it inevitable that you will see something inappropriate online? I wish I could answer no, but the reality is that at some stage it is likely that your kids will see something that they find confusing or upsetting. So, the aim of the parental game here is to ensure this happens as late as possible and that they are ready for it. Here is where I suggest you put your energy into making this happen:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">1. Set Ground Rules<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I am a big fan of a family tech agreement that outlines your expectations of your kids\u2019 online behaviour and the family&#8217;s \u2018rules of engagement.\u2019 This should be age appropriate but if your kids are young enough then please include a list of the sites they can visit, the apps they can download and the information they can share \u2013 nothing personally identifiable. I would also include rules about device usage \u2013 no devices in bedrooms overnight!! Check out my post <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/family-safety\/why-you-need-to-get-a-family-technology-agreement-happening\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">here<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that will help you tailor an agreement for your family.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A clear and detailed agreement means that every family member has clarity on the rules that will keep them safe. I find sharing the \u2018why\u2019 with my kids so important \u2013 so ensure they know you\u2019re your goal here is to keep them safe and set them up for a positive online experience.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">2. Communicate Regularly, Openly and Calmly<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Go out of your way to create a home environment when your kids feel comfortable talking and sharing about all aspects of their lives without judgement. Once you have this, then you will be able to have regular conversations that will help them better understand the online world and most importantly, keep them safe! The goal here is to have genuine 2-way conversations without them feeling like they are being lectured at. For example, you can explain that anything they share online creates their own \u2018digital footprint\u2019 so they need to be mindful of how they conduct themselves, You could also talk them through the dangers of spreading rumours online or sharing hurtful photos or jokes.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And if your kids know they can talk to you about anything and that you won\u2019t overact, then they are more likely to tell you if they have seen something online that has worried them. Now, we all hope that doesn\u2019t happen, but we all want to be able to help our kids navigate challenges if and when they arise.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">3. Consider Parental Controls<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/learn\/parental-controls\/\">Parental controls<\/a> can be a really helpful tool that allows you to monitor and manage what your child sees and does online. Of course, using parental controls is not a silver bullet \u2013 you still need to remain vigilant and invested however it can be a great thing to have in your toolbox. Here\u2019s what I Iike:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:360,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">They can <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">block <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">your child from accessing specific websites or apps \u2013 for example using a camera or purchasing goods<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:360,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">They can <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">filter<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> out inappropriate content eg sexual content, content that promotes self-harm, violence, gambling or racism<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:360,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">They can <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">monitor<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> your child\u2019s time online and provide reports on the sites they visit, the apps they use and the frequency and time they have spent on each<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:360,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">They can <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">set<\/span><\/b> <b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">time limits<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and block your child\u2019s access after a set time<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Check out more information about McAfee\u2019s parental controls <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/learn\/parental-controls\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">here<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>\u00a04. Use Child Friendly Search Engines\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As we all know, the sky is the limit when it comes to finding anything online. So, young curious minds have ample opportunity to have their every question answered. However, this is not ideal when your kids have neither age nor experience on your side. So, let me introduce you to some child-friendly search engines that will ensure there are healthy boundaries for inquisitive minds! <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kiddle.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Kiddle<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This is a search engine that\u2019s designed to produce safe results for kids so it will produce quite limited results \u2013 perfect! It has been designed to block swear words and \u2018rude\u2019 language but a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commonsensemedia.org\/website-reviews\/kiddle\/user-reviews\/adult#:~:text=It%20actually%20works%20as%20advertised,ads%20were%20of%20real%20centipedes.)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Commonsense Media<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> trial found that some violent content could be generated using it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kidzsearch.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Kidzsearch<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This search engine uses Google\u2019s strict filtering software to produce up-to-date results without the risk of anything inappropriate. Their advanced keyword filtering system monitors for alternate and modified spellings which is great for youngins!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alarms.org\/kidrex\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">KidRex<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Also using Google\u2019s SafeSearch, KidRex promotes kid-friendly pages in its results. It also has an additional database of inappropriate keywords and sites and blocks social media results. How good!\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">But, if you just want to stick with Google and turn on the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com.mcas.ms\/safesearch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">SafeSearch<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> filters, you absolutely can. Just remember, that you\u2019ll need to activate it on every device that your kids might use \u2013 including their phone!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">4. Be Open And A Great Role Model<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How often do you hear yourself saying or doing something your mother does? I do all the time! Our parents are our biggest influence and are our biggest role models. And this also applies to how we engage with technology. Make sure your kids see you enjoying tech-free time, so they \u2018normalise\u2019 this. Leave your phone at home when you walk the dog, never have phones at the dinner table and always turn your phone on do not disturb when talking with your kids. The less time spent on technology means the more time for real in-person human connection.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Being open is also an imperative way to protect your kids. In fact, the more open and communicative you are with your kids, the less reason they will have to undertake their own \u2018research\u2019 online. So, if you\u2019ve created an environment where talking about puberty, hormonal changes and teenage relationships is normal, chances are they won\u2019t need to turn to Google for answers \u2013 and risk seeing inappropriate content.\u00a0 <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">So, if you have a tribe of curious tweens or teens, then I\u2019m sending you my very best. It\u2019s not an easy task protecting them from some of the more challenging content that the internet can offer. But having come out the other side \u2013 and survived \u2013 I can assure you that the more proactive you are, the easier the ride will be. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Good luck!!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Alex XX<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">PS If you\u2019re thinking about parental controls, don\u2019t forget about enabling these on your streaming services too. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/help.netflix.com\/en\/node\/264\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Netflix<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/help\/customer\/display.html?nodeId=GYBCCNGWAJFEUVG3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Amazon Prime<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/help.stan.com.au\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360001564236-Parental-Controls-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Stan<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> all offer parental controls which can restrict the content that your kids can view. It\u2019s definitely worth the effort. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Inquisitive, curious and fiercely independent. These are the three words that come to mind when I remember my boys as&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":932,"featured_media":178759,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10670,10661],"tags":[],"coauthors":[5150],"class_list":["post-178755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","category-internet-security"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Inquisitive, curious and fiercely independent. These are the three words that come to mind when I remember my boys as tweens and teens. Now, these are all\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content | McAfee Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Inquisitive, curious and fiercely independent. These are the three words that come to mind when I remember my boys as tweens and teens. Now, these are all\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"McAfee Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CybermumAU\/?ref=br_rs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-12-13T17:34:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-11-19T15:57:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/300x200_Blog_121323.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Alex Merton-McCann\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@cybermum_au\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@McAfee\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Alex Merton-McCann\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Alex Merton-McCann\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/bc6a576667318b5e4668d03276459b6f\"},\"headline\":\"How to Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-12-13T17:34:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-11-19T15:57:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/\"},\"wordCount\":1388,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/300x200_Blog_121323.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"How To Guides and Tutorials\",\"Internet Security\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/\",\"name\":\"How to Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content | McAfee Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/300x200_Blog_121323.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-12-13T17:34:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-11-19T15:57:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"Inquisitive, curious and fiercely independent. These are the three words that come to mind when I remember my boys as tweens and teens. Now, these are all\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/300x200_Blog_121323.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/300x200_Blog_121323.png\",\"width\":300,\"height\":200},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How To Guides and Tutorials\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/tips-tricks\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Five Ways To Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/\",\"name\":\"McAfee Blog\",\"description\":\"Internet Security News\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization\",\"name\":\"McAfee\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png\",\"width\":1286,\"height\":336,\"caption\":\"McAfee\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/McAfee\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mcafee\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/McAfee\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/bc6a576667318b5e4668d03276459b6f\",\"name\":\"Alex Merton-McCann\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/3f8e8c4e285279e7f392131aa1531514\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Alex.-June-2020-96x96.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Alex.-June-2020-96x96.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Alex Merton-McCann\"},\"description\":\"McAfee\u2019s Cyber Safety Ambassador for Australia and New Zealand, Alex, is a mother of four boys who juggles family, work, home life, hobbies and her children\u2019s ever growing social lives (on and offline). Like many parents, Alex has concerns about the safety of her children, who are growing up online world. Alex\u2019s blogs are about internet safety issues and sharing her own experiences, insights and lessons to help keep kids and families safe online. To learn more about Alex and McAfee\u2019s Family Internet Safety Centre, go to www.mcafee.com\/cybermum, follow Alex on Twitter @Cybermum_AU or on Facebook @CybermumAU.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CybermumAU\/?ref=br_rs\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/cybermum_au\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/author\/cybermum-australia\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content | McAfee Blog","description":"Inquisitive, curious and fiercely independent. These are the three words that come to mind when I remember my boys as tweens and teens. Now, these are all","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content | McAfee Blog","og_description":"Inquisitive, curious and fiercely independent. These are the three words that come to mind when I remember my boys as tweens and teens. Now, these are all","og_url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/","og_site_name":"McAfee Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CybermumAU\/?ref=br_rs","article_published_time":"2023-12-13T17:34:26+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-11-19T15:57:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":300,"height":200,"url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/300x200_Blog_121323.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Alex Merton-McCann","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@cybermum_au","twitter_site":"@McAfee","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Alex Merton-McCann","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/"},"author":{"name":"Alex Merton-McCann","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/bc6a576667318b5e4668d03276459b6f"},"headline":"How to Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content","datePublished":"2023-12-13T17:34:26+00:00","dateModified":"2024-11-19T15:57:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/"},"wordCount":1388,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/300x200_Blog_121323.png","articleSection":["How To Guides and Tutorials","Internet Security"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/","name":"How to Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content | McAfee Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/300x200_Blog_121323.png","datePublished":"2023-12-13T17:34:26+00:00","dateModified":"2024-11-19T15:57:49+00:00","description":"Inquisitive, curious and fiercely independent. These are the three words that come to mind when I remember my boys as tweens and teens. Now, these are all","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/300x200_Blog_121323.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/300x200_Blog_121323.png","width":300,"height":200},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/five-ways-to-protect-your-kids-from-inappropriate-online-content\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How To Guides and Tutorials","item":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/tips-tricks\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Five Ways To Protect Your Kids From Inappropriate Online Content"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/","name":"McAfee Blog","description":"Internet Security News","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization","name":"McAfee","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png","width":1286,"height":336,"caption":"McAfee"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/","https:\/\/x.com\/McAfee","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mcafee\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/McAfee"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/bc6a576667318b5e4668d03276459b6f","name":"Alex Merton-McCann","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/3f8e8c4e285279e7f392131aa1531514","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Alex.-June-2020-96x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Alex.-June-2020-96x96.jpg","caption":"Alex Merton-McCann"},"description":"McAfee\u2019s Cyber Safety Ambassador for Australia and New Zealand, Alex, is a mother of four boys who juggles family, work, home life, hobbies and her children\u2019s ever growing social lives (on and offline). Like many parents, Alex has concerns about the safety of her children, who are growing up online world. Alex\u2019s blogs are about internet safety issues and sharing her own experiences, insights and lessons to help keep kids and families safe online. To learn more about Alex and McAfee\u2019s Family Internet Safety Centre, go to www.mcafee.com\/cybermum, follow Alex on Twitter @Cybermum_AU or on Facebook @CybermumAU.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CybermumAU\/?ref=br_rs","https:\/\/x.com\/cybermum_au"],"url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/author\/cybermum-australia\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178755","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/932"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=178755"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178755\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":204858,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178755\/revisions\/204858"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/178759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=178755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=178755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=178755"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=178755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}