Share this post

Digital Parenting

by
Matt DeVico
April 23, 2024

table of contents

There are an increasing number of devices that connect to the Internet. It’s important to have some visibility or a plan to manage how your children are accessing and using them. The notion of Digital Parenting is still a newer concept and tools to help you navigate are lacking. You’re left wondering how to best tackle the challenge of your kids being unmonitored and online.

Our children are growing up in an age that connects them almost immediately to millions of others on the Internet. Older generations either had no access to the Internet or limited access. Facebook didn’t even launch until 2004. If you’re in your 30s you were still in the AOL and dial up days. We’ve come a long way fast.

Not so long-ago Digital parenting meant getting kids off the phone so you could send an email. Now tens or even hundreds of devices can connect on a home network simultaneously with all of them online gaming, streaming media, and accessing social networks.

Educate Yourself

The most important thing you can do is have the right conversations with your children. Before you can do that, you need to educate yourself on what’s important and how certain things work on the Internet. You won’t be able to provide advice if you haven’t taken the time to learn or take any interest in it. Your kids will take interest in it even if you don’t. Snapchat and sexting may be a foreign concept to you, but it will likely be part of your kid’s life at one point or another. Have you ever heard of Fortnite? Your kid has! Here is a cool website to track Google Trends where you can see top search terms. Here’s another one for YouTube Searches. Quickly and easily see what’s going on in the world of the Internet. It’s not a bad idea to make a little habit out of checking news about online trends, the latest games, and the latest apps. Take an interest in what they’re doing on their Internet connected devices. You may notice some activities that are questionable. 

Have Conversations with Your Kids

This comes second and although it’s the most important, you do first need to educate yourself, so you know what to say to your children. Discuss the dangers of the Internet. It doesn’t need to be negative, but it is important to be direct and ensure they understand the dangers and what can go wrong. Touch on the positive nature of the Internet too. You may have the stance with your children that it’s always ok to be on the Internet if you’re using it as a productive tool to learn but set limits for social and/or games.

Your kids need to know the rules. Make sure they verbally understand what they can and cannot do on the Internet. If something is outside of the rules that are set, they should be instructed to ask you. Good categories to set rules around are,

  • How much time can be spent online browsing, reading, watching YouTube, being on Social Networks, etc.?
  • What categories can you browse to and what to avoid?
  • When is bedtime?
  • What should they do if they want to download an app or program?
  • Can they stream themselves or post video of themselves?
  • Are they allowed to accept incoming friend requests from anyone?

Use Parental Control

You need central visibility and control. Apple provides some good tools for parental controls but not nearly enough as everything you would need to ensure the right things are happening and your children aren’t at risk. Some companies are coming out of the woodworks, including Dteckt, and developing effective technology and parental controls as they understand the importance of securely connecting to the Internet. Even if you trust your children, there are upwards of 3 billion other people on the Internet that have access to them. It’s never a bad idea to have strong security controls in place on devices and help manage screen time. 

Stay Close to Your Kids

You can be your child’s friend on Social Networks and Online Games. Having a good relationship online is good for your child’s digital well-being. Don’t stalk them though. It’s a very quick way for them to isolate you and hide what they want. If your child is more tech savvy than you there are more than likely ways they can hide things if they want to hide things. Don’t betray trust, nag, or lecture your child’s friends. You’ll lose them quickly.

Be A Role Model 

Are you a text and drive person? Do you browse inappropriate content? Do you play online games for 10 hours a day? Do you use your device at dinner? What you do, they probably will too.

Knowledge
Apr 30, 2024

The Cost of Free Wi-Fi

The flexibility to work remotely, from any location in the world, is a tempting offer. But without proper internet security knowledge and protocols, remote work may lead to unexpected harm to your personal and business data. The culprit? Your Wi-Fi networks. In fact, free Wi-Fi might come at a price you’re not willing to pay.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 30, 2024

Identity Theft

Identity theft is when someone impersonates you and uses your personal data like your credit cards, name, Social Security number, etc. Bad actors use it to impersonate you.

by
Matt DeVico
Tips
Apr 30, 2024

How to control who has access to your personal information

Imagine a world where you have complete control over your personal information. You can decide who sees it, how they use it, and for how long. It’s a world where you’re not just a product being sold to the highest bidder. It’s a world where you’re in control.

by
Matt DeVico
Tips
Apr 30, 2024

How to Keep Your Devices’ Software Up to Date

Keeping your devices’ software up to date is one of the most important things you can do to protect them from security vulnerabilities and improve their performance. Software updates often include security patches that can fix known vulnerabilities, as well as new features and bug fixes.‍

by
Matt DeVico
Tips
Apr 30, 2024

Opting Out of Tracking and Advertising: Protecting Your Online Privacy

In our digitally connected world, it often feels like our every online move is being watched. Companies use tracking and advertising techniques to collect data on our online behavior, which can feel invasive and concerning.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 30, 2024

The Dark Web

First off, what even is the dark web and why should you care about it? Think of the regular Internet. Think of what Google does for the Internet – they index the entire thing to make it easy for you to find things based on searching for whatever you want.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 30, 2024

How to Protect Your Accounts from Being Hacked

In today’s digital world, it’s more important than ever to protect your accounts from being hacked. Hackers can steal your personal information, financial information, and even your identity. They can also use your hacked accounts to spread malware or spam.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 30, 2024

Risk Management

Risk definition come in many forms and is often referred to as risk management. We find the easiest way to describe is simply as the possibility of something bad happening. Risk involves uncertainty about an activity with respect to something that humans value, often focusing on negative, undesirable consequences. None of us want something bad to happen and itspre-wired in our heads to assess the risk of a situation that is presented to us.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 30, 2024

What are the most common types of cyberattacks?

Protecting Your Digital World: A Consumer’s Guide to Common Cyber Attacks

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 30, 2024

Why is cybersecurity important? A rant

Cybersecurity is important, people! It’s important for individuals, businesses, and governments. It’s important for our privacy, our finances, and even our national security.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 30, 2024

Wire Fraud

Wire fraud is real and can happen to anyone. As an example, let’s say you unknowingly accepted fraudulent wire and disbursement instructions that came in your email and transferred the money to criminals. You need to act fast to recover. Accepting wire and disbursement instructions by email is dangerous at best. It’s vital you immediately take these steps to recover from wire fraud.

by
Matt DeVico
Tips
Apr 30, 2024

Password Management

Good Password Management is one of the best ways you can minimize your risk.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 30, 2024

How to recover from Identity Theft

Identity theft is a serious crime that can have a devastating impact on your life. But it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. By following these steps, you can recover from identity theft and get your life back on track.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 30, 2024

How to protect your financial information online

Your financial information is one of the most valuable things you own, so it’s important to take steps to protect it from unauthorized access. In today’s digital world, there are many ways that criminals can try to steal your financial information, so it’s important to be vigilant.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 30, 2024

How can I recover if I’m the victim of financial fraud?

Financial fraud is a crime that can have a devastating impact on victims. It can lead to financial losses, identity theft, and emotional distress. If you’ve been a victim of financial fraud, it’s important to take steps to recover as quickly as possible.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 30, 2024

How Can I Protect Myself from Cyberattacks?

In today’s hyper-connected world, online threats are everywhere, but with some practical steps, you can safeguard your digital life. In this guide, we’ll explore the fundamentals of cybersecurity in a simple and approachable style to help you defend against cyberattacks and preserve your online security.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 30, 2024

Dteckt vs LifeLock vs Aura

In today’s increasingly digital world, identity theft is a prevalent concern. With our personal information scattered across various online and offline platforms, the risk of falling victim to fraudulent activities has never been higher. This has led to a surge in demand for identity theft protection services, which aim to safeguard individuals’ sensitive data and protect them from financial losses.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 23, 2024

Keeping your Identity Safe Online

Your identity is one of your most valuable assets. It includes your name, Social Security number, date of birth, address, and other personal information. If your identity is stolen, criminals can use it to open new accounts in your name, rack up debt, and even commit crimes.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 23, 2024

Top 10 Critical Hacks of All Time

Hacking, by definition, is gaining unauthorized access to data in a system or computer. Now, many of us are familiar with hacks or threats of such to our personal data—spam emails, scammers via your phone, and clickbait viruses that can really be a pain to deal with.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 23, 2024

How can I protect my devices from malware and other online threats?

Malware is any software that is designed to harm a computer system or network. It can come in many forms, such as viruses, worms, Trojans, and spyware.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 23, 2024

What are the best practices for financial cybersecurity?

In an era of digital transactions, online banking, and financial investments, the security of our financial assets has become a paramount concern. Ensuring the safety of your financial information and assets in the digital age requires a comprehensive understanding of financial cybersecurity best practices.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 23, 2024

How Can I Protect my Privacy Online?

Our privacy is becoming increasingly important in today’s digital world. We share more and more of our personal information online, and this information can be used by companies, governments, and even criminals to track us, target us with advertising, or even steal our identities.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 23, 2024

What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, use disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 23, 2024

Digital Parenting

There are an increasing number of devices that connect to the Internet. It’s important to have some visibility or a plan to manage how your children are accessing and using them. The notion of Digital Parenting is still a newer concept and tools to help you navigate are lacking.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 23, 2024

How can I prevent online fraud?

Fraud is any act of deception that is used to gain an unfair advantage or to deprive someone of something valuable. Fraud can take many forms, including identity theft, credit card fraud, and investment scams.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 23, 2024

Data Security Threats

One of your biggest threats is choosing what businesses you want to give your information too. Hackers can breach them and get your information without knowledge or wrongdoing from you.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 23, 2024

How can I prevent Identity Theft?

Identity theft is a serious problem, but it doesn’t have to be. With a few simple steps, you can protect your personal information and keep your identity safe.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 23, 2024

The Importance Of Data Privacy

Consumer Privacy, the new hot topic in the industry. Organizations focused on building their brand and doing the right thing are focusing a lot of attention on their privacy protections.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 23, 2024

How can I manage my passwords securely?

Passwords are the keys to our online lives. They protect our email accounts, social media profiles, bank accounts, and more. But with so many passwords to remember, it’s difficult to keep them all strong and secure.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 23, 2024

Data Breach Recovery

Ok, your data has been breached. Now what? You probably weren’t even the cause of the data breach.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 23, 2024

How can I create strong passwords?

A strong password is essential for protecting your online accounts from unauthorized access. A weak password can be easily guessed or cracked by hackers, giving them access to your personal information, financial accounts, and other important data.

by
Matt DeVico
Cybersecurity
Apr 23, 2024

A Deep Dive on the Dark Web

We’ve all heard the term “the dark web”, usually in some scary, abstract way. Many of us probably assume the dark web has nothing to do with us– but what we don’t know actually can hurt us.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 23, 2024

How Can I Backup My Data?

Backing up your data is one of the most important things you can do to protect your digital assets. Data loss can happen for a variety of reasons, such as hardware failure, software crashes, natural disasters, and human error.

by
Matt DeVico
Knowledge
Apr 22, 2024

10 Cybersecurity Tips To Increase Safety and Awareness

We all love the many forms of connectivity offered to us through our devices and the internet, but the truth is, there are significant threats to our privacy as we store information online and on our connected devices.

by
Matt DeVico
free plan

Join us on a Safer Digital Journey

With Dteckt, you’re not just using a service; you’re embracing a safer digital future. Join us on this journey.