The Internet has provided many opportunities for young minds to learn, interact, and educate themselves. But it has also opened the doors for negative influences to infiltrate their impressionable minds.
So much so that young children in Singapore are now learning how to commit crimes, thanks to the Internet.
Take for instance the recent case of a 17-year-old boy, who learnt to hot wire motorcycles by watching YouTube videos so he could steal motorbikes along with his friends.
Teen Learns Hot Wiring From YouTube Videos
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The boy will reportedly be detained at a centre and would have to follow a strict regimen, which will include foot drills and counselling.
His co-accused, the 19-year-old Mohamad Syafiq Mohamad Jeffery, was sentenced to 1½ years of supervised probation. He will be prohibited from holding all classes of driving licences during that period.
Stealing Was The Teens’ Modus Operandi
The court was made aware that the two youths and another friend went to a multi-storey car park area in Admiralty Drive on September 13, 2020.
They decided to steal a purple Yamaha YZF-R15 motorcycle, which was priced around $10,000.
Once, the 17-year-old accused hot wired the bike, he and Syafiq rode it to a friend’s house. They then disguised the stolen motorcycle by spraying it with black paint.
However, they were not able to start it and they left it at the car park. Police patrolling in the area found the abandoned bike and suspected that it was stolen. Later on the same day, they tried to steal another bike.
The judge at the time of sentencing asked the two youths to focus on their studies and stay away from negative peers. Their parents were also advised to supervise them.
Note: For the theft of a motor vehicle, the two youths can get a jail term of up to 7 years and be fined.
This incident has not only alarmed partners on the little red dot, it has raised a pertinent question: are we doing enough to educate our kids about cyber safety?
How To Explain Internet Safety To A Child
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The Google study conducted last year found that children were spending long hours on the Internet during the pandemic.
It rose from an average of 3.6 hours daily before pandemic, to 4.1 hours after the circuit-breaker period.
As children are spending more time on the Internet today, parents play an important role in teaching them ways to stay safe on the Internet and browse safely too.
Here are a few things you can do.
Talk to your child about Internet safety
Don’t wait for the “right time” to start a conversation with your child about Internet safety.
The earlier you start, the better it is for you and your child. It does take some time to inculcate good internet habits, so make sure that you have these conversations from time to time with your child and it is not a one-off.
Set the ground rules
It is important that you monitor them while they are using the Internet. However, be mindful of their privacy as well. For instance, set time limits for usage of their digital devices.
For instance, addition to their online classes, you can allow only a set number of hours for browsing and be diligent to follow through.
Read: HBL: Keep Your Kids Safe Online Through These Five Steps
Have open conversations
Cybercrime operators are also devising new strategies to dupe people and bully them online. So, it is important that you have open conversations with them.
For instance, if your child has been posting personal photos or using check-ins frequently, tell them about the dangers of exposing personal information online.
By encouraging open conversations, you create an opportunity for them to share online issues with honesty.
This is especially important now because as the study has exposed, only 20 per cent of parents in Singapore were confident that their child would tell them if they encountered problems online.
Stay updated
If you are wondering how to explain internet safety to a child, it is important that you stay updated yourself.
Read up and arm yourself with necessary information about the Internet, the risks of online danger and how to stay safe online. From online frauds, phishing, revenge porn to cyberbullying, make sure you have read enough!
Check privacy settings from time to time
Checking the security of the devices is another area that most parents tend to ignore.
The study cites that about one in five parents in Singapore indicated they did not do anything to address safety concerns. Now, this is quite a concerning number.
It is important that you check privacy settings and location services. You can also use parental control apps to monitor your child’s online activity. You should limit camera and video functions so that your kid doesn’t accidentally end up taking photos.
Now, if you are considering installing parental control software to monitor your child’s online activity, here are three such softwares that you can try.
3 Parental Control Softwares That Enable Online Safety
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Net Nanny
It is available for PC, Android, iOS and Kindle versions. The Net Nanny app will allow you to manage your kid’s screen time and also block certain apps and filter the online content.
There is an option of a Family Feed that allows parents to instantly see the apps that are being used by kids. It also offers real-time alerts on content involving suicide, drugs, or pornography.
Bark
The app will let you manage and protect your child’s online life. The Bark software can monitor 30+ of the most popular apps and social media platforms. It can also alert text messaging and email, for signs of digital dangers.
It is a parental control software for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS devices and has both free and paid-for versions. In the free edition, you have the option to include a blacklist. It prevents your kids from watching inappropriate content online.
The paid version, on the other hand, comes with more mobile-specific features. They include a battery tracker, that allows you to see the charge on your child’s mobile so you can alert them.
While, you may use these parental control softwares, it is also important that you trust your child. If you do choose to monitor your child’s online activity or even review their browser history, it is best to always have an open chat with them about why you wish to do this.
News source: The Straits Times
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