With the advent and rapid expansion of internet and technology, teens all around the globe now have the access to explore the world just with one click. It has become possible for them to reach out to any person in the world or gain access to any topic of their choice.

They have 24x7 access to the internet from various sources such as laptops, mobile phones, tablets, and game consoles. But, they have no idea how dangerous internet has become for them. Teens are especially more susceptible to become easy prey for the online predators if proper care is not taken. It was apparently easier for parents to control their teens before technological advancement.

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However, today parents struggle to find out what their teens are doing on the internet and how their online activities can be monitored. Nevertheless, they might have forgotten that for every problem there is a measured solution. With the help of a parental control app and a few other ways, they can now ensure their teen's safety on the internet. Let’s see how parents can protect their teens from the online threats.

Use A Monitoring App

Most of the teens would want to conceal their online activities from their parents. To prevent this from happening, parents can take help of a computer/mobile monitoring software or an app to make their teen’s online activities more transparent. Since parents cannot always hover around their teens, a monitoring app can help them control the websites they visit, see the content they’re viewing, and know whom they’re interacting with. These apps can be easily installed on teens’ mobile phones or personal computers. Before installing these apps, it is advisable for parents to make their teens understand why monitoring their online activity is important. They need to know that parental control apps will prevent them from falling into the hands of online predators.

Place Computer Out in the Open

Surely parents wouldn’t want their teens to explore online places which are not suitable for them. In order to prevent them from visiting inapt websites or viewing immoral content, parents should keep the computer out in the open, somewhere in the social area of their homes, where their teens are not tempted to do what they should not be doing. When they know their computer is placed out in the open, they will resist themselves to view inappropriate content. Even if teens have their personal laptops and prefer not to come out of their rooms, parents should encourage them to sit with them so they interact with their teens while they are online.

Set Limits

Teens have become so addicted to the internet that they completely lose track of time while using it. Parents should put a control on their internet usage. They should set limits on late-night internet use so their teens can stay away from the online predators, especially pedophiles who are always on the lookout for targets during late-night hours. Predators know teens have less supervision at night and can be easily targeted. Parents should be well informed of their tricks, therefore they should not allow teens to use the internet at night. They may also disable the internet when it is late, not allowing them to gain the internet access.

Always Stay Alert

For busy parents, it must be hard to keep up with changing internet and technology trends. They might also not be able to properly track their teen’s online activity due to their hectic work schedules. However, it is critical for them to know how harmful online threats can be for their teens. Therefore, parents should always stay in the loop and know what’s happening in their teen’s life. They should get in touch with other parents to discuss what their kids and online predators are up to these days. They may also speak to the cyber-crime unit department from their local law enforcement agency to find out about recent internet crimes. Staying up-to-date about the recent cyber-attacks can help them pass on the same knowledge to their teens.