Monitor Your Child’s Internet Usage the Right Way
The internet has changed our lives in so many ways. The information regarding any topic is readily available to us in just a few clicks. The mode of communication has become fast and effective, thanks to the evolution of technology and social media. If we come to think of it, the benefits of the internet surely surpass its downsides.
While adults can filter and block what is available to them on the internet, young children may not be able to do so. They cannot deal with online dangers and social media problems on their own which is why monitoring their internet usage becomes mandatory.
Parents use monitoring software to track their kid’s online activity, depending on the type of device they are using. For instance, they use the best iPhone monitoring software to track their kid’s iPhone activity or best Android tracking software to monitor Android activity. It has become extremely important for parents to have an insight into their kid’s internet usage to ensure they are safe online.
To help you gain more information on monitoring your children’s internet usage, here is a list of methods that you can use to monitor their online activity effectively:
Track Web Browser History
One of the simplest and effective ways to track your child’s internet usage is by keeping a close eye on their web browser history. Taking a look at your child’s online browsing history will help you find out about all the sites your child has been visiting or has visited in the past.
In every browser, you can check the record of all the sites that your child has visited. For instance, if you want to track your child’s web browser history on Internet Explorer, you can look for that option in the ‘Tools’ menu and get access to their browsing history.
Similarly, you can also track your child’s web browsing history on Google Chrome. You can do that by clicking the three-dot icon on the upper right corner on the address bar and then selecting history from the drop-down menu. Alternatively, you can also track your child’s web browsing history on Chrome by pressing Ctrl + H. By doing this, the history of the web browser will show up in front of you.
Tracking your child’s web browser history is one of the easiest ways to find out which sites they have been visiting on the internet. You can scroll through the history list and take a look at the sites they have visited on the browser in the reverse chronological order.
However, if your child does not like you invading their privacy on the web browser, he/she might get rid of their browser history by deleting it. Therefore, you need to look for another method to monitor their internet usage.
Use Wireless Router
Parents can also use wireless router models to keep track of all the sites their child is visiting on the internet via the home internet connection. To set up logging, you can type the IP address of your wireless router into the address of the browser you are using.
In case you are not aware of the IP address of your router, you can always find it by opening a command window and then typing ipconfig/all. Under the heading “default gateway,” you will find your IP address listed.
Once you have been able to access your wireless router, you can view the activity that had been taking place on your network by clicking on “Logs.” Some wireless routers help you block sites that you do not want your child to visit. It is recommended to use such wireless routers only.
Other than that, you can also set your router to send you an email whenever your child attempts to open the site you have blocked. Once you are finished with customizing the settings, you can change your router’s password so that your child cannot go to the settings and make any changes in them.
Use Monitoring Software
If your child has become conscious of you checking their web browser history and has started deleting the history, you can always look for another method to monitor their online activity. There couldn’t be a better way to monitor their internet usage than using monitoring software.
Installing monitoring software on your child’s device is considered one of the effective methods to track their internet usage. Many parents resort to this option because the results are satisfactory. Not just a few but many monitoring tools and programs can help you track your child’s online activity.
If your child is using an iPhone, you can look for the best iPhone monitoring app and have it installed on your child’s device. The good news is that there is no need to get physical access to their devices. You only require their iTunes credentials to track their online activity via monitoring software.
Similarly, you can also monitor their Android devices. However, for monitoring Android devices, you would need physical access to the devices to be able to install the monitoring app on them.
