Shield your kids: Update phone settings now to beat digital dangers

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In this era of digital revolution, smartphones have become an integral part of children's education and life, but it has also emerged as a major challenge for parents. Every parent is worried that their children might get exposed to the dark world of the internet or objectionable content under the guise of online classes and projects. A recent Salesforce survey shows that 73 percent of people in India are using AI, of which Gen-Z has a 65 percent share. This pace of technology has also brought with it serious threats related to 'deepfakes', 'fake news' and AI chatbots.

The US incident and the dangers of AI

According to security experts, children's digital safety is now a serious issue. The recent tragic incident of a 14-year-old boy in the US committing suicide after a long conversation with an AI chatbot has shocked the entire world. Furthermore, reports of increasing objectionable content on platforms like Grok are also worrying. In such a situation, parents need smart monitoring instead of digital spying. For this, apps like Watcher can prove helpful, providing parents with a virtual eye. With this, you can see your child's live location, notifications, and how much time they are spending on which apps.

How to control ChatGPT and Gemini

These days, children are using ChatGPT and Google Gemini extensively for school work, so parental control is crucial. In ChatGPT, you can create a "family account" in the settings and set your child's chat history and limits. Google's "Family Link" system is also effective for Google Gemini. By downloading the "Family Link" app from the Play Store, you can link your child's Gmail account and control which responses they receive from the AI.

Strict settings required for YouTube and Instagram

The risk is highest on social media platforms. If a child watches YouTube, it's mandatory to create a separate profile for them through the Family Center in the app's settings. If the child has their own device, searches and recommendations can be completely blocked through Google Family Link. Similarly, the Supervision for Teens mode on Instagram is a great safeguard. By activating it from the profile menu, you can decide which AI characters your child interacts with and prevent posts containing objectionable keywords from appearing in their feed.

Third-party apps will provide an extra layer of security

Sometimes the phone's in-built settings are not enough, in such a situation third-party apps provide extra security. Apps like 'Net Nanny' are expert in filtering website and social media content, while 'Canopy' app, with the help of AI, identifies pornographic content hidden in photos and text and blocks it instantly. Apart from this, 'Qustodio' is a better option for keeping a complete record of the child's browsing history and screen time. These apps work in the background and send reports of suspicious activities directly to the parents.