Mumsnet users share how you safeguard your children around digital technology in the home with Sky Kids

[EllieMumsnet]

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In this digital age devices such as: laptops, mobiles, tablets, game consoles and TV's all come second nature to many of our children as they are used frequently from a young age in the home. Although they can help children learn and play in so many amazing ways, it’s also important to keep them safe and ensure what they are viewing/playing is appropriate. With that in mind Sky Kids would love to know all the ways you try to keep your children safe when it comes to technology in the home and how you still allow a healthy/fun relationship with technology in your family.

Here’s what Sky Kids has to say: “At Sky, we care about helping to keep kids safe in the home. That’s why alongside parental controls on the Sky Kids App, we’ve also launched brand new Kids Safe Mode, where you can keep your Sky Q box locked in the Kids section, so when your kids are in charge of the remote they can only see and explore programmes that are appropriate for them. Wandering fingers won’t be able to adjust settings, delete non-Kids recordings or watch programmes made for grown-ups.”

Do you have timers on all the family’s devices to ensure that the children aren’t able to use them past a certain time? What about parental controls on your television? Or do you have kids safety modes on all the devices they use? Do you worry about what they’re able to access from their devices? Perhaps you encourage an open relationship with your children where you can all ensure everyone is watching age appropriate content/shows? Or maybe you use children specific apps on their phones, smart TVs or tablets so that you are sure they can only access things suitable for them?

Whatever the ways you keep your children safe when it comes to multimedia, share them on the thread below and everyone will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw.
MNHQ

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Neither DC are able to add any apps to their phones, you need to have a password for this and DH checks out any requests they make for new apps. We have Netflix with their own profiles and the adult block on Sky where you need to put in a code but mostly we just monitor what they are up to and watching.

At the age they are now. I have control over passwords for sites they use. I log them in and log them out when they go online and keep an eye on them without being to much of an interference to their online activities. We do online things together for things like shopping when they want to choose a pair of trainers or something like that. It'll get tougher when they get older and start going online by themselves. We talk about the dangers and try to make them aware that not everything on the internet is good.

Phone and iPad is checked on regular basis. We also have parent control which both children accept.

When younger they are only allowed to use with supervision. As they get older I had honest conversations with my daughter about dangers out there. I do look on her devices and she isn't allowed social media accounts yet. It's harder as they get older but by being open and honest with her I'm hoping she will make good decisions xx

I've done the parental lock code and then supervision but have struggled as they got older and now it comes more down to open conversations and knowing boundaries and self monitoring. Only so much you can do

Thankfully our son is too small for us to need to worry about this yet, but when he is older I plan to have time limits & passwords in place on the internet, plus I don't think he'll be allowed to play any games in his room where he could 'talk' to other people online, I need to be able to keep an eye on what he's up to while hes still young.

DS is only 2.5 but still old enough to grab a stray device and start scrolling and jabbing at the screen.
Started good digital habits now, with restrictions on the sky wireless, separate kids account for Netflix ... and just good old fashioned “keeping the devices out of the way” whenever possible.

My toddler is only allowed to watch tv which I choose- usually CBeebies or paw patrol on Netflix.

Never watch YouTube as I think it's very poorly managed and worry about my child seeing something inappropriate.

Also we avoid all other media like games as I'm worried about it affecting behaviour.

Tablets have a kids profile with only age appropriate games, shows etc.

Netflix access is to kids profile only.

All screen use is within adult earshot, be that tablet or TV.

Big problem is they LOVE you tube, and the stuff they watch is great...best football goals ever, or kids rock pooling, bmx tricks etc... So I don't want to stop them. However I really don't trust kids youtube to filter out the bad stuff well enough.

They are young now, and quite happy to tell me if they hear or see something a bit too old for them.
The real challenge will be when they don't want me to know what they're watching and stop telling me out of embarrassment or worse.

No technology in bedrooms. Phones/iPad left downstairs at night.

Always supervised use, parental goals and time limits.

My daughter can't work the tv yet, but her Pad will only allow her access to the kids side without a password

Yes screen time is closely monitored with a timer and passcode that only the adults know, it works well

we have parental controls on TV and netflix, and they only go on the tablet when we are with them, its actually kept locked in my room when not in use. We have also had a chat about the dos and donts of online behaviour.

DC is 2 and so gets only supervised screen time.

Everything is set up in my email and accounts so that I can keep an eye on what she is watching and doing on her tablet, plus she is always playing on it whilst she is in the same room as me so I know what she is up to at all times

We've drummed it into DD that she's never to click on anything if she's unsure of what it is. She's never allowed unsupervised internet access. She has a children's Netflix profile but loves watching dinosaur things that sometimes are only available on adult profile (still only PG- she's not allowed to watch 12s) and she knows she must ask us if she wants to watch these so we can set them up in case she sees things she shouldn't. YouTube isn't something she's into as yet. She's only 7 just now but exercises a healthy amount of caution... long may this continue!

Only under supervision