Internet Safety

This week we discuss Internet Safety with a focus on child safety when using the internet.

My eleven year old son got a gift of a tablet for Christmas. He has internet access and I am concerned that he may have access to inappropriate material online. Is there any way of preventing him from accessing certain websites? Can I block certain websites completely and can I filter others? What general advice would you offer?

 When it comes to internet safety, basic safeguards are easy to put in place. The tablet (or laptop etc.) will come with its own parental control options. Video tutorials are also easily available online which will offer guidance on security settings. Further, as an additional security, one may purchase parental control packages which will block unsuitable websites, monitor a child’s emails and the chat rooms they are visiting and will also send reports to parents.

You should also consider changing the Google search toolbar for Google SafeSearch which will automatically filter out explicit content. Similarly, you may turn on YouTube Safety Mode which will also filter out inappropriate content. Also, turn off “suggested auto-play” on YouTube to stop your child from viewing content that they have not directly selected on YouTube videos.

Facebook requires a user to be aged at least 13 years to create an account.  WhatsApp, which allows users to share messages and photos, has a minimum age requirement of 16 years.

Banning a child from a particular social network website may be pointless as technology changes so fast and children will always find a new website or app that parents haven’t heard of. It may be best to impress upon a child that sharing of personal information such as age, school, address or phone number is forbidden and to be as nice to people as you would in the playground.

Locations

ATHLONE

Oak House,
39-41 Mardyke Street,
Athlone,
Co. Westmeath
N37 TA44

Tel: (090) 647 8433
Email: info@bccsolicitors.ie

GALWAY

9 Gray Office Park,
Galway Retail Park,
Headford Road,
Galway City
H91 WC1P

Tel: (091) 511 421
Email: info@bccsolicitors.ie

DUBLIN

24–26
Upper Ormond Quay,
Dublin 7

Tel: (090) 647 8433
Email: info@bccsolicitors.ie

MOATE

Main Street,
Moate,
Co. Westmeath
N37 EW70

Tel: (090) 648 2090
Email: info@bccsolicitors.ie

LANESBOROUGH

Main Street,
Lanesborough,
Co. Longford
N39 C8Y7

Tel: (043) 332 1200
Email: info@bccsolicitors.ie

{"map_options":{"center_lat":"53.42304530000001","center_lng":"-7.935199000000001","zoom":7,"map_type_id":"ROADMAP","fit_bounds":false,"draggable":true,"scroll_wheel":true,"display_45_imagery":"","marker_default_icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png","infowindow_setting":"","infowindow_bounce_animation":"mouseover","infowindow_drop_animation":false,"close_infowindow_on_map_click":false,"infowindow_skin":"","default_infowindow_open":false,"infowindow_open_event":"mouseover","full_screen_control":false,"search_control":true,"zoom_control":false,"map_type_control":false,"street_view_control":false,"full_screen_control_position":"TOP_LEFT","search_control_position":"TOP_LEFT","zoom_control_position":"TOP_LEFT","map_type_control_position":"TOP_RIGHT","map_type_control_style":"HORIZONTAL_BAR","street_view_control_position":"TOP_LEFT","map_control":true,"map_control_settings":false,"map_zoom_after_search":6,"width":"","height":"750"},"places":[{"id":"1","title":"Athlone","address":"39-41 Mardyke Street, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, Ireland","source":"manual","content":"BCC Solicitors","location":{"icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png","lat":"53.42304530000001","lng":"-7.935199000000001","city":"Athlone","state":"County Westmeath","country":"Ireland","onclick_action":"marker","redirect_custom_link":"","marker_image":"","open_new_tab":"yes","postal_code":"","draggable":false,"infowindow_default_open":false,"animation":"BOUNCE","infowindow_disable":true,"zoom":5,"extra_fields":""},"categories":[{"id":"1","name":"marker","type":"category","extension_fields":[],"icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png"}],"custom_filters":""},{"id":"2","title":"Galway City","address":"Gray Office Park, Galway Retail Park, Headford Road, Galway, Ireland","source":"manual","content":"BCC Solicitors","location":{"icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png","lat":"53.2801215","lng":"-9.051425","city":"Galway","state":"County Galway","country":"Ireland","onclick_action":"marker","redirect_custom_link":"","marker_image":"","open_new_tab":"yes","postal_code":"","draggable":false,"infowindow_default_open":false,"animation":"BOUNCE","infowindow_disable":true,"zoom":5,"extra_fields":""},"categories":[{"id":"1","name":"marker","type":"category","extension_fields":[],"icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png"}],"custom_filters":""},{"id":"3","title":"Dublin 7","address":"24-26 Ormond Quay Upper, Dublin 7, Ireland","source":"manual","content":"BCC Solicitors\r\n","location":{"icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png","lat":"53.3458842","lng":"-6.2705928","city":"","state":"County Dublin","country":"Ireland","onclick_action":"marker","redirect_custom_link":"","marker_image":"","open_new_tab":"yes","postal_code":"","draggable":false,"infowindow_default_open":false,"animation":"BOUNCE","infowindow_disable":true,"zoom":5,"extra_fields":""},"categories":[{"id":"1","name":"marker","type":"category","extension_fields":[],"icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png"}],"custom_filters":""},{"id":"4","title":"Moate","address":"Main Street, Cartronkeel, Moate, Co. Westmeath, Ireland","source":"manual","content":"BCC Solicitors","location":{"icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png","lat":"53.3951196","lng":"-7.719349999999999","city":"","state":"County Westmeath","country":"Ireland","onclick_action":"marker","redirect_custom_link":"","marker_image":"","open_new_tab":"yes","postal_code":"","draggable":false,"infowindow_default_open":false,"animation":"BOUNCE","infowindow_disable":true,"zoom":5,"extra_fields":""},"categories":[{"id":"1","name":"marker","type":"category","extension_fields":[],"icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png"}],"custom_filters":""},{"id":"5","title":"Longford","address":"Main Street, Lanesborough, Longford, Ireland","source":"manual","content":"BCC Solicitors","location":{"icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png","lat":"53.6732227","lng":"-7.9904296","city":"","state":"County Longford","country":"Ireland","onclick_action":"marker","redirect_custom_link":"","marker_image":"","open_new_tab":"yes","postal_code":"","draggable":false,"infowindow_default_open":false,"animation":"BOUNCE","infowindow_disable":true,"zoom":5,"extra_fields":""},"categories":[{"id":"1","name":"marker","type":"category","extension_fields":[],"icon":"https:\/\/bccsolicitors.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/coolicon.png"}],"custom_filters":""}],"styles":"[{\"featureType\":\"water\",\"elementType\":\"geometry\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#e9e9e9\"},{\"lightness\":17}]},{\"featureType\":\"landscape\",\"elementType\":\"geometry\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#f5f5f5\"},{\"lightness\":20}]},{\"featureType\":\"road.highway\",\"elementType\":\"geometry.fill\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#ffffff\"},{\"lightness\":17}]},{\"featureType\":\"road.highway\",\"elementType\":\"geometry.stroke\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#ffffff\"},{\"lightness\":29},{\"weight\":0.2}]},{\"featureType\":\"road.arterial\",\"elementType\":\"geometry\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#ffffff\"},{\"lightness\":18}]},{\"featureType\":\"road.local\",\"elementType\":\"geometry\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#ffffff\"},{\"lightness\":16}]},{\"featureType\":\"poi\",\"elementType\":\"geometry\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#f5f5f5\"},{\"lightness\":21}]},{\"featureType\":\"poi.park\",\"elementType\":\"geometry\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#dedede\"},{\"lightness\":21}]},{\"elementType\":\"labels.text.stroke\",\"stylers\":[{\"visibility\":\"on\"},{\"color\":\"#ffffff\"},{\"lightness\":16}]},{\"elementType\":\"labels.text.fill\",\"stylers\":[{\"saturation\":36},{\"color\":\"#333333\"},{\"lightness\":40}]},{\"elementType\":\"labels.icon\",\"stylers\":[{\"visibility\":\"off\"}]},{\"featureType\":\"transit\",\"elementType\":\"geometry\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#f2f2f2\"},{\"lightness\":19}]},{\"featureType\":\"administrative\",\"elementType\":\"geometry.fill\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#fefefe\"},{\"lightness\":20}]},{\"featureType\":\"administrative\",\"elementType\":\"geometry.stroke\",\"stylers\":[{\"color\":\"#fefefe\"},{\"lightness\":17},{\"weight\":1.2}]}]","listing":"","marker_cluster":"","map_property":{"map_id":"2","debug_mode":false}}
Scroll to Top