Parental control software

Parental control app and software is a great way to ensure your child's safety online and give them the freedom to explore the internet without worrying about potential risks. The software allows parents to monitor their child's online activities, block inappropriate content, and set limits on their kids' time spent on the internet. By using parental control apps and software, parents help protect their children from online predators, cyberbullying, and many other threats. In this article, we will explore the importance of parental control apps and software, its features, and how it empowers you to ensure your child's online safety.

Kids using a tablet

The top internet threats facing kids today

In today's technology-driven era, children are exposed to the digital world from an early age and keeping kids safe online has never been so important than it is now. While the internet offers immense benefits for learning, entertainment, and communication, it also presents a lot of potential risks and dangers. As a concerned parent, it's crucial to protect your child's online experience and this is where parental controls can help. In this section, we'll delve into the reasons why parental control software is essential in today's digital landscape. We'll discuss the potential risks associated with unsupervised internet access. By highlighting these risks, we aim to create awareness and emphasize the importance of implementing reliable parental control measures.

Cyberbullying

With the rise of social media platforms and online communication tools, cyberbullying has emerged as a significant problem for many children. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying, in which individuals use digital devices to harass, intimidate, or harm others psychologically. This can take the form of hurtful messages, spreading rumors, sharing embarrassing photos or videos, or even creating fake profiles with the goal of deceiving and humiliating the bullied kid. In many cases, this is done anonymously, making it difficult for victims to identify the perpetrators. Cyberbullying often occurs 24/7, making it hard for victims to escape the abuse.

One example of cyberbullying is when a person sets up a fake social media account to pretend to be someone else and posts hurtful or shaming comments or messages. Another example is when a group of people gang up on an individual and continuously send them abusive messages or posts. Cyberbullying also occurs through the sharing of embarrassing photos or videos without the victim's consent, which is known as sextortion. Sextortion is the act of threatening to distribute sexually explicit images or videos of a person unless they comply with the blackmailer's demands. In some cases, the images or videos may be shared online, leading to reputational damage or legal consequences.

Cyberbullying is a serious problem facing kids today and has the potential to cause long-lasting emotional and psychological damage. This can have devastating consequences for the victim, leading to depression, anxiety, and even suicide. It is important for parents and educators to be aware of the signs of cyberbullying and to take action to prevent it from happening. Many victims still have psychological problems caused by cyberbullying in adulthood.

Cyberbullying - Parental Control Software

Inappropriate content

The internet hosts an array of content, not all of which is suitable for young eyes. Explicit or violent material, gambling sites, and age-inappropriate games expose children to harmful experiences, affecting their emotional well-being and moral development. Depending on the age of the child, explicit content causes trauma in kids that will keep them engaged for longer and, if not addressed, lead to serious psychological problems. In addition to pornographic content, minors also quickly end up on Internet sites that devastate violence or use vulgar language. Furthermore, there are many websites on the Internet that advocate extremist political positions and use the Internet to attract new young members. Especially on the Internet, children can easily develop questionable views that become more entrenched as they grow older.

Online predators

Online predators are individuals who use the internet to target and exploit vulnerable children and teenagers. They operate by creating fake profiles on social media platforms and chat rooms, pretending to be someone else to gain the trust of their victims. Once they have established a relationship with the minor, they may begin to request personal information, such as their name, address, and phone number. In some cases, predators may also try to persuade children to send explicit photos or videos of themselves, which they then use to blackmail and manipulate their victims.

Phishing and scams

Children's innocence and lack of experience make them susceptible targets for phishing attacks and online scams. Fraudsters may pose as trustworthy individuals or organizations to deceive minors into revealing personal information, sharing sensitive images, or making unauthorized purchases. By clicking on links or downloading files, kids quickly fall into cost traps. This quickly leads to high costs, especially since children are often unable to recognize these costs beforehand. They may even get caught in subscription traps that are not noticeable at the beginning, but can cause significant long-term costs.

Malware

Many sites on the Internet pursue the goal of installing malware in the form of viruses or trojans on computers. This happens very quickly with just a few mouse clicks. Children, in particular, often find it difficult to assess which sites are spreading malware. These websites may lure them with free downloads of games, videos or music. Just one click leads to the installation of the malware on your pc, where it accesses sensitive personal data. Removing the malware is often difficult and usually only possible with great effort, because many people do not even realize that there is malware on their computer.

How computer overuse affects your child's health

Parental Control Software can help to stop computer overuse

In today's digital world, it is not uncommon for minors to be addicted to computers and technology. Digital addiction is a growing concern among parents as children spend more and more time on their computers, tablets, and smartphones. This addiction can have severe consequences for a child's physical and mental health. This section will explore the physical and psychological effects of computer overuse.

Sedentary lifestyle and physical health

One of the primary concerns associated with excessive computer time is the sedentary lifestyle it promotes. Extended periods spent sitting in front of a screen lead to a lack of physical activity, which in turn contributes to a range of health issues in children. These include obesity, poor posture, weakened muscles, and an increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Excessive computer use can have several short-term and long-term consequences for your child's health. For example, kids who spend many hours in front of the computer may develop neck and shoulder pain due to poor posture.

Academic performances

Digital addiction also affects academic performance. Overreliance on computers for entertainment and information hinders the development of critical thinking skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities in children. Additionally, excessive screen time has been linked to decreased attention spans and impaired memory. All of this leads to significant impairments in school and academic performance.

Social life

Another short-term consequence of computer overuse is the impact on their social lives. Children who spend too much time on the computer may miss out on important social interactions with family and friends, which leads to feelings of isolation and loneliness. While computers offer opportunities for virtual communication and socialization, excessive computer time hinders the development of crucial social skills in children. Spending too much time online may lead to a decreased interest in face-to-face interactions, reduced empathy, and difficulties in building meaningful relationships.

Vision problems

Excessive computer time also has adverse effects on children's eyesight. Staring at a screen for prolonged periods strains the eyes and leads to digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome. This is caused by blue light damaging the retina and the reduction of blinking frequency, which occur during prolonged concentration on a screen. Symptoms may include eye strain, dry eyes, eye fatigue, blurred vision, and headaches.

Sleep disruptions

The use of computers, especially before bedtime, disrupts children's sleep patterns. The blue light emitted by screens interferes with the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. Irregular sleep patterns or insufficient sleep impact children's overall well-being, leading to mood swings, difficulties concentrating, and decreased academic performance. Additionally, computer overuse leads to fatigue and irritability during the day. Establishing a screen-free bedtime routine and limiting computer use close to bedtime helps promote healthy sleep habits.

What does the parental control software Salfeld do?

The parental control app and software is a tool that allows parents to monitor and control their children's online activities helping to keep them safe. It is designed to protect kids from online threats. This parental control software can be installed on computers, tablets, and smartphones. For setting up and managing parental control software, we have a web portal that you can easily access through your web browser or our app. In this section, we'll take a closer look at the key features offered by modern parental control software like Salfeld.

Time limiting

With parental control app and software, you can easily set screen time limits for the use of digital devices including PC, table and child's phone. You can choose whether you want to set a daily, weekly or monthly limit. Upon reaching the predefined time limit, the computer will initiate an automatic shutdown, effectively communicating to your child that the allocated time has elapsed. By establishing explicit time constraints and exercising precise control, you eliminate any room for debate with your child. Furthermore, if your child utilizes the computer for educational purposes, you have the option to specify that only designated programs can be accessed once the allotted time has lapsed. Additionally, you may consider granting your child time credits for the use of school-approved software.

Content filtering

Also, with parental control software, you can determine which websites your child can access and which applications they can use. This can include web filtering for adult content and block apps that are deemed to be unsafe both on mobile devices and desktop computers. You either set filters that exclude visiting certain websites by category or age, or immediately create a list of sites that your child is allowed to visit without hesitation. This gives you the opportunity to review websites with your child before adding them to the list. Additionally, you can set a limit for each website to prevent your child from spending too much time playing an online game or on social media. This gives you full parental control over which websites can be visited all from the parental app.

Protocolling

Your child's online activities are accurately logged by our parental control software. You immediately see how long your children have spent on the computer in total and on which sites they have surfed or which programs they have used. If you prefer to retrieve the logs via your email client, this is also no problem. Optionally, you can configure the parental control software to automatically send log reports to the email address you specify on a daily basis or at intervals you specify.

Roaming

If your child uses multiple devices, and you want to set a total time for computer, tablet and smartphone use, that's not a problem either. With the help of the roaming function, the time of use of all devices is added together. This prevents your child from simply continuing to play on the smartphone or tablet after the set limit is reached.

Time credits as a reward

In addition, it is possible to give your child time credits in the form of TANs. You can give these as a reward for good performance at school or for activities performed at home. The child is free to decide when to use the credit by entering the TAN. When creating the TAN, parents can specify whether time should be credited for general use or individual applications. By using parental control software, you gain access to a comprehensive framework that facilitates the seamless implementation of positive reinforcement to recognize your child's commendable achievements. This, in turn, encourages the cultivation of a balanced mindset around the interplay between productivity and leisure activities.

Try out Salfeld's parental control software

If you are interested in the parental control software from Salfeld, you can test the software free of charge and without obligation for 30 days. You can easily download the software for all current Windows versions and all Android smartphones. If our parental monitoring and control software has piqued your interest, you will have the option to select from various pricing packages, tailored to accommodate the number of devices you intend to monitor concurrently. This flexible approach ensures a seamless alignment between your requirements and the chosen tariff, facilitating an effortless selection process. If you still have questions about our parental monitoring software, we recommend that you read our comprehensive online help and frequently asked questions (FAQ) sections, as well as watch the available tutorial videos. Alternatively, please feel free to contact us directly via our dedicated contact form to convey your message to us.

Salfeld Parental Control Software

Free trial!

30 day trial without any obligation

Download Pricing Features