Parental controls are software or device-specific options that allow parents to monitor their child’s internet use and restrict the content or applications they could access online.

According to Dr Ocansey who is a lecturer at the Department of Information Technology (IT) Studies of the University of Pro­fessional Studies, Accra (UPSA), this would keep them safe from the increasing online risks.

He gave the advice when he addressed the Technology Trends and Awareness Webinar Series organised by the Department on Thursday on the theme “How to protect your child online.”

The virtual event, open to academic, students and the public sought to raise awareness of digi­tal technology developments and their implications for individu­als,organisations, and society.

It was also to explore how the current digital technologies could be used to solve problems as well as help people live safely, and conduct themselves responsibly within the digital space.

Dr Ocansey said some parental control software which were easy to use included Nortonfamily, Google family link, Microsoft familylink, Kaspersky family, Qustodio and Bark.

He said they could be activated in browsers, routers, mobile de­vices and smart Television to limit the time children spent online as well as monitor their location and that of other family members.

As part of his presentation, he demonstrated how these controls work.

He said the COVID-19 pan­demic and its restrictions resulted in people including children spending more time online, there­by increasing their risk to negative experience and interactions.

“Children can be exploited while they are online by adult who are not concerned about their welfare. Children can be groomed for sexual exploitation and crime,” he said.

Dr Ocansey said despite the good uses of the digital world, issues children faced included screen time, cyberbullying, sex­ting, fake news and inappropriate which had negative effect on the children.

Referencing data from Statis­ta, an online platform, he said, games playing was the most popular online activity engaged in by children worldwide on mobile devices as of September 2021, followed by, watching YouTube videos, working on school assign­ment and communicating with family and friends.

Aside from using technology, and given how smart children were in finding ways around some software, he encouraged parents to spend more time with their children in order to know what they are exposed to.

Asked about how early or late parents should be exposed to mobile devices, he said it was hinged on the parent’s choice,“but boundaries should be set to keep them safe.”

The Executive Director, Child Online Africa, Awo Aidam Amenyah, said it was important for stakeholders to work together to help children derive the best from online while staying safe.