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Internet safety works best as a shared family practice: agree on clear rules, use the privacy and parental controls available across devices and services, and keep conversations open as children gain independence. No setting can prevent every problem, so pair technical safeguards with regular, calm check-ins.
Make a family internet plan together
Start with a plan that reflects your household’s routines and values rather than imposing a generic set of rules. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises families to discuss their expectations with children and revisit the plan as they mature. Its “How to Make a Family Media Plan” page, last updated January 20, 2026, puts it this way: “Every family is different, so create a plan that fits your routines and values. Discuss them with your kids.”
Make expectations concrete and understandable. A family plan can cover:
- When and where screens are used, including screen-free times or places.
- How online activity fits alongside sleep, schoolwork, offline play, and family routines.
- What children should do if a message, image, game, or interaction makes them uncomfortable.
- Whether children may install apps, create accounts, communicate with others, or make purchases without asking first.
Involve children in deciding how the plan works, especially as they get older. Explain the reasons for rules and adjust them when a child’s needs, judgment, or circumstances change.
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How to use parental controls to keep your child safer online
Parental controls can help manage content, time, contacts, purchases, and privacy, but they are not a substitute for guidance. The AAP recommends pairing controls with open discussion and adapting settings over time. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) likewise says that “Talking with your kids about your family’s rules and expectations is key to helping them establish good online habits” in its “Protecting Kids Online” guidance.
Before changing settings, talk with your child about what a control does and why you are using it. Include older children in decisions where appropriate, and choose safeguards that fit their age and the particular device or service.
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Match each control to where it applies
| Where to check | What it may help manage | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Home network | Some content filtering across devices using that network. | A network-level setting may not cover a device using mobile data or another network. Check the router’s current instructions. |
| Device | Screen time, content access, privacy, communications, or purchases, depending on the device. | Settings and menu names vary by device and software version; consult the device maker’s current instructions. |
| App or account | Privacy, who can contact or interact with a child, content, and purchase permissions, where available. | Review the settings within each service. A device-level control may not provide the same options as an app or account. |
| Gaming platform | Depending on the platform, communication, play time, content, or purchases. | Check the platform’s account and family settings, and discuss how the child uses chat and multiplayer features. |
| School device or account | Controls managed by the school or service provider. | Ask the school what settings and monitoring apply; do not assume home controls govern a school-managed device. |
The AAP’s “Set Parental Controls for Safer Media Use” and the FTC’s online-safety guidance describe types of controls, but do not rank products or identify one control as best for every family. Settings can change, so use current official instructions for each device, app, and platform.
Review the settings that matter most
- Content: Consider filtering or age-related content limits where available, while recognizing that filters may miss material or block something appropriate.
- Time: Set limits or schedules if they help your family maintain agreed routines.
- Contacts and communication: Check who can message, call, invite, or interact with your child in apps and games.
- Purchases: Use available approval settings or a passcode to reduce the chance of unintended purchases.
- Privacy and security: Review account visibility, location sharing, and other information-sharing choices before a child begins using a service.
- Activity monitoring: If you use monitoring tools, explain what you can see and why. Consider the child’s age and need for privacy as you decide what is appropriate.
Talk about privacy and personal information
Before a child joins a new app, game, or website, review its privacy settings together. Explain that a service may collect or use information and that information can be connected to advertising. Help children think carefully before sharing details such as their full name, location, school, contact information, photos, or other identifying information.
In the United States, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a specific law for covered online services that collect personal information from children under 13. In covered circumstances, it gives parents rights related to notice, consent, access to information, and deletion. It does not apply to every app or service, and it is not a general privacy law for every age or country. The FTC explains the law and its scope in “Protecting Your Child’s Privacy Online.”
Keep communication open, especially about messages and bullying
Ask regularly what your child sees, sends, and receives online, who they interact with, and how those interactions feel. The AAP recommends checking in early and often about online messages and children’s feelings in “Cyberbullying: How to Help Prevent It,” last updated January 28, 2022.
Make it clear that a child can come to you about something uncomfortable without automatically losing device access. Respond calmly first, listen to what happened, and work out next steps together. A child who expects punishment for reporting a problem may be less willing to ask for help.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Use the conversation to reinforce practical expectations: pause before replying to upsetting messages, do not share or forward hurtful material, and tell a trusted adult if an interaction feels threatening or persistent. Keep the focus on the child’s safety and support rather than blame.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Revisit the plan as your child grows
Online services, devices, and children’s needs change. Check the family plan and relevant settings when a child starts using a new app or device, joins a new game or social space, or shows readiness for more responsibility. As children mature, explain how safeguards can change and give them a meaningful role in reviewing them.
The FTC also identifies Youville as a free, downloadable educational program based on standards and designed for children ages 8–12. It is one optional way to discuss online safety together; it does not replace your family’s rules or ongoing conversations.
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