Rethinking Parental Controls: Bridging Gaps in Digital Parenting
A study reveals that nearly half of parents aren't using parental controls on children’s devices due to design flaws and lack of communication support. Effective parental controls should involve open dialogue between parents and children about online safety. Collaborative efforts are necessary for improving child safety in the digital realm.
- Country:
- Canada
In today's digital age, parenting faces unique challenges, with many parents struggling to manage their children's online interactions effectively. A recent survey by the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) found that close to 50 percent of parents aren't using parental controls, despite their potential utility in filtering out inappropriate content.
Parents often find these controls overwhelming and poorly designed, lacking support for open communication with their children. Studies echo this concern, indicating that parental controls, as they are currently implemented, often introduce more problems than they solve.
Rather than imposing parental controls unilaterally, fostering open communication between parents and children is crucial for navigating online safety. Experts advocate for a collaborative approach to digital safety, ensuring children acquire resilient behaviors and parents leverage better-designed tools.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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