As a parent, you naturally want to protect your children against the dangers of the internet, but you also probably want to use the internet more safely. You agree that they only add acquaintances on social media like Facebook, that they don't talk to strangers online, or worse, meet live. You make agreements about how you deal with the internet. But the risks of the internet cannot always be agreed upon. How can you limit the risks a bit for your children and for yourself?
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As a family you share an internet connection. What one person does on that connection has consequences for the other. That is why it is a good idea to take measures from the point where the internet is distributed – the router. You can do that with a so-called VPN. That stands for Virtual Private Network and is an encrypted tunnel between the connected device and the internet. All data sent by the VPN is encrypted. That way hackers can't monitor your connection.
Now I have a man in the house who arranges and sets up these kinds of things for us, but it is actually not that difficult. You can also contact your provider if you have any questions.
You can purchase a VPN from a VPN service. For a certain amount per month, your connection will be more secure. Some VPN providers have options for installing the VPN directly on the router, so that all computers and smart home devices on the network are immediately connected to it. This makes the internet a lot safer for your family. Do you have no knowledge of technology yourself? Perhaps one of your older children can help you with it, or you can enlist the help of a neighbor or wife.
A VPN ensures that your internet is safer and that the data you send is encrypted, but it also has other advantages. For example, another advantage is that you are more difficult to follow. Malicious persons can track your IP address and find out from which location you are connecting. Malicious persons will then know approximately where you live. Not really a safe idea if you have young children surfing the internet, for example. When you connect to a VPN, the service lends you an IP address (often from abroad). This makes it more difficult to trace you and you can surf the internet more safely.
Another added benefit:if you surf with a VPN and the family are Netflix users, you can watch a wider range of movies and series on Netflix. You can then also connect to the American Netflix, so that you get to see a larger range. Actually, Netflix does not like that people use a VPN for that, but it is just legal according to Dutch law. This way your children also learn some extra English and you can watch other series and films in addition to safer internet.
To make sure that the provider is right for you, it is best to try a trial subscription. You then benefit from all the features that you could use if you paid for it. The trial period runs for a certain period, for example fourteen days. You can test the connection for speed, security, stability and user-friendliness. Do you like the VPN? Then you can purchase a monthly subscription. Don't like it? Then try another provider. A VPN costs only a few dollars a month and is a worthwhile investment to provide safer internet for your family.
