Parental controls are software and tools that allow parents to set controls on their children’s internet use. They are a great way of helping prevent children from accessing unsuitable content online.

Talk of ‘controls’ can sometimes be confusing. In essence, there are three types that parents need to be aware of:

• Network level controls are set on the hub or router and apply to all devices connected to that hub or router (covering your whole household.)

• Device level controls are set on the device itself, such as a smartphone, and will apply regardless of how and where the device is connected to the internet.

• Application controls are set on the platform or application that is being used. Examples of this would be the settings applied to Google or YouTube. Check they are set on each device your child has access to.

There are many types of controls available, and they allow you to do a number of different things, such as:

• Filter and block content that you don’t want your children to see, such as violence and mature content.

• Restrict what information is shared.

• Set time limits on how long children are online.

• Control the time of day that children can access the internet.

• Set different profiles so that each family member has an access level that is appropriate to them.

Most internet providers like BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media offer free filters, giving you control over what internet content comes into your home. This means that any device that connects to your home broadband is subject to the controls that you have set on your home router or hub. These are sometimes referred to as ‘whole home filters’.

For more information on this we would advise you call your broadband service provider or follow some of the links we have provided below:

• BT

• Sky

• TalkTalk

• Virgin Media

• Vodafone

The mobile operators allow you to set restrictions on what can be accessed via their networks. Most are automatically set to block mature content and require the account holder’s permission to change this. It is worth checking with your mobile provider exactly what is and is not blocked, and if this applies to their pay-as-you go handsets as well as their pay monthly options.

Controls are not a single solution to staying safe online; talking to your children and encouraging responsible behavior is critical. However, controls are a vital first step to helping to protect your child online, and here are two simple things you can do:

• Set up home broadband parental controls: make use of controls on your home broadband.

• Set controls on your search engine: encourage your child always to use child-friendly search engines and activate and lock the safe search settings on the browsers and platforms they use.

Please follow the link here for more information from Kent Police.