Because of the shifting of education towards online learning due to the coronavirus pandemic,
children are now exposed to the internet at least four to five hours a day. Although the
technological advancement of the recent years has already started the cyber-shift, as more and
more innovations are made and the internet became more accessible, it is the restrictions and
guideline to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that accelerates the online learning.
The coronavirus is disease causing pathogen which affects the respiratory system and other
bodily function by targeting the immune system of the infected individual. It originated in a
province in Mainland China back in the latter months of 2019, hence its infamous name, covid-
19. The virus is spread through respiratory droplets from infected person, that is why in order
to prevent mass infection and further worsening of the pandemic, governments were forced to
put in place measures and guidelines. These guidelines include; no mass gatherings, public
areas are closed indefinitely, wearing of face protections like facemasks and face-shields, as
well as constant hand sanitation, and social/physical distancing. Because of these guidelines,
one of the first to close are schools and Universities.
At the beginning, it was all a waiting game, everyone was at a stand-still. The first couple of
months of 2020, the educational sector was waiting on what is going to happen, trying to see if
things are going to get better after a few months. However, as the start of the school-year
2020-2021 rolls in, it became apparent that the pandemic isn’t going away any time soon, with
the spiking transmission curves and with hospitals being overwhelmed by patients. Face to face
classes is not an option, the risks are too many and it was against the IATF guidelines, so the

education sector decided to turn to blended approach, combining modular and online
education.
Due to this development, young students are now being exposed to the internet more
frequently than ever before. As logical of a choice as it is, this also pose significant threat to the
children.
Invasion of privacy, cyberbullying, sexting, and harassment are all threats to children's online
safety. Parental controls, applications, and tracking software are all options for protecting your
children. However, the most effective approach to keep your children safe online is to explain
to them about the dangers of the internet, how to avoid them, and how to contact you if
something goes wrong.
Parents must be aware of online threats and know how to help their children and adolescents
avoid them in order to ensure their children's and teens' internet safety. Majority of children in
country have access to internet now a day. They interact in online games or on their
smartphones in the same way that they would on a playground. They are primarily part of a
digital community. However, there are hazards and dangers in any society.
Parents are the greatest people to keep an eye on their children's online
activities. They are also the adults to whom most children will turn if they are exposed to
online risks. To safeguard your children or teens from digital risks, you must first understand
what they do online.

Setting explicit guidelines and clarifying why each rule exists, as well as the hazard it protects
against, can assist your child in comprehending potential dangers. Your child's rules should
focus on protecting their online privacy, safety, and personal information.
A way to keep a child safe while using gadgets is to make sure that there are people around
them whenever they go online. To monitor your children's Internet usage, keep their computer
in a common area of the house where you or someone else can see them. It is also advisable to
always check a child’s browsing history to make sure that they don’t access sites that can
expose them to non-child-friendly contents like nudity or violence.
Using child proof security software and tools can also help protect young people online. These
tools can restrict sites and contents they can get their hands onto. These can also protect
personal information. Many phone brands now include these settings where the parents or
guardian can indicate what sites are forbidden as well as the time spent in certain apps. The
parents should always have access to the passwords that the children use.
But most importantly, always be vigilant and observant towards the child’s behavior and
actions. Changing in behavior is one of the telltale signs of cyberbullying or online predators. If
a child suddenly acts differently, loses apatite, or became secretive, parents must intervene.
Find the cause of the changes. It can be simple mode or it can be a serious reason, it is better to
know before it’s too late.
With the pandemic still ongoing, online classes and exposure will be part of our norms for the
undetermined future so it is in our best interest to adapt and be educated on how to keep our
children safe online and how to prevent predators from endangering them in the cyber world.

SOURCES:
https://www.consumernotice.org/data-protection/internet-safety-for-kids/
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/net-safety.html
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0017-kids-and-computer-security
https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/kids-online-safety

By: Joylyn Peralta