As a parent in today’s digital age, I am concerned about my child’s safety, particularly when it comes to what they can access on their smartphones. With all of the new developments in technology, adults and guardians need to be savvy with what is being shared with their kids.
I am well aware of the dangers that lurk on the Net, from bullying to violent images to sexual exploitation. But as an older adult who did not grow with the type of technology available today, sometimes I am not always sure what I can do, to protect my young girl.
This year, I gave my ten-year-old daughter her first Smartphone. I wasn’t sure if that was the right decision, but after months of pleading, I finally caved. In general, she is a bright and affable child who is quite mature for her age. After speaking it over with my husband, we decided that a Smartphone might be helpful towards peer socializing and could even assist with her school work. Besides, as foreign as it seems to me, it is common for this new generation to own such devices-even for someone as young as seven years old. Upon researching, we saw that the average age for a child to own a Smartphone was ten years old, so that made us feel as though we were making the right decision.
We provided our daughter with an iPhone, and of course, her first question was whether or not she could use some apps. Both my husband and I are well versed in the wide variety of fun apps that available for kids, so I figured that would be fine. However, it did prompt us to consider apps that could assist in monitoring phone safety. This consideration led us to the discovery of SafeToNet.
SafeToNet is an innovative tool that helps to protect children against sexting, bullying, and violent language. It offers a ‘smart keyboard’ that can detect risky messages while in the moment. It actually filters incoming messages that appear questionable, offering children predesigned responses that can educate them and steers them away from potential danger.
What I really appreciate about this app is the fact that it oversees my child’s digital well-being.
The app doesn’t invade my daughter’s privacy. Instead, it is designed to guide the user through conversations and information that happens within digital communication. It’s a tool that informs, rather than spies, and as someone who values my child’s growth and independence, I appreciate the long-term effect that this kind of teaching can have on new Smartphone users.
I liked that a 30-day free trial was included in the subscription. It provided us with the opportunity to explore the options and features, together as a family, in order to see if it genuinely suited our needs. And I also loved that the app needed to be installed on both my phone as well as my child’s phone. The software pairs the two devices together so that as a parent, I can also keep track of the app’s usage.
Neither I nor my husband wants to stunt our child’s curiosity over the digital world. We understand that kids will be exposed to all sorts of information on the web, and much of it can be quite useful towards development and education.
With SafeToNet, we can feel reassured that this app will oversee messages that can be potentially harmful. It also serves to empower our daughter to make smart digital decisions that will benefit her in the future.
SafeToNet is a children’s safety net when it comes to Smartphone protection.
Rating: 10/ 10
Price: Free
