Screens are all over our daily lives, reminding us of meetings and appointments, serving up a friend’s vacation pictures, even helping our kids with homework. It’s gotten increasingly difficult to stay on top of our digital lives and data security, and that confusion is compounded when you add kids and tech into the equation. Shouldn’t this be easier?
That’s where Safer Internet Day comes in. The advocacy event started in 2004 as an initiative of the EU SafeBorders project, but given the universal nature of its goals, #SID quickly became an international undertaking and today about 150 different countries join in. NCTA is proud to once again be a sponsor, not only to support a better and more informed internet experience for children and their families, but also to raise awareness of the valuable resources available throughout the industry that can help parents steer their kids towards making safe and savvy online choices.
ISPs and TV networks, after all, have long prioritized families and provided ways to empower users with the resources and tools necessary to stay safe online. Cable companies give parents the power to decide for themselves which content is acceptable for their families and which should be blocked, and those controls extend beyond the TV set. For example, the xFi system from Comcast offers parental control functions for home internet networks, letting parents set time, content, and device restrictions for their kids. This flexibility means families with teenagers and kindergarteners can have different rules best suited to each child’s needs.
In addition to built-in features to their services, the industry also offers a variety of informational resources to further empower families. ISPs like Cox and Midco provide resource programs and portals for parents and families. And be sure to check out FaMFriendly.com for everything from guides to talking with kids about online behavior, to the #ICYMI video series highlighting the latest in parental control technology. FaM also provides guides about TV ratings, social media, cyberbullying, and other topics to help parents and families better navigate their digital lives safely.
For more information on how to get involved with Safer Internet Day, be sure to visit saferinternetday.us and use the hashtags #SID2020, #SaferInternetDay and follow the account @SafeInternetDay.