New technologies: do not fear them, just establish rules of use

Any innovation causes fear. A clear example are the new technologies and Internet. Tools that although they offer great utilities to the society, still provoke great rejection by the dangers What they entail: addiction, grooming, cyberbullying, these are just some of the risks faced by those who surf the web. But this does not mean that you have to fear these instruments.

This is explained by several experts of the Junta de Andalucía, who propose not to prohibit the use of new technologies, but to establish some rules of use. Regulations that allow you to take advantage of all these instruments and not fear them. While you have to know that there are risks, you should also remember many of the benefits that new generations can get.

Internet also enriches

Faced with so many cases of cyberbullying, grooming and other events related to the Internet, many parents may think that the network only offers dangers. But none of that, the internet enriches the new generations. Proper use of these technologies allows children to access a vital amount of information to perform school work or access other contents to expand their knowledge.

These are some remarkable benefits of the internet:

- Access to updated and multimedia information.

- Immediate and free communication with distant people.

- Support in school tasks when accessing school material from virtual platforms of these centers.

- Quick information channel between home and school.

In this sense, it is recommended to parents inform of possible dangerous websites and act with them. The main thing is to identify potential risks online and act accordingly. This also means not allowing your children to navigate alone, every parent must know what their children's activity is in this online world where there is both dangerous and beneficial content.

To prevent also you can install parental control tools that prevent access to certain websites potentially dangerous and likely to cause problems. Being up to date with these instruments will also allow children to make free access to Internet risks.

Rules of use for children on the Internet

While there is no need to fear the internet, it is necessary to make clear a series of rules before they start using these technologies. These are some proposals from Defender of the Minor of the Community of Madrid:

- Establish agreed rules with the children to surf the internet. It is necessary to make clear to the smallest ones that in Internet they will find good and bad things and that for that reason they must assume norms in order to prevent these dangers. Reflect on the utility of these standards.

- Only allow navigation when there is an adult at home. The computer must be in a common space at home where an adult personally supervises the activity of the little ones.

- Never give personal information. If any website requests a telephone, address or any other information that allows the location of the minor, it must never be offered through these online platforms.

- Internet never at night. The use of the Internet must be done during the day and evening, at night it is important to rest and, in any case, socialize with the family.

Damián Montero