How to Use a VPN for Parental Control: A Simple Guide
The internet can be a dangerous place for children, full of inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and hackers. Parents often wonder how to protect their children online without depriving them of all the internet's capabilities. This is where VPN comes in. In this guide, we will look at how VPN works in tandem with parental control and why it is important to know about this for organizing children's safety online.
Why is it worth combining VPN and parental control?
Parental control is like a filter that filters out all unnecessary content on the Internet for children's attention, so that children have access only to resources that are appropriate for their age. Parental control programs help parents set boundaries: limit time on the Internet, block access to adult sites, or monitor what their child is doing online.
The main features of parental control programs:
- Filter content: clear the Internet of everything unnecessary for the child.
- Limit time: allow you to configure how much time the child can spend online.
- Monitoring: parents can see what sites their child has visited.
A VPN, in turn, is like invisible armor for all your data that identifies you and contacts external resources on the network. When you connect via a VPN, your Internet traffic is encrypted and hidden from prying eyes. It is like a secret tunnel through which information passes: no one can spy on what you are doing, not even your Internet provider. A VPN is needed not only for security - it allows you to bypass blocking and restricted content. VPN also protects you when you connect to Wi-Fi at the airport or cafes.
VPN itself does not block websites, but it can be a great addition to parental control programs. It keeps your data anonymous, replaces the network address, and makes it difficult for hackers or intruders to access information about your child. While parental controls block websites that are not intended for children, VPNs add a layer of protection, making the online session safer.
This tandem of VPNs and parental control programs provides the user with:
- Data protection: the personal information of the child and parents remains safe.
- Blocking malicious content: parents can block adult websites and other web resources that they consider dangerous.
- Online time limits: parental controls can be set for a certain time of day.
- Threat warnings: programs can signal possible problems, such as cyberbullying.
How to choose a VPN for a family?
Not all VPNs are equally effective when the user's main goal is to protect the child from all sorts of threats and problems present on the network. And when choosing such a VPN, it is important to consider several things:
- Encryption. It should ensure the security of your Internet traffic, making it invisible to cybercriminals.
- A sufficient number of servers. The more servers, the faster the Internet works, plus you can visit sites that are blocked in your region.
- No-logs policy. This means that the VPN does not collect data about your actions.
- Support for all devices. It is important that the VPN works on smartphones, tablets and computers.
- Ease of use. Not everyone is tech savvy, so it's better to choose a VPN with a simple interface that even a child can perform simple actions with.
Top VPN for organizing parental control:
- NordVPN. Has a function for blocking malicious sites and a strict privacy policy.
- ExpressVPN. Filters content and helps parents monitor their children's online activity.
- Surfshark. Blocks ads and trackers, protecting data.
- CyberGhost. Allows you to block access to certain sites and applications.
Once you have chosen a VPN, the setup takes a couple of minutes. Download the app, click a couple of buttons - and you're done. Now your data is protected, and you can safely use the Internet. VPN does not block websites directly, but you can additionally configure DNS services to protect against unnecessary content. You can also set time limits in the VPN settings when the Internet will be available for your child's account. With VPN, you can track which websites your child visits and how much time they spend online.
Technically, you can organize parental control functions through VPN in a variety of ways, which vary depending on the selected VPN service and the desired functions. But no program can replace a conversation with your child. Discuss with them what can and cannot be done on the Internet. Tell them how to behave when faced with threats, and explain why it is important to be careful. Children should understand that parents want to protect them, not control them. It is important to build a trusting relationship so that your child can come to you if problems on the Internet arise.
Private VPN server: reliable protection on the network
Using VPN together with parental control is a great way to protect your child on the Internet. But it is important not only to install programs, but also to explain to children the rules of safe behavior on the network so that they themselves understand how to avoid problems.
If complete security and privacy are important to you, the best solution is to buy a private VPN server on Private VPN server. This will give you more control over your family's Internet traffic and significantly increase the level of protection for children on the network.