Category: Online Safety for Kids

Let’s be real here: our computers are our lifelines. We work with them. We order things with them. We use them for entertainment. Our phones, tablets, and even iPods are all computers to their core. Our lives are very much revolve around computers. It would be hard to go a full day without them.

If a virus or malware hits your computers, it will be a major hassle to clean and secure your files. Of course, that is if you’re lucky to catch the problem in time. In some cases, your whole computer may be fried with no hope of retrieving any lost data. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

There are ways to protect your computer from the nightmare of spam, viruses, and malware. Common sense goes a long way in preventing the worst from happening. But taking care of a computer doesn’t always have to be a lot of work. It’s much easier than you think. Here are a few tips to save your computer from utter disaster.

Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware Programs

The installation of a reliable anti-virus program cannot be stressed enough, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. You should also install a program that specializes in scanning for removing malware. These programs can regularly do a deep scan and clean of your entire computer.

Be careful when installing virus protection and malware cleaners. Some of them are legitimate while others will make the problem even worse. How can you tell you are getting a good program to protect your computer? Do your homework. It doesn’t take much to get on Google to check out which programs are recommended by reputable websites.

Anti-Virus typically focuses on protecting your email. Anti-malware programs are better at block malicious websites you visit or block a session hijacking attack.

Ad blocker is your friend!

Blocking pop-up ads will cut down on the chances of being a victim of computer infections, including ransomware. Ransomware is a nasty program that will hold your computer hostage until you pay up.

Pop-up blockers will lessen the chances of getting all sorts of malware or viruses. As well, your web surfing experience will much smoother. The browser you are using will probably have an ad blocker but you’ll need to activate it.

Back up everything!

In case your computer crashes for any reason, make sure everything backed up. Cloud backup programs have made this much easier. External hard drives are also good for backing up files, whether you set it up automatically or do it manually every once in a while. There is nothing worse than losing your treasured pics and videos when it doesn’t take much effort to copy them to another device.

Having a strong password will help too. Not having a password is like leaving your front door wide open. It’s not wise to have a weak password either. Some sites will require at least one capital letter, one number, and one symbol to be strong. However, many accounts your sign up for are not so picky. Choose a unique password for each of your accounts.

Keep all software up to date.

Out-of-date software is an invitation for malware and viruses. Within all of your computer programs, select “automatic updates” and you won’t have to worry about it. This includes your computer operating systems, whether it be Windows, Mac or any tablet.

For additional protection, a VPN might be a good way to go too. More people are looking for a secure way to enjoy their time on the internet. This will keep out spying eyes for sure. It does not take more to look up how to install a VPN either. Again, just be careful to look for a legitimate VPN system that will not mess up a computer.

Use Comment Sense. In all your online activities, don’t rely on an anti-virus software program to do all the work for you. If an email looks suspicious, don’t click the link or open the attachment. Delete it right away. If a website doesn’t look right, close your browser and don’t visit the site again.

Read about more ways to protect yourself online:

How Browsing Fingerprinting is Used to Track You

We spend a lot of time online these days. It’s how we communicate, shop, find directions, and more. But the internet is a complicated place, and it’s possible to run into trouble online if you aren’t careful. Since knowing is half the battle, we’ve got some basic security tips to help keep you safe while you’re online.

1. Use the right type of internet connection

Not all internet connections are the same, and the type of connection you’re on can have a big impact on your safety and security. There are several different types of internet connections that you might run into:

• Private Wi-Fi. This network or hotspot requires a password to access it.

• Public Wi-Fi. This network either has no password or the password is posted for anyone to find.

• Mobile internet. This is the LTE or 5G connection your phone uses. Mobile internet doesn’t require a password, but it’s more secure than public Wi-Fi because your data is generally encrypted for safety.

• Satellite internet. Satellite internet uses satellites to send signals, instead of underground cables or towers. This network is most common in rural areas.

Since anyone can connect to a public network, it’s possible for people to see what you’re doing online, access your devices, or steal your personal information. If you’re using a public network, never enter any passwords or other private information.

2. Always know who you’re talking to

Avoid sharing personal information with strangers. Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know on social media. It’s also a good idea to go through your friends and followers every once in a while, and remove anyone you don’t recognize or trust.

Why? The people you’re friends with can see any personal information you share, like addresses. You don’t want strangers knowing where you’re at. In fact, it’s a good idea to not post your address or location at all. If you need to share it, do so in a private message or text.

3. Don’t open anything from a stranger

Knowing what you can trust online is important. One of the oldest internet safety rules is to never open anything from someone you don’t know. This situation is one of the most common ways to get infected with a computer virus. This tip goes for email attachments, links in text messages, and AirDrops from strangers.

To go a step further, set your AirDrop settings to Contacts Only so random strangers can’t send you things you don’t want.

4. What to do if you see anything strange on the internet

Parents should be talking to their children about inappropriate content, but it’s a sensitive topic.  As child, if you come across anything that makes you uncomfortable or suspicious, don’t be afraid to quickly leave the web page and share about it with an adult you trust. You should be open and honest about what you see on the internet, and asking someone about it won’t get you in trouble.

The internet is such a part of our lives that it can be easy to forget that we need to be careful. These basics will go a long way toward keeping you safe so you can relax and get the most out of your time online.

Victoria Schmid enjoys writing about technology for the “everyday” person. She is a specialist in online business marketing and consumer technology. She has a background in broadcast journalism.

Parents:  As your kids learn how to navigate the world wide web within the safety of the guidelines you’ve set up, learn about tools to help you monitor internet activity with the best parental control app.

Safe Search Kids is a custom search engine enhanced by Google to allow everyone to search the internet more safely.  We use Google’s SafeSearch features with additional filtering added to block potentially harmful material at home and in schools. This search filtering is available on computers, laptops, tablets and phones.

In addition to accessibility on any device, our internet filtering work on any browser and provide a way for parents at home and teachers in school to allow their kids to research the internet with safe boundaries.  No matter what browser you use, strict filtered results are always on.

Table of Contents

1. Google Kids at School
2. Google for Education
3. Internet Safety
4. Safe Search for Fun and Learning
5. Instant Answers Using Safe Search
6. Our Search Tools Explained

Safe Search Kids is not Google. We are not directly endorsed by them. Our affiliation with Google is strictly as a third party participating in their Custom Search Engine program.

The easy way to activate Google for kids with safe search is to bookmark this website for kids to use. Whether it’s just for fun like Doodle for Google games or for some serious research, the internet is a wonderful place to explore and learn.

Google Kids at School

Any search engine has it’s limitations, no matter how safe.  It filters what kids are searching but it doesn’t limit access to the world wide web should a child choose to explore outside safe confines. Therefore, additional security and safety, read about parental control apps.

At school, our search engine allows entire classrooms to surf the web without changing any browser setting or installing any software.  Still, some schools will want to have total control over what students can access online.  For this reason we’re excited to announce that parental controls are available for entire schools to block bad websites and restricting the use of apps.  Learn more!

Google for Education

Google has been committed to providing tools and resources to empower schools.  The suite of apps used by students and teachers, formally known as G-Suite, is now called Google Workspace for Education. Whether kids are learning in the classroom or online at home, Workspace connects everyone involved in the educational process no matter their location or one of multiple devices being used.  The goal is to empower students, teachers and administrators with better communication, improved interaction and a more engaging educational experience both in and out of the classroom.

Internet Safety to Help Protect Kids Online

• Do not allow computers or laptops in the room of kids or teens. Computer should be in an open area of the home.

• Do not allow computer use when supervising adults are not at home. Restrict the use of computers at night after supervising adults have gone to bed.

• Restrict the use of smart phones and tablets to open areas of the home. If an agreement between the child and parent has been made about the use of these devices in their bedrooms, implement strict guidelines about keeping the door open and restrict use after parents have gone to bed.

• Educate yourself on social media and the risks associated with it. This includes basic safety as well as teaching kids on how to handle peer pressure.

• Keep the lines of communication open at all times to discuss the various aspects of internet safety and the use of Google for kids. Be open to learn and work together on agreed upon guidelines.

This site is to be used in conjunction with common sense supervision of kids. The younger the child, the more safe guards you will want to put in place to protect them against harmful material online. The older they get, the more responsibility you will entrust to them within reason.

Regardless of the age, parents and educators providing resources for safe search in schools agree there should always be some form of strict safe guards in place. Internet safety is also about building values for healthy life long behavior online within a secure learning environment.

Together, we can work towards a more safe and secure online environment for our kids using Google safe resources and common sense.

Safe Search for Fun and Learning

Life is better when you have odd friends. I discovered this when I introduced my friends Bobby and China. They’re both interesting, fun and incredibly brilliant kids who do Google searches on absolutely everything. When they met, they pulled out their phones and began looking up ways to top each other.

“So your name is China,” Bobby said with a snort. “That’s a silly name.”

With a haughty sniff, China tipped up her chin and said, “I’ll have you know that according to the dictionary I use, china is a fine, elegant material used in the creation of beautiful artistic creations.”

Bobby jumped around, wriggling from side to side. “Bob means to go up and down like this.”

“And you called ‘China’ silly?” China crossed her arms. “I’ll also have you know that China is a huge country with the most people in the world.”

“Bobby is what British people call their police officers,” Bobby responded. “That’s pretty cool.”

I was about to point out that a bob is also a hair style, but I didn’t want to interrupt the fun as they continued their battle of information. China was busy searching Google again.

“Oh, yeah?” China countered. “The traditional British beverage is tea and what do you think your bobby would drink his tea from? A tea cup made out of china! And where do you think tea comes from? China.”

“Not always,” Bobby said. “What about tea from India? Or tea from Argentina? Kenya sells more tea than China.”

“Kenya? Isn’t he some sort of rapper?”

Bobby started laughing so hard, he snorted out of his nose, making China laugh even harder.

Yes, Bobby and China are very different kids. Both Bobby and China go online to one of their favorite kids’ search engines to see what they can learn. Both Bobby and China enjoy using Google to make their lives and their friendships more interesting. They are odd and that’s what makes them as fun as a roller coaster.

After this exchange, Bobby and China ended up challenging each other to a game of Chinese checkers. I went with them to watch them play, but I couldn’t concentrate.

I was thinking about how challenging each other and doing it with real information and a playful attitude made their friendship stronger while enriching their lives.  Not only can it be done by searching Google safely, but kids can also learn playing online Google games that also teach online safety.

Bobby and China showed me how much fun information can be. I saw how respectfully challenging what you think can make everyone better informed while letting everyone have fun.

But as my odd friends play Chinese checkers, I wonder what will happen when I introduce Tatsu to Dracon. Will someone end up breathing fire?

Google Answers Using Safe Search

Too much to do in the world.  So much to learn.  So many ways to explore our world both online and offline.  Whatever you have in mind to learn today, let’s make sure we all do it in a safe way. Explore ways to get instant answers using safe seach, whether it’s for research, simple learning or entertainment.

What’s in a Web Search?

To us, it’s an entire world of knowledge at your fingertips mixed with less desirable results – even harmful ones. Safe Search Kids has created search tools that help guide you through the maze of the worldwide web.

We implement Google search on our website, enhanced by Google. It has special filtering tools to weed out potentially harmful content to kids and teens alike. Even adults can use our search engine if they wish to only receive streamlined results that are filtered with the utmost in safety in mind.

• Our first tab on the top right of our website is pretty much as we’ve already described. It searches Google and filters the results.

• The second tab provides safe images from the entire web, but they have been filtered to only show images that are from safe sources. These sources include many educational websites.

• The third tab is Wiki for Kids, a wikipedia of information that has been created for children. Generally, the information provided it’s more simple and easier to understand for younger students.

• Finally, we have our Video Search tab, an alternative to YouTube and any other unfiltered video site. All the videos are screened, including YouTube videos, to ensure the utmost in safety and appropriate content.

Happy Searching! We hope you find what you’re looking for.

Safe Search Kids provides safe images filtering from a variety of safe and fun family websites, many of which are educational in nature. You can search these images using our search tool above.

Not only are all images properly filtered using safe search, the nature of the websites associated with image results are also screened. This prevents users from landing on a site that may contain harmful content, even if the image that brought them to the site is innocent.

The image search results on KidzSearch provide safe content designed specifically for kids. What makes these results unique is that they are all filtered using multiple layers of screening.

At the top layer is a keyword checker that makes sure the search term is safe enough to proceed further. We have proprietary algorithms that are able to detect inappropriate search queries based on many factors that include spelling variations and grammar tenses.

KidzSearch is constantly updating our listed of blocked terms and we get daily feedback to improve it from our many users.

Once a search term is approved to proceed, our next layer of filtering relies on a set of editorially selected handpicked websites that we trust to return safe image results.

We are always updating this list to provide the most relevant results. We truly believe our image results are the best you will find that combine safety with quality content.

Safe Images

KidzSearch has partnered with Google to help index the images and to provide additional screening. Advanced machine vision algorithms scan each image and are able to detect unsuitable content.

Once a set of image results pass all our screening tests, we then present it to the user in a format that is specially designed for kids. The thumbnails that appear are all extra large to provide a more kid-friendly display that children enjoy using.

Larger thumbnails also helps them to select it, since children may have dexterity limitations using standard smaller thumbnails.

Our safe kids search engine also has a unique autocomplete feature that helps kids type and find the best search terms based on the most popular topics done by other students. These auto complete results are often very different from what you will find using a standard search engine, since they are grades K-8 focused.

Many people these days only rely on parental control apps and this is a good thing to do. However, one problem with just using website screening software is that they are not able to filter search thumbnail results from sites like Google and Bing, which means these great resources cannot be safely used for image results on their own.

KidzSearch solves this problem by providing screened image search results that integrate safe image content from places like Google via our partnership program with them.

Downloading Filtered Images

There are a few questions you should ask yourself when downloading an image.

For example:

• Who owns the image and what are the limitations of use?
• Am I using it for my own personal enjoyment?
• Will I be publishing in some form? (Such as a blog, a school paper or a poster in my school).

Just as you want to cite references to other people’s work in your writing, you should also give credit to the creator or owner of the image.

Most questions related to the use of images can be answered by reviewing the Copyright Notice or Terms of Conditions on the website where you found the image.

Assuming that most kids are going to use images for their own personal reasons, it is still a good idea to educate yourself on basic copyright rules and regulations.

Safe Image Search and More

Safe Search Kids is a website dedicated to providing Google Safe Search to Schools and users at home. We also offer safe video search with special filtering in place similar to how we screen images.  We feature informational articles on internet safety and security for kids, as well as topics of interest for parents and educators.

Our focus is on helping users to develop safe and healthy habits online, such as social media, whether they be accessing the internet on a computer or mobile smart phone. Search resources are provided free of charge to protect kids of all ages when searching Google.

Learn about how our safe search settings work to filter the web for kids.