Dr. Yvonne Ami Adjakloe, Coordinator for Advocacy and Outreach at the Centre for Gender Research Advocacy and Documentation (CEGRAD), is calling on parents and guardians to be more vigilant about their children’s internet usage.
In an interview with ATL FM News, Dr. Adjakloe highlighted the challenges parents face in keeping up with their children’s digital activities, often due to work and time constraints.
Dr. Adjakloe noted that children are increasingly sophisticated in their use of the internet, often employing code languages and other methods to obscure their online activities from parents.
“We need to monitor our children’s use of electronic gadgets more closely,” she emphasized. “Children today are very adept with the internet. Some have developed their own code terms and languages to communicate discreetly with their peers. For example, using the term ‘number 9’ to signify that a parent is in the room.”
To help parents navigate these challenges, Dr. Adjakloe offered several safety tips for monitoring and controlling children’s internet use highlighting that “It’s crucial to give children clear warnings and educate them about safe internet practices. In an age where access to explicit content is so easy, it’s important to discuss the dangers associated with such materials and how to avoid them.”
She also recommended practical measures for parents to oversee their children’s online activities suggesting that “Parents should ensure that the gadgets and tools their children use are linked to their own accounts for easier monitoring of browsing history.”
Additionally, she recommended using specific apps to manage screen time and monitor digital activities using Apps like Digital Time Management and Google Family Link .
“These tools allow parents to track their child’s downloads and other online activities from anywhere in the world, effectively” she said.
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Source: Angelina Riley Hayford/ATLFMNEWS