This is the presentation of the invited speech by me on " How to make screens and the internet safe for Children ". The webinar was organized by the Sri Lanka Medical Association on 7th Sep 2021

1. How to make
screens & internet
safe for children
Tharindu Weerasinghe
www.tharinduweerasinghe.com

2. Outline
• Prior to Tech
• Access Control on devices (Parent Control/Separate User Accounts)
• Access Control on browsers (Web filtering/Content Restrictions)
• Access Control via OpenDNS
• YouTube Kids
• Netflix Kids
• Screen Times
• Summary
• Useful Links

3. Prior to Tech
• Suggest you talk to your kids and explain the consequences of
harmful content which can be accessed via the mobile devices or
computers.
• Explain them about online safety and the value of being “safe” online!
• Try to convince them it is good to set their limits in screen time rather
than parents setting hard rules. [ this is very tough honestly ☺ ]
• Set goals to earn screen time.

4. Access Control on Your Devices
Creating a child account in your device will make your life easier because
whenever your child asks for your device then you can guide them to log-in to
their own account which has limited [child safe] access.
• MS Windows 10 Devices
• Create a Microsoft user account for your kid in your Windows PC.
• Prerequisite:
• 1. Your kid should have an email (from Gmail or other email provider, make sure it is a child account)
• 2. You must have a Microsoft account and signed
Go to https://account.microsoft.com/family/
• Then, it is really self explanatory to create a new account for your kid using an email created for
your kid (Note: it is associated to your parent Microsoft account)

5. In your Windows 10 PC, Search -> Family options

6. Creating a new Microsoft account for your kids
https://account.microsoft.com/family/

7. Creating a new Microsoft account for your kids (contd.)

8. Creating a new Microsoft account for your kids (contd.)
• Type “Other Users” in your search bar
• You’ll get the window shown in the left snap
• Add a family member
Once you’ve completed all these steps,
You’ll have separate user account in your own
PC with all content restrictions for your kid!
Once you have setup the account the you can add that account
as a new user in your Windows 10 PC.

9. Creating a new Apple account for your kids
https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201084

10. Access control in Android Devices
• Practical Example from my own phone (Software Version: Android) 11):

11. Access control in Apple Devices
Refer: Use parental controls on your child's iPhone, iPad and
iPod touch – Apple Support (AU)

12. Enable Google Safe Search in your browser

13. Separate Chrome profiles for kids (using their own email)

14. Enable Google Safe Search in your Google
Play-Store

15. Access control using DNS Services
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDNS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CleanBrowsing

16. Access control using DNS Services(contd.)
• You can use DNS (Domain Name System) service to block porn sites
• Clean Browsing or OpenDNS unique IP addresses can be configured in your
devices as well as home WiFi routers to block adult only sites(porn sites)
• You must read this self explanatory article(s):
https://protectyoungeyes.com/how-to-block-porn-on-any-device-for-free/
https://bestparentalcontrolapps.com/how-to-block-porn-sites/

17. Access control using DNS Services(contd.)

18. YouTube Kids
https://www.youtubekids.com/

19. Netflix Kids
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/10421/lk

20. Screen Times

21. Summary
• It is essential that you create separate kids user accounts for your kids to access digital devices..
• e.g. Windows 10 Kids account. (A must; if they have individual Windows Device)
• e.g. Kinds accounts in Apple Devices (A must; if they have individual Apple Device)
• e.g. Kids Gmail account for accessing Google contents (A must; if they have individual Android Device)
• Set Screen times. (if you have the above control then screen times can be easily configured).
• Provide, facilitate at-least 20 inches from the screen and at the same please educate them about the benefits of maintaining eye
healt.
• When kids are using digital screens make sure they are always logged into their (kid’s) account. Then you don’t need to worry
about the content.
• If they use your devices on a daily basis, disable potential harmful apps and handover a child safe device to them with controls.
• For kids above 14 years of age I personally suggest that you be in contact with them as friends and explain them the consequences
of accessing adult content or harmful content. Try your best to avoid the curiosity of searching for adult content (this might be
tricky).
• With kids belonging to “Generation Z” [born between 1997 to 2012], it is almost impossible to avoid digital screens since their
early childhood. As parents be educated on digital safety and digital presence your children!

22. Useful links
• How to set up a kid-friendly Windows 10 device with a child account | Windows Central
• Create an Apple ID for your child - Apple Support
• Chrome & your child's Google Account - Google For Families Help
• Create a Google Account for your child - Google For Families Help
• Google Family Link – Home
• YouTube Kids
• Microsoft Family Safety
• https://www.windowscentral.com/how-set-kid-friendly-windows-10-pc-child-account
• Learn more about Kids Mode in Microsoft Edge
• How to block websites on Google Chrome using a simple extension (businessinsider.com.au)
• How to set parental controls on a Google Chrome browser (businessinsider.com.au)
• How to Set Parental Controls On All Your Devices - Panda Security
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Parental_controls#Router_filtering
• https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/188/
• https://geekflare.com/dns-content-filtering-software/
• https://protectyoungeyes.com/how-to-block-porn-on-any-device-for-free/
• https://bestparentalcontrolapps.com/how-to-block-porn-sites/
• 4 Ways to Set Up Parental Controls On Your Home Network (howtogeek.com)
• Google requires all Androids to have a 'digital wellbeing' app - 9to5Google

23. Thank you!
If you do have any questions please reach out via
Tharindu.Weerasinghe@gmail.com