The internet has become an important part of childhood. Children use phones and social media to learn, connect with friends, play games and explore the world.
But the way many digital platforms are designed can also create risks for children. Recent court battles involving major technology companies have brought renewed attention to addictive design, recommendation algorithms, harmful content and the ways children can be exposed to unsafe online interactions.
A major $942 million judgment against Meta in New Mexico is one example of this growing legal scrutiny. The judgment included a $567 million abatement fund alongside a $375 million civil penalty from an earlier jury verdict. Meta has said it will appeal.
For parents, however, the bigger lesson is simple: we cannot wait for technology companies, regulators or courts to solve every online safety problem.
Parents can take practical steps at home to reduce risks while helping children develop the skills they need to navigate an increasingly digital world.
Table of Contents
1. Start With the Technology
Many apps have features designed to keep users engaged for as long as possible. Notifications, autoplay, endless scrolling and personalised recommendations can make it difficult for children to put their devices down.
Parents can reduce some of these pressures by using controls built into the device itself.
If your child uses Android
Google Family Link allows parents to manage a child’s supervised Google Account and set digital boundaries.
Parents can:
- Set daily screen-time limits.
- Schedule Downtime when the device should not be used.
- Require approval before new apps are installed or purchases are made.
- Apply age restrictions to apps and games.
- Restrict access to explicit websites.
- Turn on SafeSearch.
- Review the apps installed on the child’s device.
The exact settings can vary depending on the Android device and software version, so parents should check the current Family Link options on their devices.
If your child uses an iPhone or iPad
Apple’s Screen Time provides similar tools, including:
- App Limits
- Downtime
- Communication Limits
- Content & Privacy Restrictions
- Purchase and download restrictions
The important point is to use device-level controls, rather than relying entirely on the time limits offered inside individual apps.
2. Reduce the “Always-On” Effect
Some simple changes can make a significant difference.
Turn off unnecessary notifications and autoplay features. Consider reducing animations or using grayscale if your child’s device allows it.
Parents should also review privacy settings on social media platforms. Where appropriate, limit who can:
- Send direct messages.
- Comment on posts.
- Tag the child.
- See their content.
- Add them as a follower or friend.
These settings are not a substitute for supervision, but they can reduce opportunities for unwanted contact.
3. Make Bedrooms a Device-Free Zone at Night
One of the simplest household rules can also be one of the most effective:
Phones and tablets sleep outside the bedroom.
Create a charging station in a shared family space and have everyone place their devices there at night.
This removes the temptation to stay online late into the night and makes it easier for parents to maintain consistent boundaries.
The rule should apply to adults too. Children are more likely to accept digital boundaries when they see the same expectations being followed by the rest of the family.
4. Talk to Children About AI and Deepfakes
Social media safety is no longer only about what children see online. Generative AI has introduced new risks, including manipulated images, cloned voices and convincing fake videos.
Children need to understand that something that looks or sounds real may not actually be real.
Teach them a simple rule:
Verify before you believe, react or share.
For example, if a child receives a shocking video, an unusual voice message supposedly from a friend, or an explicit image involving someone they know, they should not immediately forward it or panic.
Instead, they should verify the information through another trusted channel.
Protect your child’s digital identity
Parents should also teach children to be careful about sharing clear photographs, videos and voice recordings with unknown or untrusted platforms.
Children should understand that images and recordings shared online can potentially be copied, manipulated or reused.
5. Make Reporting Safe
Technology controls cannot protect children from everything.
Sometimes the most important protection is making sure a child feels safe enough to tell an adult what happened.
Give your child a clear promise:
“If someone creates, sends or threatens you with a manipulated image, an inappropriate message or anything that makes you uncomfortable, you can tell me. You will not lose your phone just because you reported it. We will deal with it together.”
This matters because children who believe they will immediately lose their device may hide serious incidents.
The goal should be to make reporting the problem easier than hiding it.
6. Teach Children About AI Chatbots
AI chatbots can feel remarkably human. They can answer questions, have conversations and appear sympathetic.
But children need to understand an important distinction:
An AI chatbot is not a friend, therapist or trusted adult.
It does not have feelings or personal loyalty, even when its responses sound caring.
Children should therefore avoid sharing:
- Passwords.
- Financial information.
- Highly sensitive personal information.
- Private photographs.
- Information about other people.
- Secrets they would not want exposed.
Parents should also remind children that AI can confidently provide incorrect information.
When AI is used for homework or research, important information should be checked against reliable sources.
7. Don’t Rely on Filters Alone
Parental controls are useful, but they are not perfect.
A child may encounter harmful content through another device, another account, a friend’s phone or a platform that bypasses existing restrictions.
For families that want additional protection, network-level filtering can also be considered. Services such as family-safe DNS filtering can help block certain adult or malicious websites across devices connected to the home network.
However, filtering should be treated as one layer of protection, not the entire solution.
A Simple Family Digital Safety Routine
Parents do not need a complicated technology policy. A few consistent habits can make a meaningful difference.
Every day:
- Use appropriate screen-time and downtime limits.
- Keep devices out of bedrooms at night.
- Encourage children to report uncomfortable interactions.
Every few months:
- Review the apps installed on children’s devices.
- Remove apps that are no longer needed.
- Review social-media followers and privacy settings.
- Check who can message, tag or contact the child.
- Discuss any new apps, games or AI tools the child is using.
The Bigger Lesson
The debate around children’s online safety is changing.
Courts and regulators are increasingly questioning whether platforms should be responsible for the way their products are designed and how those designs affect children. But legal action takes time, and technology will continue to evolve.
Parents therefore need a strategy that does not depend on waiting for the next court judgment.
Protective technology + clear household rules + open conversations = stronger digital safety.
The goal is not to keep children away from technology altogether. It is to help them use technology safely, understand its risks and know that when something goes wrong, they have a trusted adult they can turn to.