Mobile phones offer a significant insight into the wider world, though they also reveal facets of society we may prefer our youngsters remain sheltered from. So, how can we safeguard them from the harsher realities out there? A solid starting point is the inherent safety measures that apps and platforms have implemented.
Instagram, the well-known social media network, has recently tightened its defences for its younger demographic, experimenting with novel features to act as a shield against potential fraudsters, culprits and non-consensual intimate image sharing. The company announced the introduction of a nudity protection tool on its photo-sharing platform last week to curb unsolicited nudity received through direct messages. Images identified as explicit will automatically be blurred for users under 18, though the feature is also accessible to adults reducing the risk of unexpected exposure.
Although direct messaging is primarily used for sharing day-to-day joys with friends, family or content creators, it can unfortunately become a platform for ‘sextortion’, using personal messages to share or request explicit photos,” Meta detailed. It added, “To tackle this, we’ll begin experimenting with our novel nudity protection tool in Instagram DMs, that blurs photos identified as explicit and prompts users to reconsider before sharing such images.
This feature is designed not only to shield users from unsolicited nudity in their DMs but also to protect them from fraudsters who may use explicit photos to coerce recipients into reciprocating.” Instagram also plans to encourage thoughtful decision making among users who decide to share intimate photos, potentially to discourage impulsive sharing and regret later on. Additionally, the platform will highlight the possibility to retract messages and caution those who attempt to disseminate sensitive images.
TikTok is another hugely popular video platform with monthly viewership exceeding two billion, despite its share of controversies ranging from cyber security risks to algorithm manipulation and the promotion of content inappropriate for minors. Its appeal remains particularly strong among younger users.
If you have concerns regarding your child’s exposure to certain content on a platform, you can employ several measures to restrict their visibility. The first port of call could be activating a Restricted Mode, which eliminates certain types of mature content, along with the “Following” feed on TikTok.
Additionally, TikTok offers a Family Pairing function that facilitates the surveillance of older teenagers’ usage and privacy settings on the platform.
Apple also provides several control options. Parents can use Apple’s Screen Time controls to limit or oversee their child’s activities on their Apple device, be it in-app purchases, downloading media content, or limiting daily usage of certain types of apps.
Designating particular times of the day where device access is restricted can serve as a motivator for children to concentrate on their studies, meal times, or get adequate sleep. Access to educational apps can be granted as an exception to these broad restrictions.
A particularly useful feature that may allay parents’ concerns about their child’s smartphone usage is the Communication Safety setting. Enabling this means nudist photos or videos will be detected automatically, blurred and flagged as sensitive content before reaching the device – be it Mac, iPad or iPhone. The recipient will receive a warning and suggested steps for further assistance, messaging an adult for users under 13, or blocking the sender from future correspondence.
Interestingly, Apple’s detection system also extends to intimate messages sent from your child’s phone, offering suitable guidance and resources to encourage safer choices. If the child opts to continue, Communication Safety will propose alternatives again and assure children that they are not obliged to engage in such messaging.
Importantly, Apple does not have access to the photos and videos, as all processes take place on the device itself.
Adults can also adopt the sensitive content warning on their devices to fend off unwanted nude images in their inboxes or shared through Airdrop, a measure to combat a notorious ‘prank’ that has previously caused trouble.
To activate the Sensitive Content warning on an iPhone or iPad, navigate to the settings menu, click on Privacy & Security and scroll till you find the Sensitive Content Warning. Switch it to ‘on’. You can apply this setting to all compatible services or choose to toggle it for certain services as required.
Android devices offer numerous parental control features that can safeguard younger users from unsuitable content. These are managed via the Family Link app which is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
Using this app you can control the type of content accessed on apps like Chrome, YouTube, Google Play and even Search. The Family Link app also allows you to monitor third-party apps and disable messenger apps if you are not comfortable with the idea of your child using them. Furthermore, you can disable your child’s ability to sign into new apps with their Google account without requisite permission.
The Family Link app enables you to oversee the kind of data your child discloses, from their web search history to the content they view on YouTube.
WhatsApp recently lowered the age barrier for using its service in the EU, bringing it down from 16 to 13. This decision did not sit well with the administrative authorities, but it brought the region in line with the other markets the platform operates in.
Meta’s messaging platform is favoured because of its user-friendly interface and cross-platform compatibility. However, it can leak a considerable amount of data about your personal affairs, ranging from your geographical location to seemingly private photos.
To minimise these risks, WhatsApp offers various privacy settings. Under the Settings and Privacy section, there are numerous options to limit how much of your data is publicly displayed. For instance, the “last seen and online” setting could be deactivated, and you can restrict access to your profile picture to chosen contacts. Your WhatsApp bio can also be made private if desired.
Another privacy feature is controlling your ability to be included in a group. You can limit this to known contacts only, requiring everyone else to extend a private invitation, which you can approve or reject. Lastly, you can watch who can view your real-time location in chats and remove it from chats you’ve previously shared it with.
WhatsApp provides a feature to make phone calls, thereby opening up the possibility of receiving unwelcome or spam calls. However, there is an option in the settings to mute such calls automatically. Despite this, they will still appear in your notifications or call log, but you will have the luxury of disregarding them at your leisure. Moreover, you have the option to subsequently block these numbers, ensuring that they are not able to contact you via messages or calls.