Having robust device protections for your kids while they’re using a cellular connection only accomplishes half of the battle. To fully address the concerns caused by a wide-open internet, you need to shore up your defenses on the home WiFi, too.
Most home internet providers offer some form of parental controls. For this article, we’re going to focus on the protections built into the C Spire Smart WiFi system, powered by Plume and controlled through its HomePass device app (available for iOS and Android platforms).
C Spire Smart WiFi empowers parents with whole-home safety, with unparalleled parental controls, guest access and real-time threat protection against emerging cyber threats such as phishing, malware, adware and botnets.
The system also allows moms and dads to set usage limits, filter websites, restrict types of content and freeze WiFi for your children, for specific devices, or even for whole locations, such as your kids’ bedroom.
Here’s how to get started with online protections to keep your family safe on the home WiFi.
Managing screen time
Hands down, managing screen time is the most difficult part of managing a child’s relationship with electronic devices. Planning ahead, though, can help parents put rules in place to make it easier on everyone. Here are some ways Smart WiFi and the HomePass app can help.
Internet Freeze
Create a custom schedule of internet access for each kid and teen in your household to govern when they can play games with friends or engage in other online activities. Some suggestions include blocking out time on school nights for homework, chores and bedtimes, or even indefinitely.
Time Out
It’s easy to cut internet access on the fly, as well. Parents can create a Time Out, add a length of time and assign it to various devices, simply pause a profile’s access at any time.
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Managing content access
Policing the actual content kids and teens can view online can be exhausting, but Smart WiFi gives access to four assignable filters (via the HomePass app) to manage it easily.
Content Access Filters
Adult: No limits. Any user on the home WiFi network can access any content.
Teen: Teenager friendly. Content that is tagged as inappropriate for teens will be filtered and inaccessible.
Restrictive: Appropriate for children. Content that is tagged as inappropriate for kids will be filtered and inaccessible.
Household: No adult content. All content tagged as adult content will be inaccessible.
Online Protection
Enabling this feature will protect your devices from malware sites, botnets, spyware, spam, phishing, keyloggers, monitoring, proxy avoidance and other harmful attacks on your home WiFi network. In addition, parents are able to manually block up to 50 websites through the Guard feature.
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Family Online Safety Pledge
Make sure your kids understand that being online comes with responsibilities. This pledge provides guidelines to help your kids and teens use their devices and the internet safely.
More Resources for Parents
Read more helpful articles about restricting content, limiting screen time and setting boundaries for social media in the C Spire Parents’ Resource Center.
