By India McCarty
Worried about what your kid is seeing on Reddit? Here are a few simple ways to put safety settings in place — or block the website altogether.
“Reddit safety for kids is a bit of an uphill battle, but it’s not impossible,” LifeWire explained, telling parents that, while there aren’t any specific parental or kids controls on Reddit, there are some things they can do.
The outlet recommended restricting what and who your child can interact with, and vice versa. For example, they shared that parents can turn off features like “show active communities” and “allow people to follow you,” as well as make it so that only people you choose are able to send you messages.
All of these features can be found by going to the Settings menu, then Profile, and then going through the Privacy menu.
Parents can also simply block Reddit completely, using either the parent controls that can be found on your wifi router or on your personal devices to restrict your kids’ access to the site.
“While built-in account and privacy settings are helpful in theory, your child can bypass these safeguards by accessing Reddit in a browser or on a smartphone without logging in,” LiveWire cautioned. “Speaking candidly and respectfully with your child and taking an active role in their Reddit and general social media use could be one of the most effective protective measures you can take.”
VPNOverview also wrote about the importance of having open and honest conversations with your kids about what they’re seeing on Reddit.
“Talk to your kids about their favorite websites and apps and what they enjoy doing online. Listen with an open mind and be supportive rather than critical,” they wrote.
Related: Reddit Updates Policies to Protect Minors, While Leaving Other Questionable Policies Intact
The site also recommended helping your child “understand the risks” that can come from spending time on the website, explaining concepts like phishing and viruses.
Reddit has made efforts to make their site safer for young people, updating their “child safety policy…to help curtail predatory behaviors of adults towards minors,” per a statement from the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
The site now prohibits “comments, pictures, cartoon images (anime, etc.), and poses that sexualize minors, as well as predatory behaviors such as ‘sexual role-play where an adult might assume the role of a minor.’”
While Reddit has taken steps to make its website safer for minors, it’s important that parents understand the dangers of the site and take the proper steps to keep their children safe.
Read Next: Are Social Media Restrictions for Kids Under 13 Ineffective?
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