10 days to Safer Internet Day: Day 10 - Parental Controls on your computer's operating system

Safer Internet Day (SID) is organised by Insafe in February of each year to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially among children and young people across the world.

Safer Internet Day 2016 will be celebrated on Tuesday 9 February 2016, with a theme of 'Play your part for a better internet!'.

As part of the Safer Internet Day celebrations, we are going to do a 10 day countdown with a different tip on helping keep your child and yourself safe online. Today's tip is a guide on setting up parental controls on your computers operating system and covers Windows 8.1, Windows 10 and OSX Yosemite. 8.1

WINDOWS

Using Microsoft Family on your device, you can manage when your child can log into their account and which programs are appropriate for them to use.

The controls also filter Web content and provide reports of your child’s computer and Web browsing activity.

To activate them on your device, follow the steps below and then use Microsoft’s Family Safety website to manage the boundaries.

Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1

1. Make sure that your child has been set up with their own user account.

2. Select Is this a Child’s Account?

3. Decide if you would like your child to have an email address and follow the instructions accordingly.

4. You’ll then be able to manage their account from Microsoft’s Family Safety website.

For more information, visit the Microsoft Family Safety website.

Windows 10

1. Add a child to your family through the Accounts functionality.

2. Click Add a Family Member. Select Add a Child.

3. Assign the child an email address.

4. Manage the settings for your children on Microsoft's Family Safety website.

For more information, go to the Microsoft website.

MAC OSX YOSEMITE

You can block specific apps, websites and messages, set time limits and deny access to the built-in camera on your family computer.

To enable parental controls:

1. In System Preferences, click Parental Controls and then select the lock icon.

2. Enter your administrator name and password, select a user (you’ll need to set your child up with their own user profile if they haven’t already got one), then click Enable Parental Controls.

3. To set restrictions, follow the same process then click the relevant tabs along the top – Apps, Web, People, Time Limits and Other (eg use of the built-in camera).

For more information, go to the Apple website.