There are sites and platforms where people are allowed to post anonymously. The users don’t have to show their identity in order to ask a question or post a comment. In the best case scenario, it gives children a safe place to say sensitive things or ask difficult questions.
Unfortunately, anonymity also means that one can pretend to be anyone. Kids can befriend dangerous people such as pedophiles and child molesters. It also encourages cyber bullies to say mean stuff about other kids behind such obscure applications. Such issues put anonymity in questions and calls for the involvement of a parental control app.
Online Anonymity – Pros
Online Anonymity – Cons
Tips for Parents!
Anonymity is both good and bad. What parents can do is prepare themselves for the worst case scenario.
Don’t Let The Anonymity Hurt You!
While it allows freedom of speech it also encourages mean and dangerous people to harm your kids. You should allow your kids to share their opinions and express their fears. If they want to do it secretly, it's fine. But keep an eye that they don’t go on such sites and social media which are nothing but bullying playgrounds under the name of anonymity. Adopt smart parenting and protect your kids from online risks.
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- Kids can say things without the fear of judgment.
- Talking about sensitive issues like problems at home, sexual abuse, and self-harm.
- Open up about a mental illness like depression becomes easy.
- These sites can also be used to come forth about a crime happening around them.
- They can ask difficult questions e.g about religion or politics which they otherwise can’t.
- Acts as a security shield from dangerous people online.
Online Anonymity – Cons
- Kids give abusive and harsh comments without the fear of being caught.
- They can misuse your photos behind the banner of obscurity.
- Propagate embarrassing and mean information about you.
- People can fake identities, lie about their age and gender.
- Child predators may use the sensitive info shared online, show a caring attitude and get kids to trust them.
- Dangers of kidnapping and sexual abuse are increasing due to this.
Tips for Parents!
Anonymity is both good and bad. What parents can do is prepare themselves for the worst case scenario.
- Talk to your kids about the benefits and harms of anonymity.
- Make rules about how much information they can share online – never share names, passwords, and locations.
- Not to trust complete strangers and build an emotional relation.
- Use a parental control app like FamilyTime to make sure your kids don’t get into trouble. It allows you to block unsafe apps that support anonymous chat and comments that are famous for bullying like Ask.fm, KIK, Whisper, and Yik Yak etc. You can keep a check on their calling schedule and contacts and know if there is anything unusual. You can also stay posted about their locations throughout the day and they can alert you to a troubled situation. You can enjoy these facilities on iOS as well as Android.
Don’t Let The Anonymity Hurt You!
While it allows freedom of speech it also encourages mean and dangerous people to harm your kids. You should allow your kids to share their opinions and express their fears. If they want to do it secretly, it's fine. But keep an eye that they don’t go on such sites and social media which are nothing but bullying playgrounds under the name of anonymity. Adopt smart parenting and protect your kids from online risks.
