Virgin Media calls on parents to take advantage of their Parental Controls

Virgin Media launches ‘Online Armour’ Internet Security

 

6th February 2018: Virgin Media is calling on their broadband customers to take advantage of free Parental Controls which allow parents to restrict access to websites that contain age inappropriate content with the click of a button.  Virgin Media Parental Controls are available to all broadband customers, once activated access is restricted across all devices connected to the Virgin Media broadband network at home.

Additionally, Virgin Media have today launched ‘Online Armour’, an application that provides complete internet security on devices which helps parents ensure their children are safe and secure online. Online Armour includes anti-virus protection, an app scanner, browsing and banking protection as well as parental control features that block unsuitable websites and apps, and allows you to manage the time your children can spend online.

 

Online Armour provides protection for up to 15 devices across your Virgin Media broadband network and is available to customers for €4 per month with the first 3 months free.

As part of Safer Internet Day (SID) 2018, Virgin Media and the National Parents Council (NPC) are supporting parents who are concerned about internet safety by providing training programmes in primary schools across the country.

 

Áine Lynch, CEO of the National Parents Council said: “To date, The National Parents Council, in partnership with Virgin Media has delivered more than 1,600 internet safety training programmes to primary schools across the country. It’s undeniable that the internet is a part of everyday life, and an amazing information resource for children.

 

“Parents need information and support when dealing with internet safety and we want to guarantee they have the confidence and skills to support their children as they use the internet. We’re looking forward to delivering more Internet training workshops to schools around the country during 2018 and providing parents with this confidence.”

 

Paul Farrell, Vice President at Virgin Media said: “There’s been a lot of discussion recently regarding the protection of children online which is why Virgin Media is delighted to be supporting the National Parents Council’s training programmes in primary schools across the country once again.

 

“Virgin Media recognises the importance of Safer Internet Day and understands the concern parents have about what content their children are accessing on their personal devices. We are encouraging parents to take advantage of our Parental Controls which are available at the click of a button. This enables parents to restrict access to inappropriate content across all devices connected to their Virgin broadband at home for free.

“Additionally, we’ve today launched ‘Online Armour’, an on-device app that provides comprehensive internet security for families wherever they are. This encompasses anti-virus protection, an app scanner, browsing and banking protection and parental control features that block unsuitable websites and apps, and allow you to manage the time your children can spend online, to ensure not only are your children safe, but so are your personal details.

 

Tom Gaffney at F-Secure, the developer of ‘Online Armour’ said: “The F-Secure parental control features inside Online Armour helps parents manage their kids online time, filter content and locate their kids’ devices remotely, allowing them to parent their children online from wherever they are. By establishing boundaries for kids to explore within limits, our software allows parents to lead their children online, encouraging positive online behaviour without hovering over their shoulders.”

 

This year’s Safer Internet Day theme is “Create, connect and share respect: A Better Internet Starts with you”. Safer Internet Day is celebrated by millions of people across the European Union, with over 70,000 students from Ireland taking part last year alone.

 

ENDS

 

Follow us on Twitter: @VirginMediaIEPR

 

Notes to Editor

Features of ‘Online Armour’ by F-Secure are:

Virus Protection: Helps keep your devices safe from viruses, trojans, ransomware and spyware with award-winning anti-virus technology 

 

Browsing and Banking Protection: Helps you explore the internet and handle your online shopping and banking safely and without worries.

 

Parental Controls: Set boundaries and block access to websites based on that site’s content and manage your kids’ screen time.

 

Anti-Theft Protection: Lets you locate your phones and tablets (Android & iOS). You can also lock and wipe your Android devices remotely (wiping all your photos and contact info), if they go missing.  

 

App Scanner: Scans all apps on your Android mobile or tablet and lets you know which apps are invading your privacy.