In the digital age, Thai parents are bombarded with advice about using parental controls, but new research and expert consensus confirm an unsettling truth: no matter how diligent parents are, technology’s current safeguards fall short of genuinely protecting children online. This reality, revealed by recent studies and policy debates, underscores a growing call for government and industry accountability, echoing urgent lessons from the United States that resonate strongly with Thailand’s increasingly tech-centric society (Inquirer).
Parents frequently feel overwhelmed by the never-ending list of devices, apps, and digital platforms their children use. While tools like screen time limits, web filters, and monitoring apps are useful, researchers and advocacy groups warn that these controls provide only a partial shield (Wikipedia - Parental Controls). A major concern, highlighted by both researchers from UCL and a new “Children’s Wellbeing in a Digital World Index 2025” report, is that unofficial parental control apps themselves can threaten privacy and may be easily bypassed by tech-savvy children (UCL News; Internet Matters). As Thailand’s digital infrastructure expands, with more homes and schools connected than ever before, these findings carry powerful implications for parents and policymakers alike.
The harsh reality is reflected in rising global statistics. The US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children documented a more than 300% jump in reports of online enticement—including sextortion—between 2021 and 2023. In 2023 alone, there were over 36 million reports of child sexual abuse imagery in the US, suggesting that current parental controls, even when used, are far too weak to stem the tide (Inquirer). According to a recent Guardian interview with technology experts, “Kids can bypass anything if they’re clever enough,” highlighting the limitations of these tools and shifting the focus from simple screen time management to broader systemic risks such as exposure to grooming, inappropriate content, and exploitation (The Guardian).
Moreover, this isn’t just a Western problem. With Thai youth ranking among Southeast Asia’s most active internet users, Thai parents face unique risks. Many platforms and games originating outside Thailand expose youth to international predators, scams, or harmful content. Yet, local adaptation and enforcement of global safety standards often lag. For instance, while platforms like Meta are slowly rolling out new safety features—such as requiring parental approval for those under 16 to use certain functions—these measures arrive only after significant public and political pressure (BBN Times).
Parental control solutions mainly fall into categories such as content filters, device usage controls, activity monitoring, and real-time location tracking (Wikipedia - Parental Controls). Content filters and monitoring can reduce a child’s accidental exposure to harmful material or even cyberbullying. However, the efficacy of these controls is routinely undermined by the fact that many children know how to work around them, and many parents lack either the technical skills or the time needed to comprehensively install and manage dozens of disparate controls—a challenge only compounded in multigenerational Thai households or when children access devices at school, neighbor’s homes, or internet cafés.
International and domestic experts alike agree: while parents should continue modeling positive digital behaviors, boundaries, and discussions, it is dangerous to pretend that individual family action alone can blunt the worst harms. UNICEF, for instance, emphasizes the joint role of parents, teachers, and the state in promoting a safe learning environment. Importantly, governments around the world are moving to address the global threat. In early 2025, new bills passed in several US states to protect minors online, focusing on corporate accountability rather than placing the burden solely on families (Alabama Political Reporter). The United Kingdom’s “Online Safety Act” is adding age-verification requirements and more robust reporting mechanisms, and in Thailand, analogues are under consideration within the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (BBC).
Despite policy momentum overseas, legislation in most countries—including Thailand—still lags far behind the ingenuity of both children and those who seek to exploit them. “The biggest imbalance right now is in power,” says Erin Nicholson, author of the viral Inquirer column and a parent advocate. “Tech companies have the resources and the lobbyists, while parents are just trying to keep up.” Survivors of online abuse and parents whose children have been harmed are increasingly vocal in urging lawmakers to take bolder action—actions that move the locus of responsibility from individual consumers to the tech platforms that profit from youth engagement.
Yet there are actions that every family and community can adopt even before sweeping legislative reform arrives. Experts recommend that parents in Thailand:
- Open continuous and judgment-free discussions about online experiences with their children.
- Co-play or co-view digital content to foster trust and understanding.
- Use official, well-reviewed parental control tools, while recognizing their limitations (TechRadar).
- Actively participate in school and neighborhood groups to share best practices and hold each other accountable for internet safety.
- Support local and national advocacy campaigns aimed at strengthening child protection laws.
- Teach children about online scams, grooming, privacy, and appropriate online behavior in age-appropriate language.
These recommendations are bolstered by global trends observed in the “2025 Children’s Wellbeing in a Digital World Index,” which shows that coordinated community norms and trusted adult intervention are far more successful at reducing harm than parental controls alone (Internet Matters). Major Thai mobile providers and ISPs have begun offering “child-friendly” plans and content packages, yet uptake remains low, partly due to lack of awareness and the complexity of available options.
Thailand’s rich culture of community and the traditional value placed on collective child-rearing can be leveraged as a strength. “It takes a village,” as the old saying goes, and this rings especially true in digital safety. Buddhist temples, schools, and local government offices are in a unique position to host workshops and provide resources for safe digital use. Classroom programs—like those piloted in Singapore and Japan—can be adapted for Thai schools, equipping teachers to facilitate sensitive conversations on everything from cyberbullying to digital footprints (Internet Matters).
Looking to the future, several trends will shape this ongoing challenge. Artificial intelligence promises powerful content filtering and image recognition, but could also aid those determined to evade controls (PubMed - Technological Interventions). Meanwhile, metaverse platforms and immersive technologies are already blurring the lines between real and virtual experience, complicating efforts to define and monitor harm (CyberWise). Policymakers, educators, and families must stay alert and vigilant, updating both their knowledge and their collective advocacy to keep pace.
For Thai parents and guardians facing the anxiety and exhaustion of trying to “control” their children’s digital worlds, the message from experts, survivors, and advocates is clear: you are not powerless, but you can’t do it alone. Demand better protections from tech companies. Insist on stronger laws that shift accountability up the chain. Build local “digital villages” to support and watch over all children, not just your own. Above all, keep the conversation open—both with your children and with those with the power to enact real change.
For more guidance, consider joining a local digital literacy workshop, installing updated official parental controls as a first layer of defense, and engaging with community groups to push for more comprehensive protections at every level.
Sources:
- You can’t control your kid’s safety online. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. – The Inquirer
- Unofficial parental control apps put children’s safety and privacy at risk – UCL News
- Children’s Wellbeing in a Digital World Index 2025 – Internet Matters
- Meta’s New Parental Controls Signal a Shift in Online Safety Compliance – BBN Times
- What the Online Safety Act is – BBC News
- 5 Tech Trends YOU Need to Know for Your Kids’ Online Safety in 2025 – CyberWise
- Best free parental control app of 2025 – TechRadar
- Parental controls – Wikipedia