Author: Bianka Magas, student, cyber security master’s program at UPS
In the 21st century, threats from cyberspace affect adults and children much the same. More and more young people have their own phones and other smart devices, play online games, and are actively present on social media. For the safety of young people, it is important to learn about some basic things that should be paid attention to in the context of using their devices.
Although I still consider myself young, I remember how I envied, as a child, my classmates who had camera phones already in primary school. Today, children in primary school not only have camera phones, but they can use their smart phones to produce content that is accessible even from the other side of the world. It is terribly difficult to keep up and stay up-to-date with such rapid developments. This also means that members of the Z and Alpha generations, who are often more proficient at handling their smart devices than their parents, are exposed to a variety of risks.
According to a 2020 survey (which surveyed 63% of the world’s population), 6 out of 10 children between the ages of 8 and 12 have fallen victim to various risks in cyberspace. Moreover, every second child experiences cyberbullying, and almost every third child comes across other online dangers, such as phishing or hacker attacks. In addition to known threats, children are also at increased risk of sexual exploitation. About 500,000 daily active online users are driven by such motives. According to the FBI, more than 50 percent of victims of online sexual exploitation are between the ages of 12 and 15. An estimated 89 percent of sexual advances toward children take place in online chat rooms or via instant messaging. Furthermore, it is particularly harmful for children to view inappropriate content online. Several factors ranging from vulgar language and hate speech to violent and pornographic images can have a harmful effect on children, who are more easily influenced due to their age and inexperience. More than 55% of teenagers (children aged 10–12) have encountered violent content online, and nearly 60% have encountered sexually explicit words or pictures. It is thus quite clear that our children are exposed to many threats and dangers. What can we do to keep them safe?
Limited screen time
In an endless stream of TikTok videos, Instagram content, and online games, time does pass quickly. These services, especially social media, are specifically designed to keep users engaged for as long as possible. Their harmful effects are discussed widely. An estimated 27% of children who spend 3 or more hours per day on social media experience symptoms of mental illness. In addition, excessive use of social networking sites can be much more problematic for children and young adults, as their brains and social skills are still developing. Research has shown that adolescents who regularly use social media from a young age haveseverely impaired social interaction skills. Consequently, it is essential to set limits for both the age required for registration and the time spent in front of the screen.
Only the safe sites!
It is important to discuss with your child which sites are safe (e.g. there is a “small green lock” in the URL bar) and suitable for downloading any kind of content. One careless click can easily introduce malware onto our devices. This is why it is important to use antivirus software to prevent trouble. It is also worth clarifying what your child should do if he strays to an inappropriate site. Many services can be set to display family-friendly content, or they do so by default (e.g. YouTube, Netflix); if you do not trust this option, you can always get a firewall that blocks inappropriate sites.
Social networking sites
Gluing young people to their screens is not the only reason why social networking sites can be dangerous. In order to ensure that the online presence of children does not pose a threat to them, it is important to discuss with them what kinds of content they may share about themselves. Not only as public posts, but also during their private conversations. It may happen that a minor is approached and pressured to send explicit photos or videos to a boyfriend or girlfriend, or even to a stranger he or she met online. The minor concerned may believe that he or she is engaged in harmless “sexting” with someone, but such images, messages, and videos may be spread publicly. It is important for minors to understand that he or she should not share any picture of himself or herself that he or she would show his parents. We need to explain our children that, just like on the street, they should not talk to strangers online, also emphasizing that they can easily run into fake profiles.
Protection of our data
We also need to explain our children that, just like all adults, they also need to understand the importance of protecting our personal data. It is not recommended to post our home address, bank details, or phone number publicly, and special attention and caution must be paid and exercise when entering any such information (e.g. while shopping in a webshop).
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is quite common these days. Minors do not necessarily know how to handle this type of aggression well, and it may make them withdrawn, anxious, or may even cause long-term mental problems. Unfortunately, cyberbullying is most difficult to protect against, but it is definitely worth talking about it with our child, and make sure that he or she turns to us if such a situation emerges.
Despite any precaution, trouble can happen at any time: a virus may find its way onto the computer or our child can receive unwanted content that is not intended for minors. Even in such cases, he or she should be able to turn to his or her parents with confidence. The best parents can do is to learn about the dangers and possible solutions, so that problems can be prevented as much as possible.