A Mum’s Digital Cybersafety Guide to Protecting Her Kids Online

Technology is one of those many things which has seen a drastic change. These advancements are for human convenience only but should be used wisely. Before much advancement in technology, everyone was busy doing their work offline. And children had schools and played only these two jobs. But now, after they are exposed to technology, they have everything with them. Be it mobiles or laptops, the internet has opened most of the restricted doors for them.

And, children are the most vulnerable ones for this. Even if they don’t do something bad intentionally, many aspects of the internet can expose them to something risky. Unknowingly, they can be the target of some cyber stalkers, cyberbullying, phishing emails, and other scams. And this can lead to a social, emotional, and financial loss to them and their family.

The only way to keep them safe is to educate them. Along with giving them the advantages of the internet, make them aware of the disadvantages also. It will help them to understand what are the extent and ethics of using the net. As parents, the first thing you can do is to activate parental control in browsers.

Here are some ways to ensure the same.

Use an encrypted network.

Your network may be unencrypted when children are using it from home. There is no alternate to internet browsing. However, keeping it safe is still in your hands. The cybercriminals are waiting to steal the crucial data from your network and spoil your privacy. The best you can do to avoid this, and keep your data and privacy intact, is to encrypt your network. You must use a VPN – a Virtual Private Network will ensure networks’ encryption, therefore protect your children from any hackers or intruders.

Do not open unwanted mails.

With the increase in mail marketing gimmicks, your inbox must be full of unnecessary mails as well. These emails are clickbait. Popularly known as phishing, and it is easy for hackers to lure children. A genuine appearing mail may be the reason for a loss. Such emails have a link, which once clicked, grant complete access to the system to hackers. You must teach your children not to access any emails or messages from unknown senders, even if they appear genuine. Discuss with your kids the instances of phishing and why safety is better.

Don’t lure for attractive offers that can prove costly.

You might have understood that “million dollars are just a click away” is clickbait. But children may still get attracted to such links. Other links offering free games, movies, and gadgets can also be used to fool kids. These links will install malware on your device and corrupt your network and system. The first thing you can do is install a firewall and anti-malware software. It will ensure that no such program is installed without permission. Also, the other best way is to teach your children that nothing comes for free.

Be careful while sharing information.

Children generally don’t think much about what they are sharing on their public social media accounts. It makes personal memories available to everyone; people on the internet can misuse such information and photos. Talk to your kids and discuss with them about maintaining privacy in their life. Sharing memories with friends and families is alright, but the same is also available to strangers. Tell them to make their accounts private, and also follow them about what they are sharing. Don’t investigate their accounts, but be aware of their virtual presence.

Know what they are watching.

Children are in those years of life, which frame their mindset for their lifetime. The Internet is full of knowledge and content, but it is up to you how you use that content. Some content may not be good for kids. Websites with violent images, pornographic content, or stuff that is not for children to know, can give that knowledge to small children which they should get at a later stage. The solution to this is activating parental control on the system. It blocks some websites that are not suitable for children.

Conclusion

The Internet is the best gift of technology, but everything comes with a cost. And the cost here is your privacy and information. Everyone using the internet is at risk and especially children. As adults, we know the basic tricks used by hackers. But children are innocent and can even make the mistake of clicking fake links and surrendering crucial information to cybercriminals. Also, social media is another tool that has added to the problem. Kids share on these platforms without thinking, and that sometimes proves costly. Visit social media statistics to learn more on how to protect your kids on this kind of platforms.

The best way you can keep them safe is by using an encrypted network for protecting the network. Talk to them and teach them about what on the internet should not be considered true. Follow them on their various social media accounts to know what they are sharing. There is a difference between stalking them and just knowing about their virtual presence. And you are the only one who should be aware of their presence online.