Raising children in the digital age has become a little bit of a ‘ying-yang’ experience.
Consider this, Dad is comfortable with his little angel getting the latest smartphone because she has done well in her academic year but, Mom doesn’t think it’s a good idea, considering the increased exposure she will have to the Internet. There is cyber criminals, uncontrolled content and cyber bullying, just as a start, to consider. What do you do as a family?
Parenting has truly changed, not so long ago children played outside far more, whereas today approximately 56% of them now spend their time communicating with friends on social media platforms – a totally different reality. As a parent, wouldn’t you feel better knowing what your daughter or son is saying to his/her friends? Or what the online world is saying to them? Kaspersky Lab’s research shows that globally, 40% of children disclose sensitive information about themselves or family, which is not surprising, given that 28% of parents in South Africa feel they do not have any control over what their children see or do online.
It’s not doomsday though, as we can all agree that the Internet is one of the best invention ever when it comes to finding anything and everything one needs – it just makes life easier. Today, however, given this, the responsibility lies with us, to ensure we educate our kids about staying safe while online and why it is important not to share any sensitive information, as well as how to avoid downloading any malware onto their smartphones or devices.
It is not easy explaining this to a 6 or 10-year-old, but don’t avoid the subject because you think your children are too young – in fact the younger you start the conversation, the easier it will be for children to assimilate and understand your views. We understand that it is a challenging subject to address, however so is the reality and impact of cyber bullying or sextortion.
The new Kaspersky Internet Security – multi-device 2017 – includes some features that will assist you in keeping your children safe.
- The Parent control feature – this feature will assist parents to monitoring online activities of their children. For example, as so many kids love to ‘check-in’ online – with this feature, as a parent, you can make this function private, as check-ins are another way cyber criminals keep track of their victims.
- Cleans apps – as downloading an app is easy, the Software Cleaner function in this solution informs parents when a child installs an app, both from a credible source, or even from a not so credible one. Upon receiving a report from Software Cleaner, you are able to either remove or leave the app on the device.
- Lastly, there is room for privacy – privacy should not only apply to adults, it applies to everyone who has a digital profile. The Secure Connection feature of this solution, ensures that your children connect to the Internet safely and that their data is protected. This feature will protect your child’s sensitive information.
The new Kaspersky Internet Security – multi-device 2017 offers parents wanting to give their children access to the Internet, the ability to do so in a safe and controlled manner. Despite the risks, don’t avoid going online, but rather ensure you are informed and educating your family about cyber safety.
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- Kaspersky registers growing interest in PlayStation 5 among cybercriminals - October 2, 2020
