Digital privacy expert gives advice on keeping children safe online
LONDON, April 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With ????? (Kodomo no Hi) celebration being just around the corner, it is the right time to speak with children about the dangers of online hacks, scams, and increasing cyberbullying.
Daniel Markuson, a digital privacy expert at NordVPN, has collected some tips so that parents can teach their children about internet privacy and safety.
1. Educate on the importance of passwords.
It is important to teach children good password habits. "Besides knowing about all the good things the internet can offer, children should also learn about the risks that come with it. There are many educational resources online, including videos, which children often prefer to other types of media," says Daniel Markuson.
2. Set an example and become digital-literate yourself.
Show how you communicate and stay safe online but try not to push your opinion. Also, kids love when you know what's up and you can discuss that popular social media platform together.
3. Explain why privacy matters, especially when talking to strangers.
Talk to your kids about privacy and explain why they shouldn't overshare on social media platforms.
Tell them (but don't try to scare them) that internet bad guys can use their address, school location, parents' workplace, and other info against them. Teach your children how to manage their privacy settings so they can choose who they want to show their information to.
4. Talk to them about cyberbullying.
Based on Statista, around 17.92 thousand cases of cyberbullying among students were reported by schools in Japan in 2019. Tell your child about cyberbullying so they can recognize it. Show how to block unwanted people or report inappropriate actions online.
5. Talk about ads and online offers.
Nothing is ever for free. Teach your child to be careful about deals that look too good to be true. Ask them to show you everything they are planning to buy or redeem. Some offers may be scams designed to extract private information or money.
6. Install games and apps together.
Make sure you download all games and apps from secure sources. Also, check that both the app and its provider are reputable. Fake pop-ups often prompt kids to install various applications for free. But that may result in malware infecting the device or the whole home network.
https://nordvpn.com
