Cyber Security For The Kids and Teens

photo courtesy of The Educator

Just like adults, children and teens are vulnerable to many types of internet scams and security issues, but compounded by the fact that they are all the more innocent and trusting. 

Drive-by downloads, links to malicious sites and malware are all threats but kids are also targeted by 'fan sites' that can contain offers of 'free stuff' or have malicious links, or messages from what appears to be friends, or perhaps offers of free music, games or ring tones and other things to which kids are attracted.

Of course, there are the pedophile creeps that prey on kids and young teens, but the cyber security safety tips we'll be talking about can be a basic start to protecting kids from online threats.

Start Right from the Beginning

Of course, it's up to us adults to set the stage properly, with things like up to date operating systems and security software, as well as things like strong password protocols. The latter also applies to things like mobile devices such as Smart phones, something so many kids have these days.

As a side note, please read my post titled "Not So Smart Phone!" for some important tips on securing these devices and keeping your personal information safe.

As for those strong password protocols I mentioned, there are a slew of suggestions coming up in a future post or check out the BlueCircle website for tips on this topic as well as other cyber security items.

Create Strong Passwords

In the meantime, one basic rule for kids when it comes to passwords should be to never ever share theirs with anyone, not even a friend.

Friends can become ex-friends or can be careless and the more widespread a password is, the more susceptible a child or teen can become to stalkers and hackers. As for some of the vulnerabilities, consider the following...

-kids love videos, like YouTube, and there can be many malicious links hidden within, redirecting to inappropriate or illegal content. Scams can be disguised by the lure of " who's got a crush on you" and other such things with which young people may be concerned.
-kids are big fans, of sports, music groups or other types of celebrities, and can be lured to sites that falsely proclaim to be legitimate, again redirecting to malicious sites.
-kids often use the family computer and though they don't have credit cards or access financial institutions, they can open the door to hackers who can install spyware and gain information that could affect all users.
-kids' identifications are valuable to thieves who may use them to illegally obtain credit or commit a crime. Typically, if credit is illegally obtained, it's not discovered for years, such as when a child is older and may try to get a student loan for example.
-kids are social and therefor susceptible to all types of cyber bullying and threats related to their online profiles and social media accounts.

Check out the graphic posted below for a good sense of what steps should be followed by kids and teens online, in the form of a pledge that can be taken by families, together, including parents and grandparents. And really, the key to all of this is being aware and involved with your kids ( or grandchildren) and their online activities and socializing so that you can monitor what's going on and be open to discussion with them about being safe and secure. Knowing kids these days, they might even teach you a few things you didn't know as well! haha.

image courtesy of cyberaware.org