Keep a tab on what children do online

With access to the Internet becoming a necessity in today's world, not just for adults but for children too, parents must play a more active role in checking what is reaching their wards and keep them safe from inappropriate content, say security experts.

Sharing some facts from a recent research, Trend Micro experts said that the Synovate research showed that one in three children said they could not live without accessing the Net.

Findings show that in Taiwan about 26 per cent of children use the Internet for over three hours every day, and this ratio almost doubled to 50.2 per cent over weekend. Ninety per cent of the teens are reported to be online in the US, while in the Philippines, 19 per cent of kids aged between 13 and 17 – are active on Facebook.

In South Korea, 15 per cent of children and teenagers were found addicted to Internet/video games, while in India, 62 per cent of youth – perform an online search for information. “This statistic coupled with the fact that the Internet can also be a hotbed for several types of criminal activity, is seen as a cause for concern among many parents,” say experts.

Cloud security leader Trend Micro urges parents to consider what reaches their children and what the children share to keep children safe online.

Parents should also be on the lookout for aggressive or undesired commercialism, closely monitoring the line between content sharing and advertising, sweepstakes, and requests for personal information. They should also be concerned about web threats such as spyware, hack attacks, viruses, and other malicious software, said Ms Suchita Vishnoi, Head (Marketing), Trend Micro (India and SAARC).

“The Internet should be a place where you can talk, learn, shop, and share without worrying about your own safety or the security of personal information. One needs to be smart about what to share and whom to share it with, as well as how one behaves. For ensuring this behaviour in kids, parents must play a more active role in checking what is reaching their children and keep them safe from inappropriate content, unwanted contact, aggressive commercialism and security threats,” said Ms Vishnoi.

A study conducted by Trend Micro revealed that while 83 per cent of parents claim to be worried about their children's online behaviour, but only 30 per cent actually visit their children's SNS profiles to see what they are doing online.

“Although not all young people will encounter these risks, the more they are aware of these potential hazards, the more likely they are to be safe online. This awareness, combined with technology, common sense, and critical thinking, can help to make sure the Internet is in fact a great and safe place for children,” say Trend Micro experts.

COMMENT NOW