Opinion: Internet threats and expert advice

17:03 - 22.02.2018


Does your child spend hours on the Internet? You are not alone!

According to the survey of anti-virus company ESET, 81% of school children are every day online.

56% of children, according to parents, "sit all day on the Internet". Where are the guarantees that there they see only useful and safe content? The elders do not always have time and ability to control the process of getting acquainted with the network "manually".

We will talk about the main threats children encounter on the Internet – and how to avoid them.

 

Viruses

Malware can disable your home computer or transfer payment data to attackers if you use online banking or online wallets.

  • Tell your child what viruses are and how they can get into your home computer network. Agree not to click on suspicious links, do not download games and movies from unreliable sources, and do not run programs without the permission of the elders.
  • Install a comprehensive anti-virus program on your home devices: it will not only protect against malware, but also prevent phishing, will not let spyware into your network.

 

Unwanted content

Clicking on the suspicious link, the child may stumble upon "adult" videos, advertising of gambling, calls for aggression. Those pages are not dangerous for an adult, and the child can get psychological trauma from them.

  • Be observant: pay attention to the mood and psychological state of the child after the stay on the Internet.
  • Install a child’s browser on the devices used by the child.
  • If the child is very young, go online with him/her.
  • Use the parental control module as part of comprehensive anti-virus program. It will help limit the child's access to "adult" sites and provide statistics on his/her activity.

 

Cyberbullying

Many of us don’t know what to do in a situation where children are abused, humiliated or harassed on the Internet. Where to go? How to help a child? Unfortunately, we did not encounter the same problem in childhood.

  • Cultivate an atmosphere of trust in the family: the child should be aware that you are on his side – it will encourage him to share "network" problems.
  • Try to find out who insults the child. If this is a classmate, contact the class teacher or parents of the offender. Move the solution from the virtual plane to the real world.
  • Block unwanted contacts with anti-Spam as part of your antivirus.

 

Doubtful acquaintances

The Internet allows you to stay anonymous – and look alive, real, attractive. Modern children are open to the world, willing to communicate in social networks. Unfortunately, people with bad intentions can knock to them as friends

  • Explain to the child that he should believe everything he sees in the Internet.  Photos can be fake – just like first name-last name, hobbies or intentions. 
  • Check the settings of the security profile of your child on social networks: get real names, address, close from prying photos, disconnect geolocation.

 

Internet fraud

You can write a book (and not just one!) how to draw money from a person using computer technology. Unfortunately, children are naive and often succumb to the tricks of scammers.

  • Tell your children about the most common types of online fraud (you can read articles on this topic together). Discuss why victims of scams succumbed to the deception that needed to be done differently.
  • Decide with the child what he under no pretext will not without your consent disclose or payment data your Bank cards or your passport information.
  • Impose restrictions on online shopping (for example, make purchases only in your presence) and install a comprehensive anti-virus with the function of protecting Internet payments.

 

 

 

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