Protecting Kids from Cyber Dangers

In our wired world, kids are getting exposed to the Internet at an earlier age. However, despite its many benefits, a perfect storm has emerged for the online victimization of children. Kids have free access to pornography, and sexual predators have easy access to kids. Cyber-bullying and identity-theft have become more common. Law enforcement limitations and challenges abound, and naive kids are engaging in risky online behavior. Parents must serve as the first line of defense to protect kids, but they are often uninformed or ill-equipped to deal with these and other evolving threats. It is therefore wise for you to brush up on these threats and learn how to protect your young ones from these.

Rocky Delgado, an Information Technology professional who handles Internet Security Systems, and Jonathan Richie Yap, an Information Technology consultant involved with online social networking sites, give some of the dangers that confront Internet users today:

Virus. Kids can get a virus embedded in their computer, be it a conduit for a Trojan Horse, a staging area for a worm, or they may end up downloading unnecessary cookies and files. 
Improper content. There are numerous sites where a child can learn harmful things like how to make bombs, sites that encourage drug use, forums that discuss the best ways to commit suicide, and areas that foster hate crimes.

Predators. Kids may be subject to various online predators. Delgado says, “A child may be exposed to phishing attacks where unscrupulous persons can try to steal their or their parents’ personal information and identity.” Sexual predators, adults pretending to be teenagers, abound in cyberworld. They entice children to reveal personal information and eventually lure them to private encounters that can result to traumatic experiences for kids and teens. Yap warns, “Kids who end up in chatrooms may be lured to sex chats leading to a sex ‘eyeball’, prostitution, or even ‘sex for benefits’ arrangements.” 

Cyber-bullying. The relative anonymity the Internet offers sometimes makes kids feel uninhibited and makes them prone to harmful and nasty acts. Kids may be sent unsolicited hate mail, or fall prey to posers who pretend to be them on the Internet. Cases where other people open accounts in social networking sites under other people’s names and then post false, misleading, rude, or derogatory information are becoming common.  

 

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Pornography. The online adult business is a thriving worldwide multibillion dollar industry. It has become easy for kids to get exposed to pornographic materials.  

Identity theft. Since it has become common occurrence for teens to post their private information on the Internet, be it their school, their favorite hangout, and birthday, it has become easy for others to steal someone’s identity on the Net as well.  

Protect your kids When it comes to protecting your children from Web dangers, sometimes, all it takes is good ol’ involved parenting: 

Be updated with technology. A little understanding goes a long way towards keeping one’s child safe online. Brush up on the latest gadgets, platforms, software, and Internet lingo. Get basic technical training and learn about new products as they’re released. That way, you won’t be totally alien to your child’s online activities.

Communication. Keep a constant, open, honest communication line with your child. Children need to know why certain rules about the computer and Internet access exist. With ample explanation, he may be less likely to violate the rules if he is told the truth about why he is not allowed to see everything on the Net. Patiently explain that as in real life, some things are safe for kids while the rest are for adults only. Yap says, “Let your child understand the pitfalls of Internet usage as well as the responsibilities they have in accessing it.” 

Nina de Santos, mom to 14-year-old Roey, says, “We had a family meeting prior to giving Roey his own PC and Internet access. We discussed the pros and cons of using the Internet and my son’s rights and responsibilities in doing so. Then, my husband made him sign a contract that outlined the aforementioned rights and responsibilities. This made Roey more aware and self-regulating with his Internet usage.”

Be firm and consistent with rules. Real life rules also apply online. This means no name-calling, no mean, rude, and harsh treatments towards others. Remind your child that just because he is online does not mean he can let go of his inhibitions, manners, or good upbringing. The relative anonymity the Internet provides him does not give him license to be mean to a friend or cyber-bully an acquaintance. If in the real world, he is not allowed to talk to strangers, the same rules apply to his online interactions. Remind him that the Internet is not truly anonymous and is forever. Whatever he does online (uploading files and personal information, commenting on someone’s blog, or relaying messages on someone’s page) will stay there for a long, long time.

 

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Keep your computer in an open area. Put the computer in a public area where there is high traffic - your family room or hall. If this is not possible, enforce an open-door policy in your home. Ask your child to keep the doors of his room open while online.  

Constantly monitor your child’s online activity. Tell your child that since you are giving him the privilege of using the Internet, you will be monitoring his online activity. Yap says you can check their past visited sites by browsing the bookmarks and history in your computer’s Web browser. You can also flip through the cookies and log files in the computer to know what he’s been up to.

Install filters. Delgado advises parents to use Internet browsers that support parental control like the Content Advisor in Internet Explorer. This will help prevent your kids from accessing sites that are not approved by you.

Use software. Yap suggests investing in software applications that monitor a computer’s online activity and help one enforce browsing policies. Web Watcher, eBlaster, Spectator Pro, Spy Agent, Content Protect, Guardian Monitor, I am Big Brother, Net Nanny, Norton Online Family Parenting Tool, and CyberSitter are some popular brands in the market. 

Remember, though, that even the best monitoring software can be circumvented, so it’s best to have your Internet usage rules in place. If your child would be online when you’re not present, be sure he understands and complies with your house rules.

It’s not all bad. Despite the threats that abound online, the Internet has its redeeming qualities. It can be a great learning resource for children. Delgado says the Internet also helps kids “with their interests.” They can access games that develop their decision-making abilities, music that inspires them, art that educates them, and it allows them to deepen friendships and other family relationships more easily. 

There is no denying that the Internet is here to stay. You can’t shield your children from it, so it’s best to just take the good and watch out for the bad. As parents, you must learn to adapt to this new platform and see how you can make it work for your own lifestyle as well as your children’s. Exploring this new virtual world together with your kids will allow you to reinforce the values you have taught them and apply them to this new arena. 

Photo by Dakila Angeles