The vast majority, 90%, of teens agree that cyber bullying a problem, and 63% believe this is a serious problem. What’s more, a 2018 survey of children’s online behavior found that approximately 60% of children who use social media have witnessed some form of bullying, and that, for various reasons, most children ignored the behavior altogether. And according to enough.org, as of February 2018, nearly half (47%) of all young people had been the victims of cyber bullying. Social media and online games are today's virtual playground, and that is where much cyber bullying takes place, and it’s operating 24/7. Children can be ridiculed in social media exchanges. Or, in online gaming, their player personas can be subjected to incessant attack, turning the game from an imaginative adventure into a humiliating ordeal that escalate into cyber bullying across multiple platforms and in real-life.
The best foundation for protecting against cyber bullying is to be comfortable talking to your children about what is going on in their lives online and in in real-life (IRL) and how to stand up to bullies. Cyber security software and specialized apps for monitoring your child’s online and mobile activity can help, but nothing will replace an open dialog.
Cyber Predators
These days sexual and other predators often stalk children on the internet, taking advantage of their innocence, lack of adult supervision and abusing their trust. This can culminate in children being lured into dangerous personal encounters IRL. These predators lurk on social media and gaming platforms that appeal to children—the same virtual venues where anonymity facilitates cyber bullying. There, they can exploit not only children's innocence, but also their gift of imagination. "Let's play pretend" is a common and healthy part of online gaming and interaction, but predators can use it as a hook to pull children in.
The FBI offers guidance in safeguarding against predators and other online risks to child safety. However, again, the best protection is regularly talking to your children about what is going on in their day-to-day lives.
Posting Private Information
Children do not yet understand social boundaries. They may post personally identifiable information (PII) online, for example in their social media profiles, that should not be out in public. This might be anything from images of awkward personal moments to their home addresses or family vacation plans.
Much, but not all, of what your children post is in public view. This means that you can also see it—and there's no harm in reminding them that if Mom and Dad can see it, so can everyone else. Avoid snooping, but speak frankly to your kids about public boundaries and what they mean for your children and your family as a whole.
Phishing
Phishing is what cyber security professionals call the use of emails that try to trick people into clicking on malicious links or attachments. These can be especially difficult for kids to detect because often, the email will appear to be from someone legitimate, like a friend or family member, saying simply, "Hey—thought you might like this!" This can also be done with using messaging apps or text messages—then it's called "smishing".
Falling for Scams
Children are probably not going to fall for Nigerian princes offering them a million dollars, but they might fall for scams that offer things they value, such as free access to online games or special features. Young people are easy marks for scams because they have not yet learned to be wary. As with phishing, cyber criminals can use sites popular with children to identify potential victims, and then promise prizes in return for what they want—like parents' credit card information.
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Cyberbullying
The vast majority, 90%, of teens agree that cyber bullying a problem, and 63% believe this is a serious problem. What’s more, a 2018 survey of children’s online behavior found that approximately 60% of children who use social media have witnessed some form of bullying, and that, for various reasons, most children ignored the behavior altogether. And according to enough.org, as of February 2018, nearly half (47%) of all young people had been the victims of cyber bullying. Social media and online games are today's virtual playground, and that is where much cyber bullying takes place, and it’s operating 24/7. Children can be ridiculed in social media exchanges. Or, in online gaming, their player personas can be subjected to incessant attack, turning the game from an imaginative adventure into a humiliating ordeal that escalate into cyber bullying across multiple platforms and in real-life.
The best foundation for protecting against cyber bullying is to be comfortable talking to your children about what is going on in their lives online and in in real-life (IRL) and how to stand up to bullies. Cyber security software and specialized apps for monitoring your child’s online and mobile activity can help, but nothing will replace an open dialog.
Cyber Predators
These days sexual and other predators often stalk children on the internet, taking advantage of their innocence, lack of adult supervision and abusing their trust. This can culminate in children being lured into dangerous personal encounters IRL. These predators lurk on social media and gaming platforms that appeal to children—the same virtual venues where anonymity facilitates cyber bullying. There, they can exploit not only children's innocence, but also their gift of imagination. "Let's play pretend" is a common and healthy part of online gaming and interaction, but predators can use it as a hook to pull children in.
The FBI offers guidance in safeguarding against predators and other online risks to child safety. However, again, the best protection is regularly talking to your children about what is going on in their day-to-day lives.
Posting Private Information
Children do not yet understand social boundaries. They may post personally identifiable information (PII) online, for example in their social media profiles, that should not be out in public. This might be anything from images of awkward personal moments to their home addresses or family vacation plans.
Much, but not all, of what your children post is in public view. This means that you can also see it—and there's no harm in reminding them that if Mom and Dad can see it, so can everyone else. Avoid snooping, but speak frankly to your kids about public boundaries and what they mean for your children and your family as a whole.
Phishing
Phishing is what cyber security professionals call the use of emails that try to trick people into clicking on malicious links or attachments. These can be especially difficult for kids to detect because often, the email will appear to be from someone legitimate, like a friend or family member, saying simply, "Hey—thought you might like this!" This can also be done with using messaging apps or text messages—then it's called "smishing".
Falling for Scams
Children are probably not going to fall for Nigerian princes offering them a million dollars, but they might fall for scams that offer things they value, such as free access to online games or special features. Young people are easy marks for scams because they have not yet learned to be wary. As with phishing, cyber criminals can use sites popular with children to identify potential victims, and then promise prizes in return for what they want—like parents' credit card information.
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