Observing Youth Day on the 16th of June serves as a keen reminder of the importance of encompassing development of our youth and an advent of this is also teaching children about online safety. This is especially important given how Kaspersky research has found (based on certain key words used) that the number of cyberattack attempts targeting children grew by 35% (1.3 million attempts) in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period of the last year.
There are many benefits for children in engaging online – from access to information that promotes curiosity and learning to interacting with others and promoting collaboration through play. At the same time, protecting children online requires a careful balancing act between setting limitations and proactive education. To support parents, guardians, teachers and other custodians in educating children on cybersecurity terms, Kaspersky collected information and advice on kids’ security on a special web page and also launched the freely available Cybersecurity Alphabet, a fun and informative book that teaches children how to recognise malicious tricks and learn all about the importance of staying safe online. With this book, children will get to know technologies, learn the main cyber hygiene rules, find out how to avoid online threats and recognise cyber fraudsters’ tricks. The information is easy to understand and is placed in order from A to Z. The tips are accompanied by bright, easy-to-remember images that provide parents with a great resource to teach their children safe online practices.
“The Cybersecurity Alphabet was designed to take a user-friendly approach to raise awareness of a variety of cybersecurity issues. Parents can discuss different topics while reading through the Cybersecurity Alphabet with their children. And teens who want to navigate the alphabet on their own will be able to easily understand the tips to keep safe,” says Andrew Voges, Kaspersky General Manager for Africa. “Beyond that, managing access is also important. Parental control software, such as Kaspersky Safe Kids, enables parents to manage the time their children spend online, set up Internet and app filters, and track their child’s location with GPS. While cybersecurity programs such as Kaspersky Premium will help to deal with malware and online scams to secure the devices of youngsters.”
Some examples of topics covered in the Cybersecurity Alphabet to discuss with young ones include:
Cyberbullying is when someone is mean or hurtful to other people online.
It can happen in different ways, like sending mean messages or spreading rumors about someone online. Cyberbullying makes people feel sad, embarrassed, or scared. It's important to be kind to others online, just as in real life. If you think that you're being bullied online, share your feelings with adults you trust. What a bully says about you has nothing to do with who you really are. Therefore, never take their words seriously. Do not try to get the bully back, because it can often make things worse. Take screenshots of your chat with the bully and block them on the platform.
Oversharing is when we tell someone more about ourselves online than we should.
Always be careful about telling people you don't really know something personal about yourself: things that are unique only to you and can help someone tell you apart from others (your name, birthday, contact details, school, location, etc.). Also be careful about some facts that don't seem so important, like your pet's birthday. Your personal information or any facts that you tell someone about yourself, and your life online can be used by strangers to get your trust. Before sharing or publishing any information about yourself online, ask yourself if you would tell these things to a stranger on the street.
Phishing is when cybercriminals try to fool you and steal your information – things like your first and last name, login name, or bank account number (if you or your parents use those to buy something online).
They might send you emails and messages, or even make fake websites that look real, but they are actually trying to steal your information. So, it's important to be careful and never share your personal information with anyone unless you are absolutely sure it's safe. Unfortunately, not everyone you meet online is a good person, and it's really important to be careful who you give your email address to. Sometimes people may try to trick you into giving away your personal information by being really nice, but you should never give things like your full name, address, phone number, or passwords to anyone online unless a trusted adult says you can.
Pieces of advice for parents and guardians:
- Set clear ground rules about what children can and can’t do online.
- Teach them privacy basics and tell them about the risks of oversharing.
- Emphasise that they should never share personal info or login details.
- Advise children to use non-personal usernames.
- Explain why they should avoid unauthorised game and app downloads.
- Teach to exercise caution regarding links in social networks and email attachments.
- Maintain open communication about online activities and show readiness to help in case something uncomfortable or suspicious comes up online.
