One of the most vulnerable groups to cybersecurity during COVID-19 is our children. Think about this. A few months ago, our kids had unexpectedly changed their learning formats and became fully online learners. They have spent much more time in front of electronic devices than before. At their ages, it is not easy for them to distinguish between the virtual and real worlds. If parents do not pay attention, they might be exposed themselves to cybersecurity threats.
To prevent anything terrible happened to our children, we have the responsibility to guide them on how to use electronic devices correctly. Here are some tips to be safe, provided by the Education for Justice:
- Concentrate on the people around you, and do not look at your phone all the time.
- Mean things about you on the internet are not true, you shouldn’t believe them.
- It’s not ok to say mean things about others on the internet.
- Be careful when chatting with someone on the internet. People can easily pretend to be someone else.
- If someone is extra nice and promises you gifts, be careful, it could be a trick.
- If strangers ask for personal information, stop chatting with them and talk to your parents about it.
- Be careful if there are buttons in online games that promise you gifts. Nothing is for free, you must pay for ordering things.
- Photos of yourself in a swimsuit are very personal, you shouldn’t send them to others on the internet.
- Always ask for help if you feel unsafe or something doesn’t feel right.
You can also download the free “The Online Zoo” Book in which children can learn how to be responsible electronic device users.
https://www.unodc.org/…/e4j/FunCorner/OnlineZoo_EN_WEB.pdf
Citation suggestion: Institute for Asian Crime and Security, IACS (2021): Protect Our Children Online. figshare. Online resource. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.15127755.v1
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