According to a survey conducted by Kaspersky Lab and B2B International over a 12-month period, 22% of parents polled indicated that their children were affected by cyber incidents. Examples of these incidents included cyberbullying attacks and their children stumbling upon sites with inappropriate and/or damaging content for youngsters.
While surfing the Internet, children may come across web pages containing inappropriate material, like explicit content or information on weapons and drugs.
IT solutions can help you protect your children from such content. Some mobile browsers can be adjusted to automatically block your children’s access to dangerous content. There are also security programs that not only automatically block your children’s access to unsafe sites, but also inform parents about any attempts their children made to visit them.
For a parent, knowing your child is trying to access inappropriate content is crucial in discovering troublesome changes in their interests. You’ll be better prepared, armed with proper information, when discussing the dangers of the online world with your children.
How To: Use the Safe Browser on #Android http://t.co/DYvx2IiDQM #SafeBrowser #ParentalControls
— Kaspersky (@kaspersky) May 9, 2014
Oftentimes, search results don’t lead to the kind of information the user is looking for- this is another common online problem parents have to address. For example, a child might make an innocent search for cartoons, but find cartoons within the search results that contain mature content and were intended for adults. In this case, special programs designed to block dangerous search results can help.
#KeepYourChildSafe online: beware of dangerous content
Kaspersky Lab offers a number of tools to ensure your children are safe from cyber threats on mobile devices. Among them are the Safe Browsers for iOS and Windows Phone, Kaspersky Internet Security for Android and the specialized Kaspersky Safe Kids security solution for Windows, Mac OS X, Android and iOS.
How to keep your child safe: learn how to oversee their apps – http://t.co/wdKkVffp5P pic.twitter.com/arfDExPox6
— Kaspersky (@kaspersky) April 18, 2015
However, it is important not to limit your family’s online protection methods to technical means alone. You should always stay informed about new cyber threats and communicate openly with your children about them. By making sure your children understand the rules of safe online behavior and by staying vigilant about the online content your children have access to, you can help your children avoid future cyber incidents.