ELİF AKGÜL

Istanbul – A new study by a cybersecurity firm called Surfshark claims that six out of 10 children aged between 8-and 12 years currently face cyber risks. The study also shows that one in two children encounter cyberbullying and close to one-third experience other cyber threats such as phishing or hacking.

According to the report, Thailand, the Philippines, and Turkey have the highest online risk exposure for children. “Thailand has the highest numbers of cyberbullying and cyber threats in the world, classifying it as a country with very high online risk exposure for children. Thailand is followed by the Philippines and Turkey making them the top 3 countries with the highest online risk exposure levels,” the report says.

Online crime rate increases

“Cybercrime against children is surging. According to the FBI Internet Crime Center Report (2015-2020), in 2020 the crime against children increased by 144% compared to 2019 - that’s 8 children per day facing online exploitation. In comparison, from 2014 to 2019, the online crime rate was pretty steady, varying only by 5-9%,” the report says.

Speaking about the study, Aleksandr Valentij, Head of Information Security at Surfshark, said, “Through this study, we can see that educating children about cyber threats plays a huge role in helping them know how to deal with any problem that may arise online. Every child is an individual. They all seek different things from their online experience and are exposed to danger differently. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to discussing online safety with your children. Instead, you should discover ways to talk to them and help them understand what to do.”

Online safety education is essential

The cybersecurity firm underlines in the report how online safety education is essential to protect children from cybercrimes. The report says,  low- and middle-income countries have better online safety education than wealthy countries. High-income countries such as Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, on the other hand, offer baseless training or nothing at all, with a score of 6.5 and 2 out of 100. So it’s not surprising that children in Saudi Arabia and Uruguay are the least prepared to deal with online threats.

On the other hand, children in Asia-Pacific countries (India, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand) have the strongest online risk management skills. India has 30% stronger online security training programs than the global average, while Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand have stronger online security training programs than India.

How to raise awareness of children about their online safety

The report shares six tips for parents on how to talk to their children about cybersecurity, given the increased risk of child vulnerability online:

·         Educate children when they are young. Use kid-friendly educational resources like interactive cartoons. Warn children to avoid sharing personal information, photos, and videos online.

·         Explain the reliability of the Internet. When it comes to using the Internet, focus on empowering children rather than scaring them. Make sure your child knows what is and isn’t safe online.

·         Give confidence. Let your child know that he or she can approach you with any questions or concerns. Create a safe, respectful environment by encouraging children to tell their parents or trusted adults when they encounter a cyber threat.

·         Use cybersecurity tools. Use the right tools (e.g. antivirus, VPN, content blocker, ad blocker, etc.) to help keep them safe. Help your child run regular scans with firewalls and email filters to further reduce risks like ransomware.

·         Change passwords. If your child’s email or game platform password is leaked, help your child change the password immediately. It will be beneficial for you to create and store new passwords with password managers. At this point, educate your children not to set easy and simple passwords.

·         Set internet rules. Adjust privacy settings and use parental controls for online games, apps, social media sites, and other websites. Keep your computer in an open area and consider setting time limits on all devices.