Today is Internet Safety Day – with children as young as three logging on to watch videos, participate in Zoom classes or play video games, this generation has more access to the many wonders of the internet than any before. That also means they are more exposed to the internet’s many dangers.
It is important to teach children of all the potential risks they are exposed to when they go online, and give them the tools to surf the internet safely. Here are Check Point´s recommendations:
- Create funny and safe passwords – every site needs a password, to make each unique use funny words or saying that your child will remember but also doesn’t have any of their personal information.
- Use access codes for your devices – this extra level of security is great if your child tends to forget their devices. Access codes will prevent anyone logging onto their device without the parent’s knowledge.
- Update your devices as you go to prevent bugs – many free games have viruses attached to them that can infect your computer. Think of updates like doctor appointments you must do regularly to keep your devices healthy and working.
- Think before you click – Make sure to tell your child if a message looks weird or they don’t know who it’s from, they shouldn’t open it. Instead, they can ask an adult if it is legitimate.
- Stranger Danger! Explain to your child they shouldn’t be messaging, or chatting with people over video games they do not know. This opens the door to hackers and other unsafe types.
The Internet is in many of our daily activities, so it is essential to protect the youngest members of the household against any kind of danger online. It is essential to take every precaution by training them thoroughly in all aspects of cybersecurity. When children are online they should only talk to people they know in real life, understand that sharing personal information online can be dangerous, only click on links in known emails and create unique and secure passwords that are updated frequently for a higher level of protection.