Children are growing up in an increasingly digital environment. Their online protection must therefore remain a priority, just as their security in the real world. Here are some important tips to protect them.
The Internet is a double-edged sword. It has become an essential component of our daily lives. So much so that it is difficult to keep even children away from this interconnected world. But being online also carries many risks.
The youngest are not safe from inappropriate content, malicious individuals on social networks or even screen addiction with the consequences that go with it. Malware and ransomware can also put the entire family at risk. Here are our tips for improving online safety for children and families.
Limit children’s screen time
At the start of adolescence, children spend on average 6 hours a day in front of screens according to studies. This time increases as they grow and can exceed 9 hours.
For their good balance, get them to adopt good habits by setting limits and ensure that they comply with them as much as possible. For example, ban smartphones or portable consoles from the bedroom before bedtime.
There are also parental control apps to limit children’s screen time or the time they spend on certain apps.
Strict rules for social networks
Most social networks require a minimum age of 13 to register. In France, the law of July 7, 2023 aimed at establishing a digital majority and fighting against online hatred now sets this age at 15 years. Below, parental consent is required for the registration of children.
Regardless, parents should keep a check on their children’s social media activity until late adolescence. This involves communication, but also the establishment of restrictive rules such as not accepting requests from strangers or engaging in conversations with people they do not know in real life. Predators often use fake profiles to contact children.
Until they reach the age of majority, do not hesitate to demand to have their passwords. You will be able to find out more easily what they are doing on social media and who they are talking to. Or opt for a parental monitoring tool. You also need to teach them some basic rules.
- Use privacy settings to make their profile as private as possible
- Avoid sharing personal information online: phone numbers, addresses, etc.
- Also avoid sharing your position in real time, knowing that certain applications allow it.
- Ignoring friend requests from unknown people
- Don’t talk to strangers
- Report suspicious messages and any form of harassment or hate speech
Phishing, malware, espionage: best practices to avoid online threats
Both children and adults are vulnerable to online threats. The whole family must be well versed in good practices that enhance Internet security.
Phishing is a very common method used by cybercriminals. It aims to obtain victims’ login credentials, most often financial services data with the aim of stealing money from them.
But phishing can target any type of sensitive information that could put your safety or that of your children at risk. To avoid pitfalls, impose certain rules:
- Teach your child not to click on any link : you must be careful of links promising gifts, offers that are too good to be true, do not systematically click on the links sent by your contacts.
- Always check the address of the sites before entering your login credentials : Scammers do not hesitate to perfectly reproduce the interface of certain popular sites to extract the identifiers you provide. Always check that the URL is correct and, more generally, avoid http sites that do not have a padlock at the start of the address bar.
- Do not download your applications from any source: on smartphone, always install your applications from the official stores, especially on Android (Play Store). On PC, always go to the developer’s official website.
- Change your passwords once in passing
- Install the latest updates regularly available on your PC or smartphone.
Apart from these basic rules, it is important to opt for a comprehensive protection solution like Bitdefender. The family pack offers the right tools to protect up to 15 household devices against viruses and malware, regardless of the system (Windows, macOS, iOS and Android).
The Bitdefender solution helps detect and block online threats. It has parental control tools that allow you to discreetly monitor what your children are doing online.
The Bitdenfender Family Pack also offers comprehensive ransomware protection to protect your family photos, videos, and data. Finally, the solution also includes a secure VPN to remain anonymous.
This article is a sponsored post by Bitdefender.