During the semester break, children will use the internet more intensively than ever before. But the internet is full of useful and entertaining as well as dangerous content. Cyberbullying, malicious software, identity theft, criminal activities are just a few of them. So how can parents manage this process? Fortinet has provided parents, guardians and teachers with valuable tips they can use to keep kids and students safe online.
The semester break has arrived. Children and parents will spend more and more time on the Internet. The Internet is a truly valuable resource for children and teens, as it provides educational materials, fun games, and ways to connect with friends. However, the internet can also be a playground for bad actors trying to prey on children and their families through cyberbullying, malicious content, identity theft, criminal activities and more. For parents, the situation starts to get complicated at this point. Tips to help parents on how to manage this process:
Just like wearing a bike helmet and seat belt, staying protected online requires applying the best cyber hygiene skills.
“Top 5 cyber hygiene apps for kids”
Here are some tips parents, guardians and teachers can use to keep kids and students safe online:
1. Protection of Personal Information: First, keeping your personal information safe is really important at all times. Never share your name, address, phone numbers, where you go to school, passwords or any of your photos without the permission of your parents, guardians or elders. Once the information is on the internet it is really difficult to remove it and anyone can see it. Remember; Even if you think you know who you are communicating with online, you may not actually know who you are. There may be an adult acting like a child while you think you are talking to another child. Therefore, to be safe, you should never meet someone you meet online in a physical setting.
2. Be Careful Which Websites You Use: Be careful when entering various websites; some may try to trick you into clicking on links by offering free games, free music and other free stuff. These sites may contain malicious software that hackers can use. These software can steal information from your device and even open your camera without your knowledge!
3. Don't Open Suspicious Links or Attachments: Similarly, opening suspicious links or unexpected email attachments is dangerous because they can also contain malware and other malicious content. To learn more about what makes a link or attachment suspicious, you can take the NSE 1 & 2 tutorials from Fortinet.
4. Keep Devices Up-to-Date: Always keep your devices up-to-date with the latest software and security patches, and always use good security practices, such as using strong passwords that are hard to guess.
5. Do Not Post or Respond to Offensive Posts: We need to behave well and properly online; but if you see something that upsets or bothers you, be sure to talk to your parents or any adult you trust.
Cyber hygiene does not end there. It is highly recommended that you keep computers in an open area such as the living room or kitchen so that if you see certain behaviors you may have an opportunity to intervene before something bad happens. In addition, you can set parental controls in your web browsers. Some browsers allow you to restrict or allow only certain websites to be viewed on your computer, and you can protect these settings with a password.
Fortinet highlights the importance of spreading cyber awareness through the NSE Education Institute and skills gap initiatives.
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