Global cyber security company Kaspersky recently conducted a European study* of 5,040 children aged 10-15 and discovered some alarming stats about how children are using the internet, and how they may not be protecting themselves as they should.
Over two thirds of the children said they had heard bad language on the internet, while a third said they had witnessed violence online, with a quarter saying they had view pornography online.
I am not surprise by these findings especially as nowadays children are able to access all sorts of information by searching it online. My children often watch the YouTube videos and had learnt a few cuss words through that which we had to put a stop to. Many times I’ve been annoyed with myself for not protecting them as well as I should or setting the right rules.
Studies also show that one in five children admitted their parents set no rules about how they used the internet at home and two-thirds of the respondents said they would know how to hide what they were looking at online from their parents.
As a parent of two young children who love to watch video games, I am always worried about their safety online especially as I can’t watch them 24/7. Also I do forget to manage their screen time!
To keep your children safe, Kaspersky have this downloadable app called Kaspersky Safe Kids App. It helps you to protect your children in a digital world, on their iPhones, iPads, Macs and Computers. It provides screen time scheduling, GPS safe zones, notifications about suspicious activities and summaries of what children search, see & share and much more. Parents can stay connected with their kids and be sure they are in the safe place – with more than just a parental control tool.
For just £14.99 for a year’s subscription, you can stay connected with your kids and be sure they are in a safe place. For more information about Kaspersky Safe Kids, please visit iTunes and Google Play.
Kaspersky have made this fun video about interviewing real children about their experiences online. Even though it’s great to see how savvy they are, it’s also important to ensure that they are protected. Enjoy!
Disclosure: This is a featured post. *Study conducted for Berkeley on behalf of Kaspersky carried out in September 2016. 5040 children aged 10-15 years in Germany, Spain, Benelux, Italy and France who go online and have access at home to an internet connected smart device (tablet/smartphone) whether their own or a family owned one.
I do think there is no substitute for watching your kids, but it isn’t possible to watch them constantly. We have the computers in the living room so that we can see them, but I’ll admit i don’t really know what they are watching if I’m making tea or sorting out one of the other kids!