How to Engage Kids in Cybersecurity Conversation?

The average age of a phone user is dropping by the year. Computers, iPads, and other gadgets are being used by children worldwide. The internet may offer a variety of enjoyable and instructive activities for youngsters. On the other hand, as kids grow better with technology, their online accounts become more tempting prey for criminals. Kids still do not know what they are clicking on or where they are spending money online. They don’t have the common sense to avoid strangers and to not click on that cute kitten! 

While the importance of cyber security cannot be overstated, discussions on this issue are often too complex for young minds. In such a situation, we can help you communicate about online safety without boring them and ensure you’re understood!  

How do they know that they are talking to a like-minded youngster or talking to an older person with bad intentions? 

1. Warn them what is at risk.

When discussing cyber security with young people, it is essential that they understand the issue is very serious. Criminals online will target anybody, even minors, for fraud but many children may have never faced such dangers or even think about it. For this, kids are more inclined to take precautions if they understand why cyber security is important and how it will affect them negatively and positively.

2. Make it amusing and informative.

Having lighthearted conversations with children about online safety is an excellent strategy. Use analogies to help your kid better understand these ideas by comparing them to things they already know. For instance, providing your internet account password is like giving away your house key. These linkages to the physical environment and clear rules for offline and online activities help children grasp cybersecurity and physical security risks.

3. Establish home internet security best practices.

Set some ground rules and maintain an open line of communication about them before introducing your children to their first internet-connected gadgets. Put your kid in charge of helping you make decisions about what regulations to set up at home. Having this level of confidence in the rules and trust that they are within their reach empowers individuals to take more responsibility for their online safety.

There are apps that you can download that can monitor the internet usage of all users within a household. This might feel like spying on them at first, but knowledge is power and they can quickly earn your trust when you see that they are only using TickTock, YouTube and playing games with their friends.