Cybersecurity for families
The context of the Internet for children and adolescents
The current features of the Internet allow children and adolescents to also take advantage of the benefits of the web for studying, having fun, creating or socializing. It is indisputable that the online environment of minors is part of their development and, therefore, it is logical that it is an area of involvement for parents and guardians.
Minors have a preference for social media and online games, and more content is being created for these age groups, ranging from videos and games for babies and young children to apps and communities focusing on the adolescent stage. As with any other area of a minor´s life, the family plays a significant role in their digital learning. Therefore, the participation and support of parents and guardians throughout the process is essential.
- In situation
At Matilde´s house, for years, the mobile phone, the console, and the tablet have been the main cause for conflict day after day. Her 5 and 9-year-old sons, and her 12-year-old daughter, constantly ask for more time to play online, watch YouTube videos, and to have their own Instagram profile. According to them, all their classmates do it, and their parents aren´t as strict.
Matilde tries to stay up-to-date with all this technology, but just when she starts to get familiar with each of her children´s online interests, a new game, influencer, or fashion channel pops up, and she feels overwhelmed and unable to keep up. Every day is a battle: her youngest son ends up frightened after finding a violent video game among his cartoons, the middle child gets nervous after receiving an obscene message during his Fortnite game, and the oldest tries to recreate the latest viral Tiktok challenge, injuring herself in the school yard.
She shares her concerns with other families about what´s appropriate and what´s not, where to set limits, and which online activities pose a real risk, but she hasn´t quite figured out the right way to engage with her children´s digital lives.
How to prevent risks at the family level
- Internet: Risk or opportunity for minors?
Technology and the Internet offer a world of opportunities for any age, as long as they are used in a safe, healthy, and balanced manner. Like any environment, not everything is suitable for all audiences, and some content may be considered negative or harmful. Therefore, it is important to dedicate time to look for positive content, appropriate for the different maturity levels of children and adolescents, while they work on critical thinking and responsibility.
Resources and information:
Artículo‘Cómo ofrecerles contenidos digitales positivos’
Recurso ‘Fomentemos los contenidos positivos entre los menores’
- Where to start when it comes to supporting them on the Internet?
Having everyday conversations about their online activity will help us stay up to date and track their progress on the Internet. It´s not necessary to be an expert; simply showing interest in their favorite games, the apps they use, or their social interactions online is enough. This dialogue can lead to sharing family activities, such as playing online games or engaging in social media. It will also allow us to anticipate potential problems or conflicts, expand our knowledge, and enhance their ability to use the Internet more safely.
Resources and information
- Why is it necessary to set screen time limits?
To prevent excessive Internet use and help the child learn to use technology in a balanced way, it´s important to establish limits that gradually adjust to their age and maturity level. At the same time, it´s crucial to encourage quality activities when they´re online, avoiding passive overexposure at an early age, such as auto playing videos or long gaming sessions, which don’t offer positive or educational knowledge or entertainment.
Resources and information
Necesitas saber qué es el uso excesivo
Vídeo ‘Mediación parental para proteger a los menores en Internet’
- How to prevent cyberbullying from home?
The role of family in addressing cyber bullying is fundamental, as bullying is no longer limited to school yards. It is necessary to raise awareness in children and strengthen their self-esteem and social skills to prevent them from becoming the victims of cyberbullying, to act responsibly when they witness aggressive behavior toward a peer, and learn to respect others – always in a balanced way – rejecting bullying, violence, and hatred.
Resources and information
Campaña ‘Tolerancia cero al ciberacoso’
- Is it possible to protect the privacy of minors on social media?
By accepting the terms of use on social media platforms, all users inevitably expose themselves publicly to varying degrees. It´s important to decide when the child is ready to take this step and encourage responsibility and caution when sharing information about themselves and others. There are many ways to use social media, and it´s possible to minimize the loss of privacy by maintaining a positive digital identity and fostering healthy online relationships as well as properly configuring accounts or profile settings. As with other aspects of life, setting limits is essential to prevent children from feeling socially pressured to share personal information.
Resources and information
Necesitas saber qué es la pérdida de privacidad
Artículo ‘Ayúdales a desarrollar una identidad digital positiva’
- How does the Internet affect the development of sexuality?
There is an endless amount of content online, and, like in any other context, not everything is suitable or understandable for minors. Sexual or pornographic content can negatively impact the development of a healthy sexuality, affecting relationships. To limit access to this type of content, it can be helpful to set up parental controls or content filters. Additionally, it is important to raise awareness among children, preteens and teenagers about the consequences of engaging or demanding practices like sexting, which pose a serious risk to their privacy and safety. As an alternative, we should be involved in their development by naturally discussing sexuality and healthy relationships.
- How can I prevent them from contacting strangers?
The Internet is a social environment where minors will interact with others. Therefore, they need to learn to recognize the people who are safe and trustworthy, and this learning should be gradual. Initially it is appropriate to limit options of contact through configuring the settings of each application or installing parental controls. As their maturity and responsibility level increases, they may begin to socialize with other known children, always under supervision. As the contact options expand we have to teach them how to identify potentially dangerous users and risky online communities.
Resources and information
Necesitas saber qué es el grooming
- How to prevent access to gambling or online betting sites?
Using ad blockers and pop-up blockers can prevent many ads related to these types of websites from being displayed while a minor is browsing the Internet. At the same time, it is essential to explain the risks of using these services, the strategies they use to capture the user´s interest, and normalize their use, which can lead to addictive behaviors. At an early age, complementing content supervision with a parental control tool when the child is online can help guide this prevention effort.
Resources and information
Artículo ‘Los menores frente a las apuestas y juegos de azar en línea’
- How can I properly configure their devices?
Mobile phones, tablets, consoles, and computers are electronic devices with many security options, but they need to be configured correctly and adapted to the age and level of knowledge of the user. It is also possible to configure each social network or application to increase its level of protection. We can rely on user guides, or help centers, but above all, it is important to internalize good usage practices. Simple guidelines, such as screen locking, installing antivirus software, and using secure passwords, and two factor authentications, are the primary barriers against problems on the Internet and prevention of viruses and fraud.
Resources and information
Necesitas saber qué es el uso y configuración segura
Artículo ‘Menores, teléfonos de segunda mano y configuraciones seguras’
Parental Mediation
The role of the family in the healthy development of children and teens is key in all areas, including the digital. It is important for parents to acquire digital skills and stay updated on the safe and responsible use of technology, so they can guide their children during the learning process of how to use it and protect themselves from the risks of the Internet.
For each step of the process, the family should be involved, providing ongoing support for their child in coordination with the educational center, gradually creating a climate of trust and normality around their digital life. The goal is to ensure that, over time, the child becomes independent and able to protect themselves online, but also that they trust the parents if they encounter any issues.
Access the `Parental Mediation Guide´. It is made up of different sheets designed to support the family´s role in children´s digital learning. The purpose is to make it easier for parent´s to take part in the educational task of their children´s digital world, showing everything they can contribute and how to act when problems arise.
How to react against Internet problems from home
- Stay calm. It is normal to feel fear about the possible consequences of online situations, but we must be aware that in these moments children and teens need our support, security, and trust. Avoid worsening the situation by blaming them or overreacting.
- Keep evidence. It´s recommended not to impulsively delete evidence of the conflict or problem, such as images, messages, social media profiles, or websites, without consulting a specialized service. In fact, taking screenshots could be helpful in resolving the case or clarifying what happened, in case they are later deleted.
- Seek information and contact a professional. There are many support services we can rely on to know how to act, as each is situation is different. All social media platforms, games, and most websites have help centers, security resources, and technical support that allow us to contact administrators, report issues or resolve conflict.
We can always count on the specialized support from the INCIBE Cybersecurity helpline 017 to lead us in the best security for children and teens on the Internet and face problematic situations online.
