As a parent, you want your children to be safe. You teach them to look both ways before crossing the street, wear a seatbelt and so much more. However, are you teaching them to be safe in the virtual world as well? It may be beneficial to introduce cybersecurity safety to your children in age appropriate ways.
The Value of Cyber Safety
Technology is used at every age, so making your kids aware of possible risks early on could have a big impact. Toddlers learn to operate cellphones by watching how adults use them. From there, they experiment if they are given the chance. Unlike adults, children aren't afraid to push buttons to see what happens. That behavior may be great for learning, but it can lead to unpleasant consequences if children have not been taught how to protect themselves online.
Teaching your children about security doesn't have to be boring or intimidating. There are many free online resources to help with cybersecurity education. The FBI has a series of videos for children at different grade levels to help explain cybersecurity. PBS has a Cyberchase game designed to help younger children understand how to stay safe online. Remember, once is never enough when it comes to teaching children. Plan follow-up discussions and add more information as they get older and more age-appropriate conversations are needed.
Here are 3 basic topics to include when teaching children about cybersecurity:
Passwords
Teaching children how to create strong passwords that cannot be easily guessed is fundamental to cybersecurity. Almost every important item you access online, whether through the web, an app, or a software system, uses a password. If your home has a security system, it can serve as a physical example of why passwords are important. Alarm codes and house keys are two ways that people keep their possessions safe. These security devices keep out those who should not be allowed in, and allow entry for those who should have access. The concept of passwords is the same idea. They prevent other people from accessing your important online information.
Instead of telling your child that a password must be 12 characters long and include a least one number and one symbol, try the following:
- Have your child think of a sentence or phrase with multiple words in it. For example, "I love orange popsicles"
- Take the first letter of each word and put them together: "ilop"
- Place a number after every third letter: "ilo9p"
- Add a symbol: "ilo9p!"
They now have a password that they can remember. Once they recall the sentence, they can reconstruct the password. Maybe the number is their lucky number or the number on their sports jersey - something they can easily remember. Obviously it is up to the parent to decide when and for what a child will have their own login information. However, starting to teach the concept of strong passwords early on can be helpful in getting the behavior to stick. You may consider using this strategy to create passwords for simple accounts your child may have like a game website, or to create passcodes for the family tablet or computer. A password management program or a password journal is another option to consider as your child starts creating and managing more passwords as they get older.
Viruses
There are so many opportunities for children to fall victim to an online scam. Between websites, social media, and email, it can be difficult to keep track of exactly where your child is clicking. Many scams and fake links can result in a virus being downloaded to the computer or device. It can be helpful to explain to your child what some of these viruses are called and how they can be damaging. Some viruses to discuss include worms, spyware, and malware. Once children understand what viruses are, they can avoid downloading them by learning how to tell if an email, website, or link is trustworthy.
Here are some things they should look out for as red flags:
- The sender of an email is not familiar
- The email is not addressed to you
- An offer on a website or email seems weird or too good to be true
- There are spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors on a website or email
- The email is asking you to provide personal information
Identity Theft
It can be challenging to explain to children how sharing too much information or talking online can be dangerous. It has become especially harder as more and more online communication has become the norm. As a parent, you don't want to frighten your children, but it's crucial that they understand the ramifications of giving information that can allow someone to steal their identity. When explaining what can happen if your identity is stolen, choose examples that have meaning for your child but will not be too frightening. Convey a sense of urgency and, when possible, tie the virtual concept with a physical one.
A place to start is defining what personal identification information is. This can include:
- First, last, and middle name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Phone number
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Birth certificate
- Medical information
- Driver's license number
- Passport information
For young children, things like name, address, phone number, and date of birth are the primary pieces of information that spammers would ask for. Older children should understand what additional information should not be shared, and what the consequences could be. As kids get into their teenage years and might have access to a bank account or debit card, it is important to explain secure online payment methods and the importance of not giving out financial information or login credentials.
Staying Safe
Although there are many scams out there, fortunately the internet is also full of tools to help children understand cybersecurity. Many websites offer age-specific materials, and the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency also offers guidance and presentations for parents to start a conversation with their children.