Key points:
- Cybersecurity is a risk to anyone with a device–no matter their age
- Children are uniquely vulnerable, and strategies like password managers and open communication can help shore up strong cybersecurity practices
- See related article: Preparing for ransomware attacks begins with education
We are living at a time when many of the most advanced, profitable, technologically-sophisticated companies in the world are barely treading water when it comes to cybersecurity. With that being the case, what chance do our children have of staving off these threats?
More than half of U.S. children now possess their own smartphone by the age of 11. And long before they have a device of their own, they’re using their parents’—to play games, to watch movies, to do their homework. That’s not to mention the panoply of devices they interact with at school, at friends’ homes, at after-school activities — on and on and on.
Each one of these devices represents the risk that a child will surrender vulnerable information, accidentally install malware, or worse. Today’s cybercriminals are relentless, operating at unprecedented scale and seeking advantage wherever they can find it. Children—the most vulnerable among us—are an irresistible target to these bad actors. It’s no surprise, then, that one in four young people will experience identity theft or fraud before they reach the age of 18.
This isn’t necessarily a reason to panic. The benefits of our connected world far outweigh the risks presented by cybercriminals. It is, though, a reason to really talk to your child about the reality of scams online—to teach them what to look out for and present them with a realistic sense of what the risks are. Because fundamentally, proper cybersecurity— like charity — should begin at home.
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