Cloud Hosting

The internet is a wonderful place to learn and search for information, connect with friends, be entertained, and create opportunities for ourselves and others.

Yet, the virtual world is also a dangerous place.

It is filled with online threats, e.g. cyberbullying, scams/fraud, identity theft, viruses/malware, harmful/illicit content, digital piracy, sexual predators, fake news, etc.

However, we should not avoid this amazing resource out of fear of what might happen.

Instead, we should teach our kids (and ourselves) the importance of cyber-security and protecting our privacy/data.

Cyber-security is important as many things are now done online.

However, due to convenience, we may neglect our data/privacy security, and this can cost us financially, psychologically, and even physically.

Here are some useful tips to teach your kids and keep them safe online:

Educate yourself first

Stay updated with the latest news and alerts on internet safety.

Install antivirus software on your computers and smartphones and update them with the latest security patches regularly.

Discuss the dos and donts

As your kids start to use the internet, discuss what is proper online behaviour.

Highlight that the online world mirrors the real world and remind them: If you wouldnt do it face to face, dont do it online.

Many employers and university admissions offices do look at social media profiles when researching applicants to get a truer picture of that person.

It is therefore wise to showcase ones personality and character fairly through the use of social media.

Be their friend online

Know what social media sites your kids are using and connect with them on those sites.

They should be able to share comfortably with both their friends and you. This allows you to monitor their activities.

Remind them that everything online is captured forever

So they should avoid posting revealing or embarrassing pictures, and always remember to be respectful and responsible when posting comments.

Remind them that what goes online might still be found even after deleting it.

Be aware of cyberbullies

If your kids are bullied online, encourage them to ask for help from yourself, older siblings or teachers.

They do not need to handle the situation alone.

Dont share fake news

Teach them not to share contents that are hot, controversial or viral as they may be fake news.

They should always verify the information first.

Under the Anti-Fake News Act, knowingly creating and spreading fake news is a crime in Malaysia.

Create strong passwords

Help your kids create sensible passwords with a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols, of at least eight characters in length.

Never use a real name, user name, birth date or mobile number.

Ideally, they should use different passwords for each email, social media or other online accounts they have.

Be careful with personal information

Teach them not to put sensitive or personally identifiable information online or give it to strangers.

Anyone can claim to be someone else online, so they should not trust easily.

They should also avoid posting regular locations (school, after-school activities, etc) or tagging their current location, as this gives child predators ready access to their location.

Better yet, turn off their location services.

Demonstrate to them how to use antivirus software or detect suspicious phishing websites, which may steal account passwords or other confidential information (e.g. by offering free stuff or with a clone website).

Teach them that generally, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Be careful on public WiFi

As nothing is private when using public WiFi, anyone using it is vulnerable to cybercriminals viewing or stealing your information.

Teach your children that it is safer to perform sensitive transactions (e.g. online banking) on secured networks using your mobile data service.

Check your apps

Only install applications (apps) from trustworthy sources, and read user reviews and ratings before downloading.

Teach your children to read the privacy policy before installing to consider how much personal information and phone access the app requires.

Free apps may only be free for a limited time and will start charging after the trial period.

Consider parental controls

As parents, you have the right to impose limits on your kids online access.

You may install parental control apps to filter online content, set rules and time schedules on device usage, and block pornography and other unsuitable content.

To be safe online, equip your kid with internet literacy to face the world.

After all, we may not be there to guide them all the time.

By teaching them these guidelines, you can increase the safety and benefit of having the world at their fingertips.

Alexius Cheang is a behavioural psychologist. This article is courtesy of the Malaysian Paediatric Associations Positive Parenting programme in collaboration with expert partners. For further information, please email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the readers own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

See the rest here:
Teaching your kids to surf the internet safely - The Star Online