Technology Department Director, Markel Stefo, invited to the A2CNN studio to speak about child safety while browsing the internet.
November, 2021
How can parents protect their children from the virtual world? Children's safety while browsing the internet has become easily vulnerable due to the high use of social networks. In a time when society and children are using the internet more than ever, the solution is not to close these platforms but to provide information for parents of the most at-risk age groups. They need to be properly informed on how to ensure data protection and avoid cyberbullying and "new friends" added on social networks. Parents should be aware of preventive filters and the level of access they should give their children while browsing to avoid exposure to inappropriate content. Protecting personal information and educating users about the potential risks posed by the virtual world is the best way to avoid an attack or a data breach.
The most common risks children face online are:
- Cyberbullying: Being at a physical distance from the person on the other side of the screen makes it easier for people to use offensive language.
- Advertisements: Ads that generally appear while browsing can lead to other sites that collect data or display inappropriate content.
- Virtual games: Games themselves do not pose a risk, but they can affect a child's psychology, even if they were not originally created to present dangerous challenges.
- Unknown friends: Strangers on social networks can be dangerous; at any moment, a child could be facing a predator or abuser.
- Information sharing: Sharing information is never entirely safe; a child may provide details regarding their parents or other information that could be used by criminal groups.
The benefits of technology certainly outweigh the risks it presents, but it is very important to be careful about the materials our children are exposed to while browsing the internet.
Parental control is the first link or filter where unnecessary browsing should be avoided to prevent the disclosure of personal data, cyberbullying, or any other form of cybercrime. Through the Digicom Up application, Digicom provides its customers with the newest Parental Control functionality. Through this feature, you can manage your children's time spent online by setting time limits and internet access according to your preference.
For more on this topic in the A2CNN studio, Markel Stefo, head of the Technology Department at Digicom, spoke about the risks represented by the use of social networks by minors.