What are the threats to your children?
Every time your children go on the Internet without your supervision, they run the risk of becoming the innocent victims of numerous threats, many of which could have serious consequences. Don't let them face this danger alone! Let's look at some of the things that kids do on the Internet and the dangers that they entail.
Instant messaging
Instant messaging (through programs such as MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk,…) has become a widely-used communication channel for young people.
- One of the major risks is identity theft. Predators can pretend to be other children. They try to pass themselves off as other young people or, say, professional photographers to try to meet potential victims.
- Viruses and malicious code represent another type of threat. Many malicious codes are designed to spread through instant messaging to infect more people.
Education is without doubt the best way to protect young people from this particular threat. Advice such as ‘don't talk to strangers', is just as sound online as it is in the real world, and children should have sufficient confidence to be able to talk openly to parents, tutors or other adults if they have any doubts. And to avoid virus infections the best advice is not to run any files or click any links that reach you through this channel. At least not before checking that the person who has sent it really is who they claim to be.
Email
Email is still used as frequently as ever, but there are many risks which you ought to be aware of.
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Spam. Very often, this kind of junk mail is used to advertise anything from online casinos to pharmaceuticals. Children are much more prone to believing the messages that these emails contain, with all the risks that this entails.
- Infection by viruses or other malware. Some messages can trick users into clicking a link or downloading a file (which causes the infection) using a wide range of enticing subjects.
The best way to protect young people against these threats is to encourage them to be suspicious of emails from unknown sources. They should be aware that much of what is written in these messages is false and that they should never run files or click links in these types of emails.
File-sharing networks
File-sharing across P2P networks –such as Emule or Kazaa- is another major source of infections. Many viruses and malicious codes are disguised as movies or programs, etc. to encourage users to download and run them.
That's why children should know which files they can download and which they should avoid. It is also a good idea to scan any such file with a security solution before running it for the first time.
Social networks and blogs
Social networking sites (such as MySpace or Facebook) are widely used for sharing photos and videos, meeting and chatting with people, etc. along with blogs, which are often used as online diaries.
These increasingly popular websites often see young people providing far more information than is advisable. It is particularly important to avoid publishing any data that could identify the user as a young person, or that could reveal their address or place of study, etc. It is best not to use a real name, but a false name or nick.
Similarly, on certain social networks, such as MySpace, it is possible to share files with other users. Children should pay particular attention to what they share and who they give permission to view this information.
Parents should know about these types of services, how they operate and the risks they entail, and they should also be able to instruct their children on how to use these tools safely and correctly.
Cell phones with Internet: a new risk
Cell phones are now widely used by children and adolescents. The risks, therefore, that they face in this respect are similar to those commented above concerning PCs.
- Instant messaging services for mobile devices are now widespread. Children can enter chatrooms from wherever they are, and the risks are the same as those detailed previously: identity theft, predators, malware infections, etc.
- Spam is also beginning to hit mobile phones. Advertising is often sent indiscriminately via SMS. Many of these adverts are related to pornography.
To this end, it is advisable, in the case of young children, to give them cell phones that don't include functions that could be a source of risk, and in the case of older children, advise them on how they should use their phones and remind them not to reply to suspicious messages or arrange to meet strangers.