Parents should aware children about Cyber Safety

In Today’s world we are surrounded by an explosion of information and we often forget about the influence it is creating on our lives. The Internet has been a blessing in this modern era. It has not only changed our lives for the better but has also put a high risk on the well-being of our families. As parents, it becomes a priority and must not shy away from talking to our children about the threats of the online world and how they need to be protected from the harmful effects of the digital age. Cyber security should not be only a boardroom discussion but also should be discussed with our children for their safety.

Nearly 8 out of 10 Indian adults surveyed admit that it is very important or absolutely essential that parents teach their children about Cyber Safety, says Norton survey. Over two-thirds of Indian adults surveyed (72%), say parents are relying too much on screens to keep their children busy and 75% of Indian respondents say having smart home devices makes their home feel more secure.

The use of connected devices in India is heightening concerns with children’s online safety. According to the report, 71% of Indian parents with children under the age of 18 surveyed said that their relationship with their child or children improved while they were working from home. 70% of those surveyed who are married or living with partners, say their relationship with their spouse or partner got better while they were working from home.

Over half of the Indian adults surveyed have said that their relationships with friends got better (55%) and 51% said relationships with their co-workers improved while working from home. Not only that, but findings for India reveal that Indian respondents who have worked from home saved on average Rs.9,597 per month.

However, working from home had its issues for the majority, with 93% of Indian adults surveyed experiencing technology-related issues, most commonly unreliable or slow internet connectivity (52%) and frequent communication issues (47%).

Our children are naturals when it comes to advances in technology, adapting to the latest gadgets to internet apps. While this is great, the research shows that parents believe they need to educate and actively engage with their children's online activities.

It has been discovered that children under 18, have done something on their parent’s smart devices without their permission. The most important aspect to internet safety for kids is that parents instill the right guidelines from an early age about the Internet and the potential hazards out there.

The study highlights how Indian households use internet and mobile devices to stay connected with the world, combined with the concern among Indian adults on keeping connected devices and personal data safe.

The research found that half of connected device owners in India (54%) are worried about someone hacking their connected devices, but 8 in 10 (80%) Indian respondents would like more information on how to keep their connected devices secure. Among the 84% of adults in India surveyed who own a smart home device, 70% take additional precautions beyond the security features built into the device to keep them secure.

Half of all adult connected device owners surveyed (48%) say they would change their security settings or passwords in situations where devices may get hacked, while most adult respondents living with at least one other person (78%) believed themselves to be the IT expert in their household.