Millions of children are missing out on crucial online safety training. That is according to new research commissioned by an internet security company. Half of those aged nine to 16 have had no formal internet safety teaching in school, while one in four parents admit they lack the confidence to initiate the conversation, believing their child has a better grasp of online security.
Instead three quarters of parents choose to monitor online activity at a distance, 23 percent without their child knowing. However, the report from ESET suggests a disparity between the actions of under 16 year olds and what parents actually see, with children using shrewd tactics to hide their activity – 40 percent of children confessed to clearing their browsing history to keep it hidden; almost a third have created online accounts that parents don’t know about. Plus, half of children have lied about their age to access a website.
The need for parental monitoring is completely disregarded among nine to 16 year olds, with 84 percent believing they should be able to browse independently – including 70 percent of those aged just nine years.
Technical Director of ESET UK, Mark James, said: “Online safety is the modern day ‘birds and bees’ conversation; it evokes dread and nervousness in parents who feel ill-prepared to teach their child the dos and don’ts of the online world. The research shows that two thirds of parents believe it’s primarily their role to educate children about Internet safety, above schools, the police or the Government, however their own online behaviours are questionable.
“The internet has brought a tremendous benefit to every aspect of daily life and we want to encourage people of all ages to engage, explore, learn and experience the value it can bring – however education is fundamental to keep everyone armed with the knowledge of how to browse safely.”
In response to this, ESET has launched a UK award scheme to recognise individuals and organisations in the UK that are seeking to educate others about Internet safety. Named the CyberSmart Awards
Meanwhile the centre has re-launched its website. The url has stayed the same – www.saferinternet.org.uk. For more on the day, visit http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/2013. The theme of the day is online rights and responsibilities with the slogan “Connect with Respect”.
Head of the UK Safer Internet Centre, David Wright, said, “Just like the real world, the online environment is constantly changing – there are new and evolving platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Instagram and Google+, and different ways of accessing the Internet, through phones and tablet devices. It creates a complex landscape that is challenging to navigate safely. That’s why sharing best practises is more important than ever before.”
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT has welcomed the Government’s public awareness campaign to encourage the general public and children to be cybersecurity savvy.
In particular, the Government is aiming to get its messages on cybersecurity to pupils at both primary and secondary school, so that children learn how to protect themselves when using the web.
Richard French, Director of Educational Policy at BCS, says: “The internet is central to the lives of young people and children are digitally savvy from an early age, so it’s vital that they understand the importance of digital safety and how to protect their privacy and personal information online.”
The institute is an exam awarding body for a range of digital skills qualifications and supports schools and colleges in delivering the e-safety syllabus via its e-Safety qualification.
Richard adds: “The e-Safety course teaches children how to manage the potential risks associated with being online and how to protect themselves and their personal information. It provides pupils with an understanding of all the elements of e-safety, such as managing cookies, Facebook privacy and junk mail settings, as well as the more common themes of stranger danger and protection from viruses.”
