Global software security group Kaspersky Lab has recently launched Kaspersky Internet Security – multidevice 2017 in Kenya - a security solution to support parents in keeping their kids safe online
As Internet adoption is on the rise in Kenya, Riaan Badenhorst, managing director for Kaspersky Lab Africa, has provided some tips for parents to help protect their kids in the digital world. An increasing number of children are spending a lot of time online, whether it is social media, online gaming, or just instant messaging their friends, they have adopted technology in a way that it plays a big role in their day to day activities.
“Unfortunately, while Internet access brings with it a wealth of benefits, the reality is that predators are out there using more sophisticated ways than ever to exploit children. Parents might think that their children are safer in the virtual world than in the real one, however the reality is that they are just as vulnerable online.”
Global research conducted by Kaspersky Lab found that more than half of children between the ages to 8 to 16 revealed that they cannot imagine life without their smartphones - with just under half of them taking it to bed at night. However, the real concern is that up to 40 per cent of children disclose sensitive information about themselves on social media, for example, places they visit and their home address “For these children, being online is as much of their daily routines as brushing their teeth and eating breakfast. In Kenya, just as in other parts of the world, parents are often not as tech-savvy as their children and have very little idea on how best to monitor their usage and provide guidance to them.”
Children are easily able to access sexually explicit content and to download pirated materials such as movies and music. “It is vitally important for parents to talk to their children about the potential dangers they face online just as they would in terms of the risks in the offline world. If a computer is used as the gateway to the online world, it should be in the family room where everyone can experience and share things with one another.”
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