August 13, 2020
In the current context as a result of the pandemic, in which the Internet connection has become essential for both parents and children, exposure to situations of danger on the net It has increased and, with it, the concerns of adults about the cybersecurity of minors. However, many Latin American parents are still unaware of certain experiences that children may be living online, putting their integrity at risk.
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This is demonstrated by a study carried out in the region by the global cybersecurity company Kaspersky, in conjunction with the market research consultancy CORPA, and that revealed that one in 10 Latin American parents They don’t know if a stranger has tried to gain the trust of their children online. Meanwhile, 7% admit that at least once, a stranger has contacted their children for some reason.
The survey also showed that the greatest concern that parents have while their minors browse the Internet is that they are sexually harassed. In this sense, the most uneasy are Peruvian and Mexican parents, with 82%, followed by Brazilians with 80%. Further behind are Chileans and Colombians (78%) and, finally, Argentines (73%).
The second great concern of adults is that children consume inappropriate content, especially pornographic, and here again Peruvian parents are mostly uneasy, with 76%. Then there are Mexicans (73%), Colombians (72%), Brazilians (71%), Chileans (70%) and, finally, Argentines with 54%.
The study is part of the campaign Digital Children conducted in Latin America by Kaspersky, to analyze how involved and committed the parents of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru are in the digital life of their children.
Home security
The research also revealed that, on average, 13% of Latin American parents have not established Internet safety rules for their children, but believe that they should; while a 77% have discussed this with the family.
Regarding actions to protect minors from cyber threats, limiting screen time is the measure most used by Latin American adults, with 84%. While, only 10% ask the Internet provider to block access to inappropriate sites.
Regarding the use of security solutions with parental control on devices used by minors, 72% of those surveyed admit that they do not use any versus 28% that do. At this point, the most cautious are Colombian parents, with 36%, followed by Mexicans (34%) and Argentines (29%). Further behind are Brazilians (27%), Peruvians (23%) and, lastly, Chileans (22%).
“In the current context of confinement, where children tend to spend more time online with minimal supervision, it is of utmost importance that adults safeguard the digital experience of minors and promote ground rules about what they can and cannot do online. In addition, as part of this guide, it is recommended that parents talk with their children about the different types of cyber threats and use parental control tools that help them, not only to filter dangerous content, but also to maintain a healthier time in front Carolina Mojica, Consumer Products Manager at Kaspersky.
To help parents protect their children from sexual harassment and other threats on the Internet, Kaspersky recommends:
Talk to your kids regularly about dangers online. Also, try to be their guide on Internet safety and give them the confidence to approach you in any situation that makes them feel uncomfortable (harassment, sexting, grooming).
Teach your child to block and report when they see or experience any troublesome situation on the web. This helps create good online etiquette and reinforces your child’s safety to take control.
Share the responsibility. Teach your child to act online the same way they would offline. If there’s something you wouldn’t post, share, or say in the physical world, then you shouldn’t do it online either.
Use security software on every device with Internet access, whether it is PC, Smartphone or tablets, that has a parental control tool.
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