Keep your kids safe online

MANILA, Philippines - It is the stuff of detective shows, and the plot of every parent’s nightmare: Low-life hood/pervert with sinister motives assumes a false identity online. Makes friends with unsuspecting youngster. Child suddenly disappears. Is abducted. Victimized. Or is lured into vice, crime and evil deeds.

But the alarming thing about it all is that it can happen. The Internet is a portal whereby intruders can gain entry into our homes and have access to our families. Confirming that online dangers are real, a recent global study called the Norton Global Report that indicates that 62 percent of kids worldwide have had a negative online experience. 

In the Philippines, the figure is disturbingly higher, so that 89 percent of children (aged 10-17) report a negative online experience. Of these, only 75 percent of parents know, or are told about the incident. The social networking sites are also more popular, with the average Filipino child having an average of 84 online friends compared to the global average of 56 percent. What is reason for some concern is that only 68 percent have met nearly all their online friends, 79 percent have had someone they don’t know add them to a social networking site (compared to 41 percent globally); and 52 percent have had a stranger try to meet them outside (way above the global figure of 10 percent).

“There is clearly an important role for parents to play by increasing their understanding of the Internet, the role it plays in their kids’ lives, and the experiences their kids are having online,” says Effendy Ibrahim, Internet safety advocate and consumer business lead of symantec Asia. “Filipino children are very advanced with social networking, but are also very susceptible. There is a need to ensure that rules are sufficient and current to keep kids safe. For parents, a combination of technology and talking openly about issues can help ensure our kids have a positive experience online.”

Online safety means much more than just watching out for pedophiles or perverts. “Today, online dangers come in many shapes and sizes. There are pedophiles, cyberbullies, and criminals looking for a way around security measures to ‘break into’ the family computer.” 

To help allay the parents’ concern about online safety, the award- winning Norton Online Family service gives parents an insight into their kids’ lives online. The service is available free of charge in 25 languages, and is readily downloadable.  

“This is an online parenting tool, not parental control software.” Effendy Ibrahim explains that children should be made aware of the existence of the software; and that rules for Internet use such as time spent on the computer or access to sites are agreed upon by both parents and their offspring. The set-up of the program is age-appropriate according to the profile of the kids, and parents are alerted when rules are breached.

“This is an investment to equip kids to have correct values and right web etiquette. Education should start at a young age,” concludes Effendy Ibrahim, explaining why his company is providing the program free. A combination of technology and talking openly about issues can help ensure that kids are safe online. “Create an environment where your kids can talk to you about their experiences, whether good or bad, on the web.”

Internet Safety Tips For Kids And Parents

What you should know about e-mail — It is okay to delete an e-mail without opening it. If you don’t recognize the sender, or don’t understand the subject line, it’s okay to get rid of the message.

If its mipsselled, and haz bad gramer, it prolably come from bad guy! Many phishing scams (bogus e-mails that are trying to get you to hand over your personal information) and “419” scams (those e-mails about foreign princes needing your help to deposit their fortunes) originate from countries where English is a second language.

Navigating Social Networks And Media

It’s not rude to confirm — Think it’s odd that your friend from high school whom you’ve really never talked to other than when you accepted their friend invite has now posted a “totally hot and sexy video” on your wall? Send them a quick note. Chances are, their account has been compromised.

If you don’t know them, don’t add them — Have you ever received a “friend request” from someone whom you honestly didn’t know? Spammers and scammers run amok on social networking sites for the very reason that they know we’re likely to be in a more “trusting” frame of mind when surrounded by our friends.

Think about that link! — Cybercriminals know all they have to do to get their viruses, trojans and malware onto your computer is get you to click on a link. Think twice about where you click — you may be getting a lot more than what you bargained for.

Protecting Your Assets: Banking And Online Shopping

Your bank will not ask for your account number via e-mail — Never. It won’t happen.

Do your online banking at home — Yes, online banking is super convenient but hackers can tap into the Wi-Fi network you’re using at the local coffee shop. You also have to worry about the guy standing in line behind you who’s looking over your shoulder. Wait until you’re home.

Don’t buy from sites you’ve never heard of before — Why are the prices at “CheepestPricesAnywhere.ru” so much lower than all the other retailers? They could be a counterfeit operation designed to get your credit card details. Before you buy, do your homework and search for reviews about the company.

Connecting with your kids

Have “The Talk” with your children. Talk to them about how they use technology and the Internet and what it means to be a safe, smart digital citizen. Remind kids that online posts can last forever, and that potentially anyone can see them. If they wouldn’t put something up in the hallway in school, they shouldn’t post it on their pages!

Learn from each other. Swap information. Learn what it’s like to interact in a virtual world. Teach your kids that not everyone is who they say they are online. Tell them that it’s okay for them to come to you if they come across something online that’s scary, disturbing or gross.

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Symantec’s Norton products protect consumers from cybercrime with technologies like antivirus, anti-spyware and phishing protection. The company also provides services such as online backup, PC tuneup and family online safety. Fan Norton on Facebook at www.facebook.com/norton and follow NortonOnline on Twitter.