It’s never too early to start educating our youth on cybersecurity threats. If they are old enough to pick up a tablet or play with our devices, they are old enough to receive some information on electronic device security as well.
Whether you have kids, grandkids, nieces, or nephews, it’s never too early to discuss cybersecurity.
Let’s look at 6 tips for educating our youth on cybersecurity:
1. Know the three big scam methods: Emails, text messages and phone calls
These methods are the most common mediums for scams, so consider showing some examples – safely of course. Point out what makes this a probable scam, what they should be looking/listening for, and what dangers could come if they take the bait.
2. Learn the lesson of something being “too good to be true”
Children and young adults may not grasp this concept yet, which can be dangerous in a world full of scams. Feed them an extra scoop of skepticism – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
3. Be smart on social media
Set up their social media profiles to be as private as possible. Caution them to never accept friend requests from anyone they do not personally know.
4. Use strong passwords
As they begin creating more accounts, kids may be more inclined to reuse the same often week, password. Teach them how to create a strong and unique password or passphrase for each account. Consider purchasing them a password manager subscription for their birthday to help manage these passwords securely.
5. Protect your devices
Smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other such devices should be continuously updated to ensure critical updates are received. Make sure these devices are protected with anti-virus solutions and consider setting up parental controls where necessary.
6. Get a second set of eyes
Make sure they know they can come to you as a resource for any questions they have and to avoid rush decisions.
It may seem like kids and young adults know more about technology than us sometimes, but many in this younger generation do not understand the dangers faced from a cybersecurity perspective. So, take a few minutes to talk about some of these dangers to ensure our younger generation is well equipped to battle a scammer.