Cyber Security and Your Family
The online world provides a space for entertainment, social connection, and educational opportunities for all family members. Unfortunately, one downside is that online participation can come at the cost of exposing your personal data to be tracked, which places you at risk of unwanted personal data collection and cybercrime.
Being proactive with a few simple tips is a means of providing protection to yourself and your family online.
Have conversations about online safety.
These conversations are similar to what you would have with your children about interacting in person with strangers. Warning children about the risks of their online behaviours can have a significant impact on their interactions. Discussions to have with children could include:
- Explaining the nature of online interactions:
- Discussing the type of information/images they upload
- Identifying what online apps and platforms they can access
- The type of basic information that they are not to release online
- How to identify scams and inappropriate online behaviour.
Be clear about boundaries for online activity.
These boundaries can include:
- Limiting access to certain apps
- Limiting time spent online
- Implementing parental controls
- Monitoring whom they interact with online
- Discussion what they are permitted to share online.
Monitor online activity and developments.
As social media platforms aim to retain children's attention, this can simultaneously expose them to harmful individuals. Through the act of friending children, offenders may prey and exploit them. Additionally, it is important to continually remain updated about ongoing developments of online scams and issues that could affect your family, including telephone and emails scams.
Be conscious of what you upload.
Corney and Lind suggest that sharing information online should not include sensitive information or information that can leave you vulnerable to cybercriminals. For example, live uploads on holiday can indicate to online viewers that your home is empty.
The shift to a world dominated by online activity brings both great opportunities and the potential for harm. By implementing some of these tips, you will be able to mitigate the online risks and keep your family safe online.
*This article was written by Prini Avia and Heilala Tabete, Corney&Lind Lawyers, which can be read in full here.