Parents fail to guard kids online safety
NORTON SURVEY SUGGESTS MANY PARENTS STILL FEEL ILL-EQUIPPED TO COPE WITH THEIR CHILDREN’S ONLINE LIVES
Many UAE parents fail to protect their children’s safety or privacy online despite being concerned about the threats they might encounter, according to an online survey.
The findings were unveiled yesterday as the highlights of a survey held last October as part of the Norton Cyber Security Insights Report were released.
The survey of 1,059 adults in the UAE shows that 87 per cent of parents believe it is risky to allow their children to use computers and mobile devices without any supervision — yet two in three parents (66 per cent) do not limit access to any websites or apps.
Also, more than one-third of parents in the UAE (34 per cent) let children browse the web unsupervised. The research indicates at least one in 20 admit they don’t take any action to help protect children online, and may even be unaware of how to do so.
This “hands-off” approach by UAE parents has been reported even though one in three (31 per cent) has a child who has been bullied online, or knows someone whose children have been cyber bullied.
Parents’ main concerns regarding their children’s online activities include sharing too much personal information with strangers (84 per cent); being bullied online (83); being lured into meeting a stranger (82); and posting content online that could one day be misused (78 per cent).
“Reasons for this hands-off ■ approach may vary. Some parents might not know where to start, while others might not be sure how to strike the right balance between protecting their children and respecting their privacy,” said Tamim Taufiq, head of Norton Middle East, which is part of global cyber security firm Symantec.
Unchartered waters
“We are entering unchartered waters when it comes to parenting today. Technology has reshaped how our children grow up and has rewritten the rules of parenthood. Families are navigating a world where ■ debates about screen time are as important as bedtime, where some parents ban social media or gaming, whilst others watch their children form fast friendships across borders and time zones. In today’s digital world, parents are grappling with how they prepare, protect and empower their children to use technology safely.”
Whilst approaches to digital parenting are varied, many parents still feel ill-equipped to cope with their children’s online lives, the report suggests.
“We should encourage parents to have frank and regular conversations with their children about their online experiences, and reassure them that they are not alone. At the end of the day, all parents are ‘learning on the job’,” Taufiq said. ■ ■ ■
too much time (87 per cent) too much information (84 per cent) bullied cent)
Being
31 per cent online