Written by:
Dr Praveen Gauravaram, Senior Scientist, TCS Australia & New Zealand
With children across the country heading back to classrooms, helping young students stay safe online is an important part of their education. Some key tips can help.
How to identify the different types of risks online
Children should be taught from a young age the different types of risks they may face online. These can include:
- Text messages or emails claiming to be someone they know, asking for private information details or
requesting to follow a link in order to pay for an overdue fee - Fake websites that mimic genuine stores with “too good to be true” prices or deals
- Anonymous users that build rapport through a social media site, email or game, only to ask for cash or
personal information, exploit the child’s identity or offer to meet in person to take advantage of them - Visiting websites that contain malware, such as websites with misleading articles, free content such as
movies, or even age-inappropriate and harmful content - Bullying can also occur online. This can include impersonation, harassment, exclusion, trolling, doxing
or sharing private or defamatory information - Enticing children to operate harmful online services with accounts that don’t belong to them in order to
privately communicate on those channels.
How to teach children the telltale signs of online risks
As children spend more time on their screens than ever, it’s important that they can differentiate between what is safe and trustworthy, and what needs to be considered with caution. Parents should teach their children how to tell the difference by showing them telltale signs of scams and spam content.
These are the top five tell-tale signs of a scam:
- “Too good to be true” deals such as offering free products, or items at a massive discount
- Unusual URL, email address or usernames
- Spelling or grammar mistakes
- Pressure to act immediately
- Request for payment in a strange format i.e. a link, cryptocurrency or gift cards
How to help children understand how to respond to a scam
Children need to understand that if they are unsure if something is safe, they should seek support from either a parent or trusted adult.
Not only can parents teach their children the telltale signs of scam or spam content, but parents should also set important rules in place, such as ensuring their children check with them before responding to an unknown phone number or email address, placing a purchase online, participating in an online activity or sharing their personal information. By putting these boundaries in place early, children will learn to understand the importance of critically assessing content online.
How to support children if they have been an online victim
It is critical that parents know how to respond when a child has been a victim of a scam or cyberbullying. Children should be encouraged to discuss what happened in a safe, calm environment so that the parents can understand the extent of the issue and support their child. From there, parents should seek support from relevant authorities, such as their bank, local police, school principal or ScamWatch.
If any sensitive information has been compromised, parents should ensure they can freeze credit cards and replace any documents as needed. For any online incident that has occurred across several correspondences, it is important to maintain a full record of emails or messages to share with relevant authorities.
How to build critical thinking skills for lifelong digital literacy
Embracing a culture of continuous learning is the final pillar in safeguarding against cyber risks. By fostering a mindset of improvement and staying ahead of evolving threats, parents can encourage children to think critically and be on the lookout for suspicious content.
To address the rising prevalence of social engineering attacks, children need to be encouraged to learn more about cyberattacks in school. Integrating private sector and non-profit training modules into educational curricula is crucial. This ensures that both educators and students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the digital landscape securely. An example of this integration is the TCS goIT program, which serves as a testament to the positive impact of fostering digital skills in the next generation.
Dr Praveen Gauravaram is a Consultant Senior Scientist for TCS Australia and NZ and primarily leads and manages TCS’s Co-Innovation partnership with the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre. Recognising Dr Gauravaram’s achievements, expertise, and leadership, Deakin University and the University of New South Wales appointed him as Adjunct Professor and Adjunct Associate Professor, respectively. Additionally, Southern Cross University has invited him to serve as an ICT Curriculum Advisory Group member.