ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, today launches its brand-new Safer Kids Online platform – a resource site dedicated to building a safer online environment for children. Including videos, articles and expert insight, the website offers resources for children, parents and schools with the aim to enable children to enjoy the full potential of the internet in a secure digital world.
Keeping kids safe
Every third person on the internet is a child, yet there can be significant dangers facing children when they surf the web. According to the Cyberbullying Research Centre, 34% of 12- to 17-year-olds in the U.S. have experienced cyberbullying, while UK children’s charity the NSPCC recently revealed that police recorded 9,000 child sexual offenses with an online element between 2017 and 2018.
Natália Rasavacová, Safer Kids Online Guru at ESET, commented, “The digital age has brought boundless opportunities for progression around the world, but dangers are also present and alive. Children particularly can face risks, and we know that parents and schools, even with the best intentions, don’t always have the knowledge of how to protect their kids in the digital sphere. ESET’s new Safer Kids Online initiative is committed to creating a safer online world for children, by providing a go-to educational resource for families and schools around the world.“
Resources for children, parents and teachers
Available in several languages, the Safer Kids Online website includes a host of resources suitable for younger children, teenagers and their parents, which have all been developed in consulation with a notable child psychologist and ESET’s cybersecurity experts. The resources will provide guidance and advice for children and adults around how to stay safe online and will be geared around key monthly topics. Confirmed topics include how to build your child’s awareness of the risks in posting online selfies, looking out for signs of cyberbullying and protecting children from online predators. Each of these monthly topics will include targeted resouces for different ages such as:
A video series for kids aimed at ages 8+
Comics for older children aged 11+
An in-depth explanation in the form of expert articles and vlogs for parents and schools
Monthly quizzes and prize contests will also be available in which children can win funny and educational tech gadgets.
The Safer Kids Online site will also provide advice on software, such as ESET Parental Control for Android, which allows parents to look after their children’s online well-being. ESET Parental Control includes the possibility of controlling inappropriate web content and managing the amount of time kids spend on certain devices, as well as the suitability of the applications they’re using. This allows parents to limit their child’s use of certain sites and receive reports on his or her online activities, hopefully becoming aware of any issues before they become entrenched.
Looking to the future
ESET’s future plans include running events in regions around the world – from Europe and Asia to the USA and Latin America – in cooperation with its partners and local NGOs. With so many resources at the fingertips of families across the globe, ESET’s initiative will provide parents and schools everywhere with the tools they need to keep their kids safe online – now and in the future.
The first country running such cooperation is the United Kingdom. ESET UK has come on board as a Gold Partner alongside specialist child safety NGO Internet Matters, providing a significant contribution to the ongoing work being done to guide policy and educate teachers, parents and children.