Ensuring Youth's Online Security and Privacy
Today's youth are digital natives. They've never known a world without the internet or online technology. It is crucial they develop the skills and resilience to safely navigate these digital environments from an early age. At NIST, scientists conducted a study to find out how much these digital natives and their parents know about online security and privacy.
How can parents encourage their children to use online technology safely? Recent research by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) suggests that a good strategy is to talk to your kids directly about online privacy and security — from a young age through high school.
The research effort, which the NIST team members describe as an exploratory study, involved interviewing 40 parent/child pairs with kids between 3rd and 12th grades. The goal was to understand their knowledge about online privacy, security, and risky online behavior, and how the parents attempt to influence their kids’ online activities and knowledge about privacy and security.
The NIST team’s preliminary findings and suggested strategies include:
It’s never too early to talk to kids. Start when they first begin using technology. Children as young as elementary school knew about security, privacy and online risks, and were interested in learning more about how to stay safe online.
Talking to kids helps them better understand how to navigate the digital world. Many parents felt hesitant to talk about online privacy and security, often citing their own lack of knowledge. But kids whose parents talked with them about online privacy and security were more knowledgeable. Conversations do not need to be highly technical — parents can discuss online activities and how to make good choices.
Appreciate that kids may see the digital world different ..
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