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Smartphones for Kids aren’t such a good Idea

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Maybe you believe that kids should not have smartphones because the devices can tell a pedophile where a child is located. But there’s other reasons that perhaps you haven’t thought of: cyberbullying, violent porn, online drug purchases, you name it.

5WSmartphones give kids ongoing Internet access; they can’t live without this constant connection because it’s the normality that they’ve grown up with. Children and teens are a product of their technological times and can’t imagine getting through the day without constant connection to the cyber universe.

An article in The Telegraph features a perspective from child psychotherapist Julie Lynn Evans. She points out that the striking increase in youth suicides and youth emotional issues (e.g., anorexia nervosa, cutting) is the result of constant Internet access.

Evans has personally seen the correlation; the driving force of the mental problems gets traced back to cyberspace and the smartphone. Remember the good ‘ol days when the only access that kids had was at the family room’s computer or even the one in their bedroom? You can’t carry that thing around.

Evans’ voice is supported by the big rise in admissions to child psychiatric units, having doubled in the past four years. Self-harm is way up too.

Though many people assert that the smartphone is only a tool and should not be blamed for suicide attempts or self-harming behavior, and that family dynamics are the fuel behind it all, Evans makes clear that smartphones are a big part of the multifactorial process of depression and turmoil.

Smartphones have changed the world; is it such a leap that they can cause the rise in youth psychological problems? Especially when the bullies can follow their targets anywhere? And it’s not just bullying; there are websites that, for instance, give tips on being anorexic.

Kids under 16 can’t legally drive, but they’ll always have legal access to smartphones. It’s up to parents to set rules and have conversations. At the same time, parents must take some credit for bad outcomes: A 14-year-old girl from a stable homelife isn’t going to take advice on how to drop from 110 pounds to 70 pounds just because her smartphone can connect her to a “pro-ana” website.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Cyberbullying: Its Uniqueness & Prevention

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Unfortunately, cyberbullying is prevalent, and a growing threat in today’s always-connected world. Cyberbullying refers to bullying done via computers, or similar technologies, such as cell phones. This kind of bullying usually includes mean or threatening comments, or public posts through texts, emails, voice mails, social media posts, all intended to embarrass the victim.

11DCyberbullying can happen to both adults and kids, but since it’s so common among youths, it’s good to know how to help your children deal with the problem.

One important idea to keep in mind is that unlike the kind of face-to-face bullying that many of us witnessed in school years ago, cyberbullying doesn’t end when the bully is out of sight.

These days, a bully can virtually follow his or her victim everywhere using technology. The bullying can take place without the victim’s immediate awareness, and because of the broad reach of social media, the audience is often much larger than at the school yard.

Since it can be difficult to get a cyberbully to stop their harassment, your best bet is to teach your kids safe online habits to try to prevent a bullying situation in the first place.

Cyberbullying Prevention Tips:

  • Let your kids know that you will be monitoring their online activities using parental control software. Explain how it works and how it can benefit everyone. This policy should be well-established long before your kids get their own cell phone and computer.
  • Make a point of discussing cyberbullying with your kids, and help them understand exactly what it is and how it happens. These discussions should take place before kids get their devices.
  • Set a condition before a child gets his or her very own smartphone and computer they must give their passwords to you. You can, of course, reassure them that you won’t use the passwords unless there’s a crisis.
  • Another condition for device ownership is that your kids will sit through instruction on smart online habits, and most importantly, they should understand that once you post something in cyberspace, it’s there forever.
  • Once your kids get their devices, role-play with them. This gives you a chance to play the part of a bully, and teach your kids appropriate responses.
  • Warn your kids not to freely give out their cell phone number and email address, and tell them that they should never reveal their passwords, even to close friends.
  • Stay aware of your children’s online activities and reassure them that they will never get in trouble if they report cyberbullying to you.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Safety Expert to Intel Security. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked! Disclosures.

How Employers or Parents Spy

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Disgruntled employees act out in lots of ways. A guy I knew who hated his boss “played” on his work computer all day. The computer was strictly for constructing company graphics. But he installed all kinds of games and wasted lots of time. His boss never knew he blew off half the day.

2WCompany computers are obviously company owned, making it legally possible for your boss to spy on you. Employers can also figure out whom you’re speaking to on your company owned or sanctioned phone and for how long—with phone monitoring software—They can also see contacts, emails, texts, media and more. All legally.

An article on forbes.com notes that some companies sell and advertise such software in a sensational way (“Find Out WHO Is Making Up Normal Personal Calls”)—software that can automatically send e-mail alerts about phone calls made by employees. These include details such as frequency and with whom.

The forbes.com article then mentions another such company, that sells spyware for cell phones and tablets that’s “100% invisible and undetectable.” They usually call it monitoring, not spying, and point out that businesses have a right to monitor to “control their business.” And, frankly, they do.

However, most of these programs are geared towards and used by parents and spouses (spouses concerned with cheating) and parents, what with kids developing all kinds of psychological disorders with the help of cyberbullying.

And again, company monitoring is legal if this activity is in the employer’s contract. The monitoring must have a business-related reason. There’s a difference between “spying” or tracking an employee’s use of the company phone during times that employee is supposed to be working, and spying on his conversations with his ex-wife over the custody fight of their kids while he’s on lunch break.

Businesses need to strike the right balance so that employees don’t feel that their trust has been violated.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing identity theft prevention.

Teens’ Online Behavior Can Get Them in Trouble

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Do you really know what your kids are doing all the time? Probably not, unless you’re a stalker (just kidding). But really, there has to be some element of trust and you can’t physically be everywhere your kids are. And that also applies to the online world. As parents, we need to be aware of what our kids are doing, teach the “rules of the road,” and help them stay safe, but we can’t always be there with them every moment of every day.

But we do need to understand that our kids are doing things online that could expose them to risk. McAfee’s 2014 Teens and Screens study showed that tween and teens continue to interact with strangers online and overshare information, even though they realize that these activities can put them at risk.

So what else did the study unveil? About 75% of tweens and teens friend people whom they know in the real world, however, 59% engage with strangers online. And one out of 12 meet the online stranger in real life. This could be because 33% of them say they feel more accepted online than in real life.

Additional facts to understand:

  • Our tweens and teens overshare personal information – 50% posted their email address, 30% their phone number and 14% (which is 14% too many) posted their home address, even though 77% know that what is posted online can’t be deleted and 80% have had a conversation with their parents on how to stay safe online
  • Social media friends are not always friendly – 52% have gotten into a fight because of social media, 50% have gotten into trouble at home or at school and 49% have regretted posted something.
  • Our kids are still hiding things from us – Although 90% believe their parents trust them to do what is right online, 45% would change their online behavior if they knew their parents were watching, 53% close or minimize their web browsers when their parents walk into the room and 50% clear the history of their online activity

Alarmingly, 24% said that they would not know what to do in the event of cyberbullying (how about stay away from the bully’s page and block the bully from your page?). A whopping 87% have witnessed cyberbullying and 26% have been victims themselves.

So with all these, how do we ensure we help our kids stay can enjoy the benefits of being online, while staying safe online. Here’s my top tips:

  • Establish rules: Parents should establish pinpointed rules about computer activities including sites the kids can visit and what is and isn’t appropriate behavior online, including the fact that online is forever.
  • Check in: Kids should be told to immediately report cyberbullying. whether they are witnessing it or being a victim.
  • Meet their “friends”: If it’s not possible to meet that person in person, then your child shouldn’t be chatting with them online.
  • Learn their technology: You should know more about the various devices that your kids use than your kids do, not the other way around.
  • Get their passwords: Parents should have full access to their kids’ devices and social media accounts at all times; they need the passwords.
  • Have security software on all their devices: Make sure all your kids’ devices and yours have comprehensive security software, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service.

Or you can just relegate your kids to their rooms and never let them out—like I’ve told my girls. Just kidding. But on a serious note – parents, it’s time to make this a priority, for you and your kids.

To join the conversation online, use #TeensNScreens or follow @McAfeeConsumer or like McAfee on Facebook.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Technology Fuels Cyberbullying and Cheating in Teens

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McAfee’s study “The Digital Divide: How the Online Behavior of Teens is Getting Past Parents” shows an alarming 70% of teens have hidden their online behavior from their parents, up from 45% in 2010. And yet half of parents live under the assumption that their teen tells them everything he/she does online.

The school year is now upon us. If you haven’t already, you will soon start packing up the kids to send them off to school. Outfitting your kids with new clothes are new technologies is often a big part of back to school preparations.

However, these technologies can have drawbacks and even some dangers that parents need to address: cyberbullying and cheating.

Here are some startling facts that we as parents need to be aware of:

Cyberbullying

Almost 25% of teens claimed to be targets of cyber bullying and 2/3 of all teens havewitnessed cruel behavior online

Only 10% of parents are aware of their teens are targets of cyber bullying

Facebook has become the new school yard for bullies with 92.6% of teens saying that cruel behavior takes place on Facebook, and 23.8% on Twitter, 17.7% on MySpace and 15.2% via Instant Messenger

When witnessing others being attacked, 40% of teens have told the person to stop, 21% have told an adult and 6% joined in

When being attacked themselves, 66% of teens responded to the attacker (with 35% responding in person), 15.4% avoided school, and an alarming 4.5% have been in a physical fight with their attacker

Cheating

Only 23% of parents express concern about their teen going online to cheat in school, yet nearly half of all teens (48%) admit they’ve looked up answers to a test or assignment online

22% cheated specifically on a test via online or mobile phone; while only 5% of parents believed their children did this.

15.8% of teens have admitted to cheating on a test by looking up answers on their phone yet only 3.2% of parents thought their teens cheated this way

14.1% of teens admitted to looking up how to cheat on a test online

Overall, 77.2% of parents said they were not worried about their teens cheating online

Parents, you must stay in-the-know. Since your teens have grown up in an online world, they may be more online savvy than you, but you can’t give up. You must challenge yourself to become familiar with the complexities of the teen online universe and stay educated on the various devices your teens are using to go online.

As a parent, I proactively participate in my kids’ online activities and talk to them about the “rules of the road” for the Internet. I’m hoping that this report opens other parent’s eyes so they’ll become more involved in educating their teens with advice and tools

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Evangelist to McAfee. See him discussing identity theft on YouTube.(Disclosures)