ESET has launched its 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.
Every third person on the internet is a child, but there can be significant dangers facing children when they surf the web, according to Carey van Vlaanderen, CEO of ESET South Africa.
She says: “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.”
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 consultation 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 resources for different ages such as:
* A video series for kids aimed at ages 8+;
* Comics for older children aged 11+; and
* An in-depth explanation in the form of expert articles and vlogs for parents and schools.
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.