Childrenporntime

DIGITALDECEPTION:THEONLINEBEHAVIOUROFTEENSForewordWelovetechnology,andwithgoodreason.
Itofferssomuchtothehomeintermsofentertainment,education,aswellimprovingthefunctionalitywithinthehome.
Althoughtechnologyhastransformedallofourlivesforthebetter,ithasalsointroducedtheschoolbullyintothehome.
Unlikebeforechildrencanfindnorespitefromtheirtormentor,andperhapsmoreworryinglyhasnogeographicallimitationsofparticipantsinthebullyingofitsvictim.
Indeedsuchistheeasewithwhichchildrencanbebulliedonline,thisrecentstudyfoundthatnearlyhalfofallparentssurveyedareworriedthattheirchildmaybebulliedonline.
Equallychildrenneedtobeawareoftheimplicationsofwhattheyshareonline,unlikepreviousgenerationstheirmistakesarenotforgotten,muchlikeadigitaltattoo.
ThisDigitalTattooactsasapermanentreminderoflatenightindiscretions,andoverzealoustweetsthatarealmostimpossibletoremove.
Withaquarterofchildrenspendinguptosixhoursadayontheinternet,andoverhalfawayfromtheirparents'watchfuleyethereappearstobenocontroloverwhatchildrendoonline,orwhotheyinteractwith.
Providinganeffectiveresponsedemandstheuseofbotheducationandtechnology.
Althoughweclearlyunderstandtheneedforsuchcontrols,manyparentsnotonlyturnablindeyetowhattheirchildrendoesonline,butunwittinglyencouragetheirparticipationinsocialnetworksdespitebeingunderage.
Moreover,only19%ofparentsareimplementingparentalcontrolsonallinternetrelateddevices,and1in3parentsadmitstonothavinganydiscussionwiththeirchildabouttherisksonline.
Understandingthebestwaytoaddressthesethreatsisacollaborativeeffort.
Over50%ofparentssurveyedin'DigitalDeception:TheOnlineBehaviourofTeens'believeonlinesafetyshouldbetaughtinallschools,andwhilstthiswouldcertainlyhelp(note:theMcAfeeOnlineSafetyforKidsprogrammehastaught150,000childrenworldwidetodate)theinternetisfastbecomingalifeskillandshouldbepartofthecontinuouseducation,andparentalsupporttoprotectchildrenwhenonline.
Thiscollaborativeeffortalsoextendstothevoluntarysector,andprivateindustryandiswhyMcAfeehaspartneredwiththeAnti-BullyingAlliancetohelpparents,children,andschoolteachersaliketounderstandthedigitaldivideandthedangersofcyber-bullying.
Webelievethatthisreportwillbethestartofanationaldebatetopreventcyber-bullyingbybringingtogetherallthosewitharesponsibility,webelievethattheissuesinraisedinthisreportarenotonlysolvable,butachievable.
LukeRoberts,NationalCo-ordinatoroftheAnti-BullyingAllianceRajSamani,EMEACTO,McAfeeIntroductionWhenitcomestotheirpersonallives,it'swellestablishedthatpre-teensandteensareverycautiousabouthowmuchtheyrevealtotheirparentsandusuallykeeptheircardsclosetotheirchest.
Thiscanleadtosurprise,disbeliefandupsetwhenparentsdiscoverchildrenhavebeenvictimtointernetdangerssuchascyber-bullying.
Withtheproliferationofsmartphonesandtabletsusedonthemove,ithasbecomemucheasierforchildrentochattofriendsandbrowsewebsitesawayfromthepryingeyesofmumanddad,Today'syoungergenerationsareconsideredtobe'digitalnatives'havingbeenbroughtupwiththeinternetfrombirth.
Asaresult,theyoftenknowmoreaboutthedigitalworldthantheirpredecessors.
Thisisoftenpainfullyevidentwhenitcomestoparentalunderstandingonbestpracticeforinternetsafety.
Yet,despitetheirdigitalproficiencymostyoungpeoplehavenotdevelopedthematurity,awarenessandforesighttosafeguardtheirpersonalinformationandavoidonlineissues.
Parents,teachersandtheindustrythereforehaveadutytoworktogethertoensureyoungchildrendon'tbefallthedangersoftheonlineworld.
ThisreportreflectsontheresearchundertakenbyMcAfeeandtheAnti-BullyingAlliance,partofleadingchildren'scharitytheNationalChildren'sBureau,tobetterunderstandpre-teenandteenbehaviouronline,therisksthey'reexposingthemselvesto,andtohelpparentsworkmoreeffectivelywithschoolsandtheindustrytocreateamoreopenpathtoonlinesafetyawareness.
ResearchmethodologyThesurveywasconductedbyAtomikResearchacrossOctoberandNovember2013.
Thesurveypolled1012UKchildren(betweentheagesof10and17)and1013UKparents(withatleastonechildagedbetween10and17.
)OnlineBehaviourAnyonewhosechildrenusetheinternetoftenfeelscaughtinatechnologyparadox.
Ontheonehand,theyknowhowimportantitisforchildrentoexperiencenewtechnologiesandthewonderfulbenefitstheyoffer.
Ontheotherhand,parentsareafraidofthedangersincyberspace.
Inmanycases,kidsaremoretechnologicallyadvancedthanadults,sosomeparentsmayfeelintimidatedandrefrainfromenforcingrulesthatareimperativetoprotecttheirchildrenastheysurfandsocialiseonline.
Howeverwhenwelookedattheonlinebehaviourofpre-teensandteens,itbecameapparentthatthedigitaldivideisonlyincreasingbetweenparentsandtheirchildrenandthatthiscontinuestobecauseforconcern.
Aquarterofchildrenspendbetweenfourtosixhoursonlineeverydayandmuchofthisinternetusagetakeplaceawayfromthewatchfuleyeofaparent.
Currentlymorethanhalf(53%)goonlineintheirownroom,nearlythesameamount(43%)onagamesconsoleandtwo-thirds(66%)alsousetheirsmartphoneforinternetaccess.
Whenitcomestothetopconcernsfromparents,it'sclearthatinternetsafetyisfrontofmindforthemajorityofparents.
Only11%ofparentsbelievetheirchildissafeonline,withparentsmostworriedthattheirchildmightbeapproachedbyastrangeronline(54%),followedbytheirchildbeingcyber-bullied(45%)andtheirchildsharingtheircontactinformation(45%).
Yetdespitethesegraveconcernsandtheirbestintentionstoprotecttheirchildren,athird(32%)admittedtonothavinghadaconversationwiththeirchildaboutstayingsafeonline,suggestingmanyparentsdon'tknowwheretostart.
RiskyBehaviourOneinten(10%)teenshasbeenapproachedonlinebyanadulttheydidnotknowMorethanathird(32%)wereaskedtodoinappropriatethings(likesendingpicturesofthemselves)sotheydeletedthemfromtheircontactslist,yetnearlyaquarter(21%)didsendpictureswhichtheynowregret18%havelookedupanswerstoatestorexamonline14%havelookeduppornand12%havelookedupviolentvideoclipsonYouTubeorFacebookwith9%sayingtheydidsobecausetheyfeltpressuredbyfriends35%havepostedtheiremailaddressonline,32%aphotoofthemselves,31%adescriptionofwhattheylooklikeand27%thenameoftheirschoolIt'simportantforparentstorememberthateventhoughtheirchildmaybemoretechnologicallyadvancedthantheyare,youngpeopleoftenlackthematurityandunderstandingneededtoaddressinternet-relatedissues.
Withoutparentalsupervisionandmoralguidanceonwhatconstitutesrightandwrongbehaviouronline,childrenarefarmoresusceptibletoentertainingrequestsfromstrangers,over-sharingonline,andexperiencingcyber-bullyingaseitherthevictimortheperpetrator.
Thetruthaboutcyber-bullyingOurresearchrevealedthatchildrenneedhelpandguidancewhenitcomestonavigatingwhatisandisn'tappropriatebehaviouronline.
Manyofthechildrensurveyedwereunawareofthetypesofbehaviourthatamountstocyber-bullying,suggestingthatthenumber(16%)ofchildrenwhoadmittedtobeingrecipientsofmeanorcruelbehaviourmayactuallybehigher.
Nearlyaquarter(22%)ofchildrensaidtheyhadwitnessedmeanorcruelbehaviourdirectedataclassmateorfriendonline(with84%ofthatabuseonFacebookand9%onTwitter).
Only23%ofchildrenwhohaddirectedacommentwithcruelorabusivelanguagetosomeoneonlineconsideredit'mean'tothepersonitwasdirectedat,andjust9%considerthatbehaviourtobecyber-bullying.
Inaddition,15%saidthatifsomeonewasupsetbyameancommenttheyhaddirectedatthemonline,theywouldthinktheywere'over-reacting',withaquarter(24%)sayingtheywouldbe'shocked'tohavetheircommentsperceivedascruel;displayingarealneedforeducationaboutwhatonlinebullyingactuallyis.
Whenitcomestoparents'knowledgeofcyber-bullying,38%ofparentsthinkthattheirchildrenmayhavebeenbulliedonline(with9%statingthattheyknowthisforcertain)andathird(33%)believethattheirchildrenmaybethebulliesthemselves(6%havebeenmadeawarethattheirchildhasbeenabully).
Furtherreinforcingtheneedforgreaterinterestandinvolvementfromparentssurroundingonlineactivityisthefactthatonlyathird(36%)ofchildrenwhoreceivedmeanorcruelbehaviouronlinetoldtheirparents.
Cyber-bullying,thefacts16%saidtheyhadbeentherecipientsofmeanorcruelbehaviouronline22%ofchildrensaidtheyhadwitnessedmeanorcruelbehaviourdirectedataclassmateorfriendonline(with84%ofthatabuseonFacebookand9%onTwitter)Only36%ofchildrenwhoreceivedmeanorcruelbehaviouronlinetoldtheirparentsOnly23%ofchildrenwhohavedirectedacommentwithcruel/abusivelanguagetosomeoneonlineconsideritmeantothepersonitwasdirectedat,andonly9%considereditcyber-bullying15%ofchildrensaidthatifsomeonewasupsetbyameancommenttheydirectedatthemonline,theywouldthinktheywereover-reacting24%saidtheywouldbe'shocked'tohavetheircommentsperceivedascruelParentsneedsupportChildren'suseoftheinternetisonlyincreasingthanksinparttothegrowingrangeofinternet-connecteddevicesbecomingcommonplaceinteenagelife.
Parentsneedtotakeanactiverolewhenitcomestointernetsafetyandmustgetinvolvedintheirkids'onlinelives.
Todothis,theyneedtofeelempoweredwiththerightknowledgeandtoolsattheirdisposaltomakesuretheirchildrenknowhowtoactandhowtoreacttowhattheyseeandexperienceontheweb.
Installingparentalcontrolsacrossalldevices–smartphones,tablets,PCs–isoneofthefirststepsinhelpingtoensurechildrencanusetheinternetsafely,nomatterwheretheyare.
Only19%oftheparentssurveyedhavedonethis,withtheresearchsuggestingalackoftechnologyknowledgecouldbeareasonbehindthis.
Nearlyathird(32%)ofparentsadmittedthatbetterparentalpersonalknowledgeoftheinternetandsocialnetworkswouldmakethemfeelbetterequippedtokeeptheirkidssafeonline,with1in6(18%)parentssayingthatthattheirownknowledgeoftheinternetandsocialmediaplatformsisnotadequatetomatchtheonlinebehavioursoftheirchild.
Withoutadequateknowledgeoftechnology,parentsmaybeunintentionallyexposingtheirchildrentothedangersofinternet.
Almosthalf(46%)ofparentshavesetuptheirchild'ssocialnetworkingsiteand45%ofparentswithchildrenundertheageof13havesetupaFacebookaccountfortheirchild,despitetheagerestriction.
Parentsmaynotfullyunderstandtheimplicationsofthis.
Underagechildrenwhoareactiveonsocialnetworkingsitesmaynothavedevelopedtheresilienceandrationalthinkingofolderteensandarelikelytobemoreatriskofcyber-bullyingamongstotherinternet-relatedissues.
Openandcleardialogueisamustforallparents,asmorethanoneineightofchildren(13%)alsoadmittedtolyingabouttheiragetogetaroundagerestrictionsonsocialnetworkingsites.
DigitalDeception13%ofchildrenhaveliedabouttheiragetogetaroundrestrictionstheirparentshadplacedontheinternet19%ofchildrenhaveliedabouttheironlineactivitiestotheirparents21%ofparentsclaimthattheirchildisnotamemberofanysocialnetworks,butallchildrensaidthattheywereamemberofasocialnetwork;(3%joiningbeforetheywere10,and40%beforetheywere13)TheneedforeducationWithtoday'steensbeingthefirstgenerationtogrowupimmersedinacyber-world,we'veestablishedthatparentsrequiremoresupporttohelpkeepthemuptodatewithrapidlychangingtechnologyandtounderstandhowtheycankeeptheirchildrensafeonline.
Morethanhalf(53%)ofparentsputtheonusoneducation,sayingthatknowingtheirchildislearningaboute-safetyinschoolwouldmakethemfeelbetterequippedtohelpkeeptheirchildstaysafeonline.
Butwhilstschoolsandthewiderindustrycertainlyhaveabigparttoplay,parentsmustalsoworktoimprovetheirknowledgeoftheinternettoensurechildrencanenjoythegreatbenefitsoftheinternetsafely.
Parentscanprotecttheirchildrenfromonlinethreatsandrealisingthatthisiswithintheircapabilityiscritical.
Sittingdownwithchildrenandreviewingourtoptenruleswiththemwillhelptoensureaworry-freeexperiencethatfosterslearningandunderstanding.
Top10waystoprotectyourkidsonline1.
Monitoryourchildren'suseoftheinternet.
Putthecomputerinahigh-trafficfamilyareaandlimitnighttimeuse.
Ifyourchildusestheinternetontheirsmartphoneorlaptop,makesuretotakeaninterestinwhatthey'vebeendoingandthesitesthey'vebeenvisiting.
Also,checkoutonlinechildsafetymonitoringsoftware.
2.
Workasateamtosetboundaries.
Decideexactlywhatisokayandwhatisnotokaytogetherwithregardto:a)thekindsofwebsitesthatareappropriatetovisitb)kindsofthingsyourchildrencandiscussonlinec)thechatrooms,socialnetworkingsitesandforumsthatareappropriatetoparticipatein.
Makesuretouseonlymonitoredchatroomsandmakesureyourchildrenavoid".
alt"chatrooms,whichfocusonalternativetopicsthatmaybeinappropriateforyoungpeople3.
Together,agreeuponfamilyinternetrules.
Werecommendthefollowing:NeverloginwithusernamesthatrevealtrueidentityorthatareprovocativeNeverrevealyourpasswordsNeverrevealphonenumbersoraddressesNeverpostinformationthatrevealsyouridentityNeverpostinappropriatephotosoronesthatmayrevealyouridentity(forexample:cityorschoolnamesonshirts)NevershareanyinformationwithstrangersmetonlineNevermeetface-to-facewithstrangersmetonlineNeveropenattachmentsfromstrangersOnceyouhaveestablishedtherules,postthemnexttothecomputerorsomewhereinthehousethatwillserveasareminderforchildren.
4.
Signanagreementforappropriateonlinebehaviour.
Writeupanagreementtogethersothereisaclearunderstandingamongallfamilymembersonappropriatecomputeruseandonlinebehaviour.
5.
Installsecuritysoftware.
Makesureyouhaverobustsecuritysoftwarethatprotectsyourcomputeragainstviruses,hackers,andspyware.
Itshouldalsofilteroffensivecontent,pictures,andwebsites.
Thissoftwareshouldbeupdatedfrequently,asnewthreatsareemergingdaily.
SoftwaresuchasMcAfeeLiveSafeprotectsagainstarangeofdevicessuchassmartphones,tabletsandPCstoensureonlinesafetyevenonthego.
6.
Useparentalcontrols.
Allmajorsecuritysoftwareprovidersofferparentalcontrols.
Besuretoenablethem.
Ifyouareusingfreewareorsoftwarethatdoesn'thaveparentalcontrols,considerpurchasingsoftwarethatdoes.
Taketimetolearnhowthesecontrolswork,anduseoptionsthatfilterandblockinappropriatematerial.
Tocompletelyprotectyourchildrenonline,useMcAfeeFamilyProtectionsoftwareinadditiontotheparentalcontrolsinyoursecuritysoftware.
McAfeeFamilyProtectionsoftwarekeepschildrenofallagessafefromexposuretoinappropriatecontent,socialnetworkingrisks,strangers,andotheronlinethreats.
Ofcourse,thesetoolshavetheirlimitations.
Nothingcantaketheplaceofattentiveandresponsiveparentswhomonitortheirchildrenwhentheyareonline.
7.
Remindfamilymembersthatpeoplemetonlinearestrangers.
Everyonewhogoesonlinemustunderstandthis-nomatterhowoftenyouchatwithonline"friends,"nomatterhowlongyou'vebeenchatting,andnomatterhowwellyouthinkyouknowthem,peopleyoumeetonlinearestrangers.
Itiseasytolieandpretendyouaresomeoneelsewhenyouareonline.
Kidsespeciallyneedtoknowthatanew"friend"mayreallybea40-year-oldmanratherthansomeonetheirownage.
SocialnetworkingwebsiteslikeFacebookandTwitterareanidealwaytomeetnewpeopleonline.
Therefore,youmustvisitthesesitesandcheckyourchild'sprofiletoensurethatinappropriateconversationsarenottakingplaceandthatunacceptablephotosarenotbeingposted.
Youshouldmonitoryourchildren'sinstantmessagingconversationstomakesuretheyaren'tbeingpursuedonline.
8.
Createstrongpasswords.
Tocreatepasswordsthataredifficulttocrack,startbyusingatleast8charactersandthenuseacombinationofletters,numbers,andsymbols.
Passwordsshouldbechangedperiodicallytoreducethelikelihoodofaparticularpasswordbeingcompromisedovertime.
Techniquesforstrongpasswords:Useavanitylicenseplate:"GR8way2B"Useseveralsmallwordswithpunctuationmarks:"betty,boop$car"Putpunctuationinthemiddleofaword:"Roos%velt"Useanunusualwayofcontractingaword:"ppcrnbll"Usethefirstletterofeachwordinaphrase,witharandomnumber:"hardtocrackthispassword"="htc5tp"Don'tshareyourpasswords!
9.
Checkyourcomputer'ssecuritysoftware.
Openwhateversecuritysoftwareyouareusingandverifythatyourcomputerisprotectedbythefollowingthreecoreprotections:anti-virus,anti-spyware,andafirewall.
Thesecoreprotectionsshouldbeaugmentedbyanti-spamandsafesearchsoftwarelikeMcAfeeSiteAdvisorthatfeaturesanti-phishingprotectionandsafetyratings.
ItisalsoaverygoodideaforfamiliestohaveasuiteofprotectionsonhomePCsthatincludesparentalcontrols,likeMcAfeeFamilyProtectionsoftware,andidentitytheftpreventiontools.
10.
Stayinformed.
Themoreyouknow,thesaferyouwillbe.
CheckoutMcAfee'sSecurityAdviceCentreforeasy-to-readeducationalmaterialoncomputerandinternetsecurity.
www.
mcafee.
com/advice