At school, at home and on the go kids today are connected! This new “freedom” however comes with inherent risks many of them seemingly minor but nevertheless should be a decisive factor on how you educate your child on online safety and restrict their online actions. Some of these risks include but aren’t limited to;

• Identity Theft aka. Phishing
• Data Collection
• Online Predators
• Online Bullying

(Over the next few weeks I will be writing a series of articles about these particular dangers.)

Children are far more likely to encounter these issues due to their curious nature. To my dismay it also hasn’t escaped the creators of Phishing Websites, Subscription Services, as well as other Online Predators. Statistics indicate that over the last 4 years we have seen an increase of over 41% in unwanted solicitations, a 38-45% increase in identity theft, and between 2007 to 2009 alone in the United States and Canada an estimated 50% of all children experienced some sort of cyber bullying.

My Recommendation

I would suggest to trust your child and educate about, take part in, and promote smart online and social media habits. This likely will provide the most secure solution in the end. If you do find yourself in a situation where you need additional help please feel free to contact me to discuss your options.