The population of India is host to the second largest online market in the world, with an astounding 900 million online users. Only China has more as a single country. The increased prevalence of the internet has had immeasurable impacts on the development of the country, society, and culture.
Children are becoming increasingly obsessed with the internet and spending increasingly more time on their phones and other electronic devices. While this has obvious merits, safety concerns must be addressed and monitored. This article breaks down some ways we can help maintain a safe online environment for our children.
India VS The World
How does domestic online safety and awareness compare to the rest of the world? One study by ExpressVPN looked at the most common passwords around the world as a measurement of this. The most common password in India was revealed to be ‘Indya123’. A popular example from other countries is the simple numerical sequence ‘123456’, so it seems Indian citizens lean toward a more hybrid password of letters and numbers compared to the common, plain number sequence. E-safety varies around the world, but there are sure ways to increase your protection dramatically. Below are two such ways in which you can easily offer yourself a higher level of protection online.
Anti-Virus Software
The importance of having good anti-virus software installed on your children’s devices cannot be overstated. While we can try our best to monitor our children’s activity and keep them safe, there is no guarantee that they will not fall into the dangerous traps of the internet. Viruses, scams, and hacks can take many shapes and forms that are not always distinguishable to the human eye. Thus, having effective software that blocks access to and downloads from dangerous websites can help to protect your child and their data. Some essential software is available to download for free, or there are more advanced, paid options for a higher level of security and safety.
Educating the Youth
As much as we might like to be, we cannot constantly be there to monitor child’s internet activities and ensure they are staying safe. One way to drastically increase their chances of staying safe online is to educate them on the dangers of the web and how they can avoid them. The internet can be scary and littered with ill-intended individuals, so teaching them about not communicating with strangers, never sharing personal details, and a wide range of online safety protocols will improve their chances of staying secure while using the internet. There are many online courses available to educate children about staying safe online, so make sure to choose the one that’s appropriate for your children.
With that in mind, it is important to give children the tools to access the internet and teach them to stay safe while using it. Having confidence in your child’s ability to maintain a good level of E-safety should ease your worries and protect your child simultaneously. This internet era is unprecedented, so it is essential that we carve out a safe future for the young generations