Keep celebrating ‘Safer Internet Day’ year round with Bitdefender

Today is the 20^th edition of Safer Internet Day, an international celebration that promotes the responsible and safe use of digital technologies by our youth.

“Together for a better internet” is once again the slogan of this year’s celebration which brings people together to create a better digital space where children and young people can explore and grow.

A 2021 study shows that 8- to 12-year-olds spend about 5.5 hours of screen time each day, with older teenagers raking in up to 8.5 hours of media -- time in which they can be exposed to a variety of harms.

From playing video games to using social media, and even listening to music, the young generation faces many dangers when going online.

In one horrific example, groomers have begun targeting vulnerable kids via Spotify playlists, coercing them into sharing nude content. It may sound unreal, but a recent expose shows how predators keep updating their tactics when targeting children online.

The days when kids would head off to the library for homework are long gone. Today, children are more digitally connected than ever and use technology in everyday life, whether for a school project, playtime, study or connecting with friends.

Help keep your kids and teenagers safe by:

• Teaching them not to click on pop-up ads or notifications in their browser. Browsing can take curious kids to unsafe corners of the internet, so make sure they don’t get lost chasing misleading links or adult content
• Reminding them of the importance of using strong passwords and to avoid sharing them with classmates or people they meet online
• Helping them set up appropriate privacy and security settings on their online accounts
• Making sure they understand that personal data, including their name, age, home address, phone number or social security number, should never be shared with anyone they meet online
• Frequently monitoring the apps and games kids play online, and making sure they know not to interact with messages, unsolicited links, or other requests from strangers, even though they might say they’re the same age or live in the same neighborhood
• Using a security solution to protect your kids’ devices against malware, phishing and scam websites
• Ensuring that your child knows how to spot and report cyberbullying or online harassment

Do your tech-savvy kids need a sidekick to help them navigate the digital world safely?

Take care of all your family’s devices by opting for one of our Bitdefender security solutions that offer complete protection for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android devices. Our solutions also provide digital help for parents and caretakers with a dedicated parental control feature allowing you to filter inappropriate content and limit unhealthy screen time, and even webcam and microphone protection to protect your loved ones from stalking.