The short answer would be no; without proper cyber education your child is not protected online. The long answer would detail all the possible threats your child could encounter online, such as being exposed to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, invasions of privacy, identity theft and contact with strangers to name a few.
The modern world is filled with technology that we make use of every day. As a society, we are glued to our phones day in and day out, and the younger generation are following in our footsteps. It is estimated that by the time children reach their early teen years, they will already be spending over 20 hours a week online. It is essential that you make sure your child is still allocating time for other important activities, such as homework, exercise and eating healthily.
While children are learning to navigate the real world, they need to learn to navigate the digital world, too. Surprisingly, many of the ground rules we set out for our children also apply online. Things like talking to strangers and giving out personal information aren’t allowed in real life, so why should it be allowed online? Now that we have parental controls and advanced privacy settings, it’s slightly easier to protect our youngsters, but they can’t rely solely on the provisions put in place by online platforms. They need to have a basic understanding of the cyber space they are visiting, how to act in that cyber space and which risks they could potentially be exposed to.
Without any cyber education, it is highly unlikely that your child is experiencing a positive digital journey, as they will be exposed to harmful threats more often than a child with a basic understanding of the cyber world. CyberSharp is here to help educate students with our extensive school-based learning program, preparing them to become smart digital citizens. We explore the foundation of what it means to be a digital citizen and encourage learners to have a more positive online experience using the knowledge they have acquired.
We also provide resources and advice to parents who are wanting to become better digital citizens themselves. With CyberSharp Protect, it’s easy to keep the whole family protected online with a digital risk protection platform that, quite literally, looks out for you, your family, or your business.