Pushing both our workforce and our children home at the same time means putting all of our data at risk and creating an environment ripe for hacking.
When it comes to our kids, they’re most likely bored and limited in what they can do—they can’t hang out with friends, go to the movies, go to soccer practice, or sleep over at a friend’s house—so they’re spending their time online.
Unfortunately, more time online means the more our children are at risk. In this current environment in which our kids are isolated from their friends and therefore craving social interaction, it makes sense that they’re spending their days on the internet chatting, playing games, and watching new shows or videos.
They’re finding ways to entertain themselves and get the social interaction they need, but the more time they spend online, the more vulnerable they become to grooming, bullying, predators, and sharing information with strangers who are not who they say they are. They may even be exposing your family’s sensitive data by downloading what they think is a harmless new game or app.
What You Can Do
It’s more important now than ever for parents to monitor who their children are talking to online and educating their kids on how to be safe when spending time online.
Our current situation is exactly what predators want: A lot of kids unable to go out and see the people they know, so instead are going online and meeting people on the internet.
Look out for predators using fake Facebook and other social media accounts through which they may ask your children to send pictures of everyday life to gain trust. In the worst of circumstances, a compromising photo may be sent and used to extort money or other favors.
Right now, our children are a lot more isolated than they normally are, which makes them much more vulnerable. Text TOWNHALL to 66866 for your free copy of our COVID-19 Parenting Guide to learn more about what you can do to protect them.