Kaspersky, in collaboration with the UAE Cyber Security Council, has released a report entitled “Growing Up Online”, exploring the nuances of children’s online behaviour and offering guidance to parents navigating the complexities of digital parenting. The report dives into several important factors, including time spent online, social networking and the psychological impact of children using gadgets. It also addresses significant concerns related to online threats including privacy issues and cyberbullying.
In today’s digital age the world is more connected than ever – children included. As students ease their way back into the school term, families across the UAE are swapping their children’s gadgets for schoolbooks. Although the recent report shows that the majority (93%) of parents provide their children with gadgets for educational reasons, one of the most pressing issues is the time kids spend online. In fact, 30% of UAE parents reported having conflicts with their children due to their online life, with the main reason being the time spent online for 64% of parents. The survey also shows that the older the children get, the more time they spend online, increasing the likelihood of gadget addiction, hence 92% of parents choose to limit their child’s screen time.
Digital addiction has proven to lead to high rates of negative emotions, especially with 80% of UAE children saying that they cannot live without gadgets. In the situation where their mobile phone runs out of battery and turns off, 45% of surveyed children reportedly feel very sad, 28% feel very angry, and 12% feel very scared. Unsurprisingly, such heightened emotions can cause conflicts between parents and children and can impact the child’s psychological wellbeing.
“There is little doubt that digital activities can be addictive and seriously distract children from real-world adventure. Internet and digital services offer kids a wide range of engaging content and can take hold of their attention for a long time. It must also be remembered that the real world can be even more engaging, especially if parents are ready to invest their time and spend it together with kids, doing joint activities. This time is actually even more important and valuable for families and friends, to connect, create special bonds and share memories” comments Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Chairman of the UAE Cybersecurity Council.
Seifallah Jedidi, Head of Consumer Channel for META at Kaspersky said “It is important for parents to be aware of the impact of the time their children may have spent online during the holiday. Given the fact that education is also becoming digitised in today’s constantly evolving world, it is crucial to promote a healthy balance between the online and offline worlds. Children are often overly accustomed to life online, largely using gadgets for entertainment purposes. However, just like adults, they are also prone to the dangers of the internet, like cyberbullying or sharing private information online. In order for parents to reduce the risk of digital addiction, technology must be implemented to manage the content consumed and the time that kids spend online, encouraging positive digital behaviour and habits.”
In order to ensure a seamless school year, both Kaspersky and the UAE Cyber Security Council share the following tips:
- Talk to your children about the importance of maintaining in-person friendships and social interactions in real life, as well as online.
- An easy way to control a child’s time spent online is by installing Kaspersky Safe Kids. This is a helpful tool that supports in the monitoring of their online activity and helps to restrict excessive screen time.
- Address the effects of digital addiction and improve your child’s focus by enforcing tech boundaries for the family. Setting an example for healthy tech usage is important; children consider their parents as key role models.
- Learn more on the topic of children’s cybersecurity. Explore modern trends, apps, essential practices in order to safeguard against digital risks (for instance, the basic security rules while on the internet).