“Our Shared Responsibility” Begins at Home

National CyberSecurity Awareness Month, an annual cybersecurity experience hosted by Stay Safe Online, has officially kicked off its 15^th year. This October event, which brings together stakeholders from every level of online security, is geared towards everyone from top-tier cybercrime analysts to the most vulnerable everyday internet users. The goal remains the same each year: to ensure that the most up-to-date information on cybersecurity is accessible to all users and is at the forefront of their tech decision-making. This year’s month-long theme is “Our Shared Responsibility,” but the focus of week one is how cybersecurity begins at home. Lessons on every aspect of our physical and emotional safety begin with those who care about us the most, and internet safety is no different. Creating an environment of secure internet access and understanding leads to life-long Cyber Aware users. To know what lessons to impart, parents and other caregivers need to understand the changing needs for all users within the home. Young children might only enjoy a few minutes of screen time on a tablet with specifically chosen apps, while older teens gain more and more responsibility—and exposure—through social media, browsing, the “latest” app that everyone’s talking about, and more. At every age and for every user in a household, the privacy and security pitfalls can change. That’s why it’s essential to remain in the know about the kinds of cybersecurity issues that different people may face:

1. Young children – For most youngsters, it may be up to Mom and Dad to enter their information into an age-appropriate account, so it’s also up to the parents to understand what information they’re sharing, what permissions they’re granting, and where that information can end up. Understanding what kinds of data breaches have taken place in the past can also help, such as the VTech breach or ones involving public schools and doctors’ offices.

2. Preteens and Tweens – Every generation has thought that kids were growing up too fast these days, but when it comes to technology—especially unsupervised access to it—that may be truer now more than ever before. The average age for US kids to get their first smartphone is now ten years old, and that can mean unprecedented access to the internet, downloadable apps, social media, and more.

3. Teens and Young Adults – One of the most commonly associated cybersecurity issues for young adults is probably cyberbullying, especially on social media, but that’s just one of the many dangers this age group can face. While it’s important to discuss proper behavior online as well as what to do if they’re targeted, it’s also vital that parents discuss scams, fraud, identity theft, hoaxes, and more. One staggering statistic, for example, has shown that senior citizens may be more likely to be targeted by a scammer, but Millennials are the ones who lose more money to online scams and fraud.

No matter what age your family members may be, NCSAM is an excellent time to explore your privacy, security, and overall digital safety.

Contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. For on-the-go assistance, check out the free ID Theft Help App from ITRC.