Today's Edition
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
Ninety-five percent of parents in the UAE control their children's online activities and 92 percent impose time limits on their internet usage, according to a recent survey conducted by Kaspersky in collaboration with the UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC).
The survey also revealed that 58 percent of children in the UAE have been exposed to violent content on the Internet.
These findings are detailed in a report, entitled "Growing Up Online," which delves into the online behaviour of parents and children in the UAE through a study sample of 2000 online interviews.
The report's data showed that 24 percent of parents reported incidents when unknown adults attempted to befriend their children in digital spaces.
Another 31 percent experienced financial losses as a result of their children's online activities, including unintentional downloads of paid games, unauthorised purchases, and online scams.
Over the past two years, the most common online threat faced by children was device infection by viruses, with 19 percent of children reporting such incidents.
This was especially prevalent among older children, aged 15-17 years.
In response to these risks, the UAE Cyber Security Council continues its digital awareness campaign, offering parents crucial advice to protect their children online.
Recommended steps include setting up secure accounts, activating privacy settings, using trusted applications such as Kaspersky Safe Kids, and downloading files only from trusted sources.
Parents are also advised to be wary of misleading file names, suspicious links, and unfamiliar online buttons.
Other guidelines stress the importance of reviewing terms and conditions before downloading files, strengthening privacy controls, and regularly reviewing app permissions.
Parents are encouraged to limit screen time, block harmful sites, and continuously monitor their children's online activity.
Teaching children to recognise strangers online and avoid unsafe links is also essential for their digital safety, according to the CSC.
"Safeguarding your child's online environment is crucial in today's digital world. With nearly one in three children in the UAE approached by strangers online, these essential security steps provide a strong foundation for device and data safety," CSC stated.
Aletihad spoke with two cybersecurity experts who offered their insights on how to better protect children in the digital world.
Hussam Khattab, a cybersecurity expert, noted that awareness-raising is key when it comes to protecting children from digital threats.
"Introducing cybersecurity concepts in fun and engaging ways will enhance their readiness," he said.
"Kids nowadays are exposed to numerous digital threats such as phishing, cyberbullying and data theft. All these threats are just one click away".
Khattab advises parents to activate parental controls on devices used by kids, set strong passwords, regularly update software and install trusted security tools.
He further warned against over-sharing children's personal information on social media, pointing out that predators often study their potential victims by monitoring public posts.
Tariq Alqudah, a cyber law expert in Jordan, stressed the need for stronger international cooperation and legal frameworks to protect children online.
"Crimes targeting children online should be recognised as international offences," he said.
Alqudah suggested an international treaty mandating that member states establish specialised police units dedicated to protecting children and pursuing offenders globally.
"Child predators must find no place to hide, and international cooperation is essential to achieve this," he urged.
Mandatory cyber safety classes in schools and increased parental oversight are also integral to ensuring children's digital safety.
"For families where parental involvement is limited, school programmes can play a crucial role in bridging the gap and ensuring that children are educated in online safety."
He further proposed government-sponsored programmes to educate parents, and legal frameworks requiring developers and platform hosts to detect and report any form of online violence against children.
"By implementing these measures," Alqudah added, "we can build a safer digital environment for our children, protecting them from exploitation and empowering them to thrive in the online world."
