You should watch the online activities of your children

It is very much important that you should keep a close watch on the online activities of your children. There are lot of cases of Cyber Grooming, Cyber Bullying and Cyber Stalking against children who are active on Internet. You should make aware them about the traps in cyber world and safe use of Internet and other online activities like online gaming, online chatting etc.

Grooming means that an adult is getting to know and befriending a child with the intention of sexually abusing it. Grooming doesn’t have to be online, but the internet gives perpetrators the anonymity to act more freely and access to children who are not under direct parental supervision. If your children spend more time on online and try to keep their activities secret or they oppose you when you try to control them, it might be a clear indication that they are going to be the victim of Cyber grooming.

Cyber bullying or cyber harassment is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. Cyber bullying and cyber harassment are also known as online bullying. It has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers. Cyber bullying is when someone, typically teens, bully or harass others on social media sites. Harmful bullying behavior can include posting rumors, threats, sexual remarks, a victims' personal information, or pejorative labels (i.e., hate speech).Bullying or harassment can be identified by repeated behavior and intent to harm. Victims may have lower self-esteem, increased suicidal tendency, and a variety of emotional responses, including being scared, frustrated, angry, and depressed.

Cyber stalking is a crime in which the attacker harasses a victim using electronic communication, such as e-mail or instant messaging (IM), or messages posted to a Web site or a discussion group. A cyber stalker relies upon the anonymity afforded by the Internet to allow them to stalk their victim without being detected.

Please instruct your child about the necessity of safe browsing and protect them from online abuses.

Always educate your children about the necessity of privacy settings in social media platforms.

Monitor your child’s online activity always. Install necessary tracking tools in your computer to do so.

If your system is equipped with a built in camera or a web cam, always cover it if not in use. You may aware, a hacker can get into your system and access the camera to record your movements.

Do not allow your children to install any unwanted software tools or other gaming tools downloaded from untrustworthy web sites. It may lead to install any spyware on your system and steal the valuable information from your system.

Do not click any suspicious links received through e-mail or any other means. It may be a phishing link that may lead to a false web site that exactly looks like the website you want to browse.

Always use licensed software. Pirated software do not provide you enough security.

Always update your software with latest updates. It is very much necessary to stay secure.

Remember, your child’s safety is in your hands. Educate them.