Avast research shows that taking kids out of the schoolyard doesn’t eliminate schoolyard problems
Technology has made it possible for millions of children to comply with social distancing by providing a means for them to see family, socialize, and even go to school. But technology isn’t immune to the problems of the physical world. According to a new survey from Avast, one third of children under the age of 12 in the US (32%) have had bad experiences online during lockdown.
The issues kids are facing online during lockdown fall under two main umbrellas: Inappropriate contact/content (73% received unsolicited and inappropriate content; 76% received unwanted contact from a stranger) and cyberbullying (78% received unkind messages; 76% received an unkind video call). Another 71% accidentally downloaded a computer virus.
But even though kids are experiencing a higher level of bad stuff online than usual, their parents don’t know about it: 89% reported that they don’t have the confidence to tell their parents what’s going on, despite the fact that 47% of parents say they’re having more conversations about online safety with their kids since the pandemic began. The kids’ reasons for not sharing varied, including feeling scared (13%), feeling embarrassed (11%), not wanting to get a friend in trouble (8%), not wanting to lose access to a device (11%), and not recognizing that the incident or content was harmful (11%).
The numbers illustrate a clear gap between the online experiences of children during the Covid-19 pandemic and what their parents think is going on. Nick Viney, SVP & GM, Avast Partner BU, recommends closing that gap by implementing “a few simple strategies.”
“Parents should maintain an open conversation with their children and check in on their digital activ ..
Support the originator by clicking the read the rest link below.
