“Everything came into being with intent; it is the same for cyberspace and social media. Its intent is to connect the world in a better way. However, every good thing has a bad side to it as well.
For the internet, it was the rise of cybercrimes such as hacking, identity theft, and more,” mentions Chitra Iyer (42) from Gurugram, co-founder of Space2Grow, a social impact consulting firm that offers strategic advice to firms.
Iyer’s comment is more relevant now than ever. Post the pandemic, there has been acceleration in digital transformation across industries—education, entertainment, finance, health care, etc., have implemented digital strategies for business.
While there are multiple benefits to this move, being part of the virtual space can also have its own drawbacks.
“There is a lot of difference between the real world and the virtual world, in the sense that in the virtual world, there are many unseen dangers that we cannot perceive because there is a virtual wall which we feel very comfortable behind,” adds Faridabad resident Pooja Malhotra (45), who has been a cyber security counsellor since 2012.
The fact that we sit in the comfort of our homes with only a screen in front of us also provides a false sense of security to internet users. This is especially prevalent for children and youngsters, who consider an online presence an important part of their identity.
“Since we are not physically threatened, we tend to lower our guard and give away information that we never would have done in a face-to-face interaction,” adds Malhotra.
Safety first
With nowhere to go in a post-pandemic world, children have started relying on technology now more than ever. Malhotra mentions, “In current times, the need to be online is mandatory. Screen time is an academic need, and unavoidable.”
Iyer adds, “Once a child gains access to the internet, there is a lot of exposure, both good and bad.” In such a scenario, the need to understand cyber etiquettes is critical.
“Initially, there were restrictions for the internet and devices. With COVID-19, everything from schooling, entertainment to money has become online. So it is important to teach etiquettes, cyber-hygiene, and the rules of digital citizenship to children,” points out Rakshit Tandon (50), a Noida-based cyber security evangelist who founded the IT consulting firm, Hackershala.
The experts we spoke to for this article agree that youngsters must be cognisant of both their well-being and the issues related to cyberspace. They should thus be limited to consuming age-appropriate content.
“If you feed your child unhygienic food, it will upset their stomach. Similarly, if your child consumes incorrect content in the virtual space, it will affect their brain as well as their personality. A nine-year-old child should not be playing a game like ‘Call of Duty’, which is appropriate only for youngsters above 16,” mentions Tandon.
Trisha Tagore (44) from Gurugram, mother to 11-year-old Sudwit and 15-year-old Sridatri, mentions how the laptop has become a necessary evil for her children. She even calls their digital diet “obese”.
“Due to long online school hours followed by homework and assignments based on research, the laptop has become an extension of their existence. They are impatient, short-tempered, and irritable at times. It is an over-dependence on some kind of [digital] device without which they seem lost.”
It is crucial that parents like Tagore to take care of their child’s digital diet. “Nowadays, children are so used to the online world that when they attend school physically, they feel uncomfortable about not being able to use their phones or the internet,” shares Iyer.
Keeping this in mind, the professionals stress on allocating not more than two hours of extra screen time to a youngster. Tagore agrees, adding, “Ever since the lockdown was eased, my children go out to play different sports with their friends in the colony for at least two hours a day. This keeps them active and socially grounded.”
Convey, not control
The cyber security experts maintain that the best way to offer a well-rounded understanding of the digital world is by allowing open conversations. “If you are trying to make your children aware of the perils of the internet, it will be easier to make them understand through conversation. I am a mother as well. As a mother, spying on my children doesn’t serve the purpose, until I make them sit down and discuss the issue,” shares Malhotra.
Iyer adds to this thought, sharing that such conversations with children need not be heavy. “It can be five minutes of conversation every day about what one did on the internet. Give them the assurance that they can share their issues with you [their parents] without fear. There is a need to be told that there is a safe space to interact in case of fear or discomfort,” she mentions.
It may be near to impossible to stop every single cybercrime happening in a world that is highly dependent on the virtual world. But, it is definitely helpful if one embraces the ‘new normal’ and works with it instead of combatting cyberspace.
Stressing on the importance of discourse, Tagore concludes, “My kids are aware of what can happen or go wrong if certain safety measures are not followed. It is not always enough to say ‘no’, it is more important to explain the consequences of not being alert and privacy-conscious.”
SAFE navigation in Cyberspace
1. Consume age-appropriate content
2. Think carefully, then post online
3. Create a balanced digital life
4. Be aware of the cyber laws
5. Have a clean digital footprint