Children who have access to the internet or computers, in general, are not always supervised. They read through instant messages for several hours because they like to chat with their friends and at other times with strangers. Recent research has revealed that 20% of children who are online are approached by sexual predators with an aim of fixing a chance for a face-to-face meeting with them. One of the major factors that make people so attracted to the internet is the inability to disclose the identity of the user. This is the main reason that makes the internet so dangerous to kids because kids do not always discover who they are interacting with. (Angelina, 2006)
Dangers Associated with Internet towards Children
Predators
A child may be thinking that they know the person on the other end but they can never be sure unless he or she happens to be a relative or a friend from school. This can result in children interacting with adults, pretending to be children through their home computers, due to the fact that the internet is a powerful, worldwide medium. Pedophiles, through the internet, communicate freely with each other like never before.
Since the internet was discovered as a way of virtual validation of their character by sharing conquests, both real and imagined. Their main discussions comprise of how to contact children online, lure them, as well as exchanging tips on techniques of seduction on how to win children sexually. The internet also provides a tool for these predators in exchanging tips on how to avoid being detected by the law.
Data Theft
Interlopers – these are the people who are in a situation where they have no right to be. They are people who try to intrude on the property or another person’s privacy without his permission. Interlopers of the internet are the people who access the internet of children without permission and interfere with the privacy of the internet.
Although children are not exposed to great risks of financial loss as much as adults are, they fall into the dangers of being exposed to interlopers who have the aim of hijacking or sharing online identities with kids. Children become more vulnerable to data theft as they are usually not able to identify or report data-snatching Malware: is a term that refers to software that is not solicited with an intention of annoying somebody, destroying, or even exploiting them.
They include viruses, backdoor Trojan programs, keylogging software, and malicious adware all of which can allow the attacker access to what is not authorized and which can be used to control one computer, especially when the malware loads invisibly and also because of their lack of caution in sharing vital information with friends and even strangers.
Data theft, when it occurs, can help a fraudster to steal information regarding the identity of the child such as names and addresses, and sell or retain them for personal gain like hijacking online accounts and even bank accounts, as well as spreading rumors while operating under the identity of the victim. The solution to this problem… Children should be instructed in using passwords that are long and hard to guess which consist of a mix of characters and numbers as well as being advised not to disclose their passwords to anyone, even if it is a friend. This can be achieved through making use of the guide on Microsoft’s strong password. (Kelvin, 2001)
Malicious Software
Children usually value ‘free’ rather than ‘safe’ and can therefore be exposed to malicious software. Peers like sharing links and files through which they risk downloading programs that are infected while in the process of looking for free music and software as well as serial numbers so as to use them in pirating games that are meant for commercial use. This is made possible by the fact that the distributors of malware know well that kids have a lot of trust in links beyond what they should confide in.
The solution to this problem is that kids should be taught to be very cautious while opening links from strangers and even friends; never click on ads or try to answer any unsolicited email, as well as teaching them not to be clicking the yes button without reading carefully the entire text on the screen. Kids should be advised to download only that software that is legitimate and from trusted sites, and report any suspicious items to an adult.
Inappropriate Content
Certain content is not appropriate for a minor depending on their age and therefore it should be the responsibility of every parent to use common sense to determine what is right for his or her child. Sometimes, even when children are not searching for adults and their content or materials that is violent online. They can easily come across them if they follow search engines or links that offer instant messages.
For example, scammers can use pornographic pop-ups with an aim of luring the user to click links with malicious software. To solve these problems for kids, parents should make use of content-blocking and other filtering software so as to control what children can see and also be informed that these filtering software can only apply for a certain age as well as depending on how the child is exposed to computer skills. (Kelvin, 2001)
In summary, there can be many dangers when children are unsupervised on the internet or computers in general. Parents should let their kids know that it is a privilege for them to use the internet and not a right. Children can also access dangerous material online even when they are at their friend’s houses. This requires the spirit of teamwork between parents so as to control the use of the internet by children in and outside their homes.
Work Cited
Angelina K. What do I say to my Net-savvy kids? McGraw-Hill Education. (2006).
Harley H. Internet insecurity: prentice-Hall Inc. (2002).
Kelvin F. coping with dangers on the internet: Rosen publishing Group Inc. (2001).