By: Sarah Kirk-Douglas, VP, Global Marketing & Communications, SecureKey
Most Canadians celebrate Family Day spending the day with their loved ones – whether it be time at the rink, on the slopes, in a snow-covered forest, or simply enjoying the various winter festivals that take place in different locations all across the country.
If there are children to enjoy the day with and if there are sports involved, parents would usually—and should—spend some time discussing security and safety as fundamentals for players. To celebrate this year’s Family Day, at SecureKey we extend an invitation to dedicate a portion of those conversations with the youngest members of the family to discuss security and safety beyond sports – specifically how kids can become partners in cybersecurity and online safety.
Adults have a responsibility to help create the digital leaders of the future, and being an advocate for the safe use of technology is an important first step to take for the parents of those future digital leaders. Today’s kids are growing up as much online as offline, so they have been educated mostly on the basics. However, they may not fully appreciate or understand why it is important to protect personal information as they grow up and into adulthood.
By explaining and going through real life examples, like how hackers obtain passwords and other information, how to deal with cyber bullies, how to avoid viruses, and how cybercrimes such as phishing schemes and spyware work, parents are able to provide their children with a much better understanding of why security must be involved in every online interaction they have with their friends and contacts.
In addition of being an important piece of conversation with kids, cybersecurity has become a major industry. In North America alone, the cybersecurity market is expected to grow from USD 152.71 billion in 2018 to USD 248.26 billion in 2023[1]. That means that children who are currently in middle school will have a great opportunity to obtain jobs in information security.
We have compiled a list of what we think are interesting readings adults and parents can use as inspiration to teach security and safety online. Add it to your reading list for the weekend and enjoy Family Day with your loved ones!
- Homeland Security’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign – Kids Presentation
- Kaspersky’s Six Simple Cybersecurity Rules for all Ages
- McAfee’s Back to School: Five Cybersecurity Habits to Teach Your Kids
- Teaching Kids About Cybersecurity: It’s Never too Early
- Engaging students in cybersecurity: a primer for educators
[1]https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cybersecurity-market-worth-248-26-billion-by-2023-893372986.html