Safe Search Kids - Education, Parenting, Internet Safety for All

Internet security is all about the safe use of the internet and any online activity. Going online gives you access to a wide array of information and services. Unfortunately, it also opens you up to vulnerabilities that can be used to attack your data. Internet security prioritizes addressing these vulnerabilities before they become an issue.

Global cyberattacks increased by 42% in the first quarter of  2022, compared to the previous year. These attacks have affected nearly every industry, including education, healthcare and manufacturing. The basis of these attacks is various vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. There is a clear need to implement better internet security protocols against such attacks.

The Risks to Internet Security

Understanding the security protocols you need to implement starts with knowing what risks you are facing. This is the first step to making the internet safer.  Some of the biggest threats observed this year include:

IoT vulnerabilities

The interconnected nature of devices over the Internet opens them up to greater risk. The Internet of Things (IoT) can be used as a gateway to gain access to a network of devices. Malicious agents can use this access to retrieve sensitive information from the cloud. With more businesses turning towards IoT technologies, it is likely to become an increasingly serious cybersecurity risk.

Cloud security breaches

By 2025, over 100 zettabytes of data will have moved to cloud storage. The increasing adoption of cloud computing has focused more attacks in this direction. Cyberattacks for cloud storage often focus on account takeovers or a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, which locks users out of their data.

A more sophisticated version of this attack uses domain name system (DNS) amplification to attack. DNS vulnerabilities are exploited by turning small queries into much larger traffic, which overwhelms servers and causes them to crash.

Ransomware attacks

Ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common in recent years. The first half of 2022 experienced over 236 million ransomware attacks, a substantial increase from the previous year. Losing data access and the financial burden of such attacks put a great strain on business operations. If they last long enough, they can put the entire business in jeopardy.

Maintaining Internet Security

Given the potential for attacks, your priority should be to try and secure your system and connections the best way you can. Some of the necessary steps to maintain and manage online risk include;

DNS solutions

IoT device vulnerabilities can be countered with DNS security. IoT devices need to be secured and managed to reduce the risk they pose to the rest of the IT infrastructure and the organization itself. DNS solutions offer secure communication, which limits the spread of risk via connected devices.

An effective application of DNS solutions is to limit access for IoT devices. Using query filtering, a “whitelist” of allowed domains can be created that allows access by these devices. Only a DNS request for an explicitly allowed domain would then be entertained.

Antivirus protection

Antivirus software goes a long way in offering internet security. When set to run automatic scans, any files you access online undergo scrutiny before they are accepted on your device. Antivirus is the most basic defense against malware, virus and other malicious agents.

Such software can also run in the background to offer protection in real time. The point to remember is that a comprehensive security protocol needs to go along with any security software you use. For example, regularly updating your software ensures it is functioning well and can defend against new forms of attacks and viruses.

VPN technology

A virtual private network (VPN) connection ensures the security of the connection between your device and the internet. It serves a two-fold purpose. First, as data passes through an encrypted tunnel of sorts, it disguises your IP address. Therefore, your location cannot be divulged based on the address in the event of an attack.

Secondly, it offers protection against external attacks. It is able to establish secure connections as you interact with services online. With a VPN, you can keep information hidden, making it harder for malicious agents to launch an attack against you. Rather than protecting your system from an active threat, it simply makes you a difficult target.

Network security

Network security solutions and protocols are designed to keep your online activity safe. It is a comprehensive system that considers every aspect of vulnerability on the internet and seeks to protect your system against it. Such solutions not only protect your system from external attacks but also ensure internal security is maintained to counter potential vulnerabilities.

Multiple levels of protection ensure the system is resistant to attacks. Information is broken down into multiple parts, rather than being transmitted as a whole. Each part is then independently encrypted and then shared over separate communication paths. This type of security is a preventative measure against potential vulnerabilities in the system.

Ensuring a robust cybersecurity framework is essential as you navigate online risks and threats. For organizations looking to manage their attack surface optimally, Intruder’s guide to ASM tools gives insights on managing digital assets and vulnerabilities effectively.

Use Strong Passwords

What Makes a Strong Password?   A password should be long. Use at least 12 characters. Use upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.

To help you remember, use a passphrase that implements the use of various elements but means something to you when you read it.

Example of a passphrase: Within your long password you can used words like great, but spell it like Gre@t.   Or write the word sun like $un

Finally, never use an old password. And make sure each of your logins have it’s own unique password.  This protects against credential stuffing, which is when a scammer who has learned your user name and password on one of your accounts tries the same combination on all of your other accounts.

Conclusion

Internet security is an increasingly relevant concern. Greater business reliance on remote work and cloud-based solutions may offer new opportunities, but it has also opened new vulnerabilities in business systems. With the increasing risk of cyberattacks and ever-evolving types of attacks, it is more important than ever for businesses to adopt an internet security protocol.

Implementing a comprehensive network security system can counter a lot of system vulnerabilities. Businesses can employ many other methods, such as DNS solutions and VPN technology, to ensure their business remains safe and secure, and ready to deal with potential attacks.

Many children are now obsessed with online games. One of the trendiest games that you may be hearing about is Roblox. Tens of millions of users around the world have fun with this digital platform.  No doubt, Roblox multiplayer game is helpful for kids to build a community, learn creative things, and get entertained.

However, there are some risks involved that every parent should be aware of, such as cyberbullying, exposing inappropriate content and online predators.  Roblox is yet another platform that parent must be serious about to keep kids safe from imminent dangers while they play the game. Luckily, you can limit their activity and monitor whom they are chatting or playing with by activating Roblox parental control.

So, let’s review why and how to activate parental control features on Roblox.  We’ll also explore the potential benefits and dangers of the Roblox game.

Roblox Basic Explained

Roblox is an online platform for children and teenagers where they can play games and create anything they imagine using Roblox Studio. This blocky, cartoon game is developed and released in the years 2004 and 2006 respectively. David Baszucki and Erik Cassel are the founders of this game.

Roblox is a free and open-source game that you can download instantly for any type of device. Users can choose their favorite avatar (player), as well as shop outfits and accessories by spending the ‘Robux’ virtual currency. And Roblox Premium is available with more features.

According to a Roblox report published on February 22, they have more than 55.1 million daily active users mostly children and teenagers. And their estimated revenue is between $204 million to $207 million per year.

What Are The Benefits Of Roblox?

Here are some of the benefits that kids acquire from playing Roblox games.

• Makes children imaginative and creative
• Develops problem-solving skills
• Improves social skills
• Develops designing, programming, and many other skills
• Provides lots of entertainment

What Are The Potential Dangers Of Roblox?

Besides lots of benefits, there are some disadvantages of the Roblox game that you should take into consideration.

• Spending lots of time on screen make kids addicted
• Have cyber security risks
• Some content features violence
• User-generated games may contain adult content, inappropriate languages
• Players buy game items using the virtual currency ‘Robux’. If kids get a chance to spend money online to purchase things, they might misuse it.

Are Parental Controls for Roblox Necessary?

Roblox game has some risks for children, especially cyberbullying. Many parents complain about inappropriate content. So, parental control is a must to keep kids protected from online predators while they play Roblox games.

It features a parental control menu that helps to limit the activity of kids’ online games. This also allows monitoring of what the kids are doing in Roblox. The next section will explain the way to activate parental controls on Roblox.

How To Set Roblox Parental Controls

The process of activating parental controls on Roblox on the web and smart devices is quite different but the main thing is almost the same in both cases.

The steps are as follows:

Step 1: Set Up Account Properly

The first thing parents should do is set up the account correctly. Be sure you register with the right date of birth and name of your child. According to the age of the kids, privacy and security are designed in the game. When users play games online, the level of the games will also be offered depending on their maturity.

If your child has already registered a Roblox account, you need to log in there. If you don’t know the password, hit the forget the password button. Now correct the information if kids open the account with the wrong name and age.

You can change it by entering ‘My Settings’ and then the ‘Account Info’ section. Both web and phone will allow doing that. Put a verified email address and select the right gender. Also, choose a strong password combination of numbers, and symbols with capital and small letters.

Step 2: Activate Parental Control

You will find the ‘Parental Control’ menu under ‘Settings’. Here you have to set a parental control pin ‘Parent Pin’ first. Put a 4-digit pin and enable it. Also, select the age limit from the ‘Allowed Experiences’ option. There are 3 different age selection options:

• 13+ (Suitable for ages 13 and older)
• 9+ (Suitable for ages 9 and older)
• All Ages (Suitable for everyone)

So, choose the right age according to your kids’ age.

Step 3: Set Roblox Privacy Settings

From the privacy setting option enable the ‘Account Restriction’ option. After that turn off the ‘Communication’ option. And from the ‘Other Settings’ select ‘No one’ for all available sections as shown in the image. So, the parental control on Roblox is now activated in the game.

Summary

Roblox is a popular interactive game for children and teenagers.  Still, cyber security and privacy concerns is a major concern for parents. However, if you activate the Roblox parental controls with proper online privacy settings, your kids will be able to enjoy the benefits of any gaming app with the most harm reduction possible.

Of course, parents should continue to be diligent to remain active in monitoring and limiting their activities. This can be done by checking in with you child regularly.  However, installing third  parental controls   Whenever you get any notifications, review them soon and act accordingly.  Also, limit their play time so they don’t get addicted to the game. And educate your children about online bullying.

More and more children are using smartphones, tablets and laptops for playing games, reading, watching cartoons and learning. It’s difficult to separate everyday life from computer use. Parents themselves determine how often children will use technology and what exactly they will do.

From researching articles to exploring news in the media, taking an online class, connecting on social media, or passing the time playing a game, it will always be a challenge to manage what a child does online.  So, it only make sense to properly teach a child how to effectively and safely us a computer, tablet or smart phone.

The computer does not harm itself: content and time of use are important

Much as been written about the dangers of computers. Constant use of a computer by children can lead to vision problems, poor posture and diseases of the back and neck, dermatitis and breathing problems.  Experts also point to how technology can harm a child’s psyche.  Most likely, they mean the impact of computer games and dangerous content on the behavior of children and adolescents.

The Department of Education in Northern Ireland names roughly the same risks: postural problems, photosensitive epilepsy, uncontrolled consumption of content. WHO pays the most attention to the fact that children spend time at computers instead of moving more and playing outdoors.

Vision

Doctors have long believed that screen flicker aggravates nearsightedness, and have recommended working at a computer only with a protective screen. But studies conducted over 20 years have shown that the computer does not harm vision, although it can cause computer vision syndrome (CVS), which includes eye fatigue and headaches.  Permanent impairment to vision due to Myopia is affected by heredity and lack of ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, it is more important for a child to walk in the fresh air in order to maintain vision.

Problems with the muscles of the back and neck

The researchers interviewed more than 400 children in New York schools and found that the back and neck are more likely to hurt those who sit at the computer more. The study was small, but the same data is given in the Hopkins University guide. The compilers warn that those who sit at the computer for a long time develop not only back and neck problems, but also injuries from repetitive deformities, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. To avoid these risks, children should take breaks every half an hour and study in comfortable chairs.

Impact of dangerous content

Psychologists often say that children who play violent computer games or watch violent videos are more aggressive than others. Scientists at Dartmouth College conducted a meta-analysis of such studies and saw that children who play violent computer games are more likely to fight in school and on the street, damage property, such as school furniture. But the research doesn’t tell us what’s causing and what’s the effect — it’s possible that initially more aggressive kids are more likely to play violent computer games.

It seems that the more children stay at home, the more they are exposed to dangerous content. In a 2011 study, scientists saw that children rarely use the Internet in an unsafe way, that is, they rarely go to sites with dangerous content and rarely leave their data on sites, download harmful programs from them. At the same time, in 2020, Unicef ​​reported that due to the lockdown and the transition to distance learning, the risks of dangerous content for children have increased, and they need to be protected.

Little mobility

The more children spend on computers and smartphones, the less they move. This is reported by the American Association of Pediatricians and Psychiatrists and considers it one of the main risks for the development of children. From swaddle wrap parents set out to protect their children.  They grow quickly and it’s not long before they are using computers or tablets. Movement is important for development, for example, WHO considers time spent at the computer as harmful as time spent in a stroller or crib for children under four years of age. In addition, it is the movement in the fresh air that reduces the risks associated with eye diseases.

Game addiction

By gambling addiction, you need to understand that the child not only spends a lot of time playing games, but does not see the benefit and pleasure in other activities. It just doesn’t matter how much time you play. A longitudinal study of 11,000 British schoolchildren concluded that there was no difference in behavior between children playing for one hour and three hours.

But if teenagers sit at games longer, then this affects health first of all. Indian University research says that most teenagers who play computer games have high heart rate and blood pressure due to too much anxiety and stress.

The computer helps in learning, socialization and self-control

Emotional well-being

Researchers at Oxford University found that children who play computer games for one to three hours a day have fewer emotional problems and are more satisfied with life than those who do not play the computer and than those who play it constantly. Apparently, they are able to show some of the negative emotions in the game and get rid of them. At the same time, those who play a lot, apparently, are more tired and do not feel so good.

Self control

In the same study, it turned out that children who play from one to three hours a day experience fewer problems with self-control and less prone to becoming addicted to their mobile phone.  They are also less likely to have problems with hyperactivity.

Help learning

A study by the British National Literacy Foundation found that children between the ages of three and five enjoy e-books more than regular ones. Apparently, this is due to the fact that it is easier for children to interact with e-books.

Cognitive psychologist Heather Kirkorian confirms these data and says that there is nothing harmful for children in the very use of computers and e-books. If children play educational games, learn letters and numbers, it only benefits them.

True, there is a feeling that this only works for preschoolers and younger students. Researchers debate whether there is a difference in academic performance between those who use computers and play games and those who do not. In 2013, economists Farley and Robinson did not find this difference, but in a survey study, specialists from the University of California found it.

Social ties are bigger and stronger

According to the same study by Farley and Robinson, having access to computers helps kids build social connections, and not just online. They had more social connections, not only virtual, but also real.  Still, parents struggle with how early they should allow their kids to use social media.

According to preliminary results, children who accidentally received a free computer regularly interacted with more friends than students without computers. They also spent more time interacting with these friends in person. And there was no tangible difference in cyberbullying experience.

Researchers who have studied preschoolers who use and do not use computers have come up with similar results. The former showed more social skills and fewer behavior problems.

Helps develop critical thinking

Researchers from Redbud University have shown that role-playing and strategy games help develop critical thinking and develop reflection. That is, the child learns to ask the right questions, to separate the important from the unimportant – and shooters and other action games do not affect these skills in any way. But, of course, games cannot be the only source of development of critical thinking.

It is no secret that the impact that social media has on children is far beyond what we should allow. With platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, teens can communicate with each other and share photos and thoughts instantly. But what is less known is how social media affects a teen’s body image.

In this blog post, we will explore the ways in which social media can influence teenagers’ perceptions of their own bodies. We will also discuss some tips for parents who want to help their children maintain a healthy body image in the age of social media.

How does social media affect teens? Learning what it does to their body image

Teen years are already a tough time for many kids. They’re navigating new emotions, trying to fit in with their peers, and figuring out who they are. On top of that, they’re bombarded with images of “perfect” bodies from the media. It’s no wonder that so many teenagers struggle with their body image. Now, a height of 5’8 isn’t that short for a guy, but most social media posts or adverts show guys that are 6ft+.

The same goes for girls, most social media posts or adverts show women with perfect hourglass figures when the average size in the UK is actually a size 16. Although this might not seem like a big issue, we have to remember that teenagers see this on a daily basis. During the teenage years, the brain of the average person is still developing. So, when they see these “perfect” bodies on social media, it can have a profound effect on their brain development and how they see themselves.

It leads to a lot of comparisons

One of the primary ways social media negatively impacts a teen’s body image is by driving them to compare themselves against others. With an overabundance of images of so-called “perfect” bodies, it’s easy for teenagers to understandably start comparing their own appearance with what they see on social media. If they don’t stack up favorably, it often leads to feelings of shame, insecurity, and poor self-esteem. Constantly comparing their lives to the ‘perfect’ ones they see on social media, teenagers may feel like they don’t measure up in terms of looks, popularity, or success. And when they witness their peers achieving things that they haven’t accomplished yet, it can result in feelings of jealousy and insecurity.

It can cause eating disorders

Social media also takes a toll on a teen’s body image by causing or worsening eating disorders. Many teenagers feel immense social pressure to have the “perfect” figure, which for some can lead to the development of anorexia, bulimia, crash dieting, or over-exercising. Not only does social media engender eating disorders, but it can also trigger those who are already struggling with their body image. Say someone with anorexia Views pictures of stick-thin celebrities or models on social media and compares themselves to those images. This might lead to a harmful pattern of restrictive eating and compulsive exercising.

It can cause body dysmorphia

People with body dysmorphia see their own bodies in an inaccurate way. For example, they may think they are fat even when they aren’t. Social media can make body dysmorphia worse in two ways. First, being constantly exposed to people with “perfect” bodies on social media can cause the condition in people who are vulnerable to it. Second, for those who already have body dysmorphia, social media can be a trigger. For example, someone with body dysmorphia may spend hours browsing through pictures of thin celebrities on social media and comparing their own bodies to those images; this constant comparison can make teenagers feel less adequate and less valued.

It can be a gateway to mental illness

Social media is partly to blame for worsening mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression in teenagers. Studies have found that there is a relationship between time used on social media and subsequently developing mental health issues like loneliness, anxiety, or depression. It’s speculated that social media can cause or make worse certain mental health problems in numerous ways.

For example, constant exposure to “perfect” lives can lead to feelings of envy and jealousy. In addition, social media can be a trigger for those who are already struggling with mental health problems. For example, someone with depression may spend hours scrolling through pictures of happy people on social media and comparing their own lives to those images. This constant comparison can lead to feelings of loneliness, inadequacy, and low self-esteem.

It can render development in teenagers

Some of the harsher impacts of social media on a teen’s body image are that it can stunt their emotional and physical development. For example, if a teenager is constantly comparing their own bodies to the “perfect” images they see on social media, they may start to believe that they need to either look or behave a certain way to be able to achieve the things they want in life. Furthermore, by making teenagers think that they will “never achieve this type of physique”, many teenagers can simply give up and not try at all. This then leads to a less active lifestyle and consequently can stunt their physical development as well.

It increases the risk of developing anxiety and depression

Although we did touch on this subject two paragraphs above, when speaking about depression and anxiety, it’s important to reiterate how detrimental social media can be to a teenager’s mental state. Social media plays a role in increasing the risk of developing anxiety and depression because it can be a trigger for those who are already struggling with mental health problems. For example, someone with depression may spend hours scrolling through pictures of happy people on social media and comparing their own lives to those images. This constant comparison can lead to feelings of loneliness, inadequacy, and low self-esteem.

Social media is not as bad as one might perceive it. However, because there are children on the platforms, it is our duty to ensure that we are not causing more harm than good. We need to have open discussions about the impact of social media on body image and mental health so that we can help our children develop healthy relationships with social media.