<h3>How to Keep Children Safe and Secure Online in India 2020:</h3>

<p>As the first point of contact with the cyber world is continuously decreasing, children are becoming more and more susceptible to cyber crimes. Several other factors like their experimental nature, non protection savvy attitude, willingness to take risks, security flaws in devices they operate etc further compound the problem. </p>

<p>In this write-up, we shall study the plausible steps that need to be taken to keep children safe and secure from cyber attacks. </p>

<p><strong>Recognize the Threats: </strong><br>
Protection of children from online threats starts with its recognition. Therefore, shy away from false overconfidence that nothing shall ever happen to your child. Even cyber experts have fallen to traps, companies and organizations get breached etc. </p>

<p><strong>Responsible Parents: </strong><br>
Since, children don’t fully comprehend the online world dangers, parents must assume greater responsibility to ensure well being of their children. Following activities can help protect their children from cyber crimes:</p>

<ul>
 <li><strong>Supervise: </strong>It may seem obvious, but parents must monitor the child’s internet use. Parents should encourage them to visit and stay on websites that you’re familiar with, as they are safe and secure to browse.</li>
 <li><strong>Be open: </strong>Encourage the child to share the activities they are doing online and whom they are socializing with. Promote a culture of safety within the home and talk about the virtual world dangers that exist outside. It is important for your child to feel secure enough to confide in you, lest a problem takes place. Ask them to share credentials of any password-protected sites they access. Talk to your child as frequently as possible about the emerging nature of cybercrimes.</li>
 <li><strong>Protect your children: </strong>Use parental controls to block access to sites that are not safe or appropriate for children. Review the default settings on each app and customize the same for maximum level of safety. For example, use strictest social media settings to avoid sensitive data exposure to strangers. Place a tape on the camera and switch off the micro-phone to further protect your child. </li>
 <li><strong>Wearables: </strong>Parents must do proper research, before purchasing wearables to ensure they are safe and secure. After purchasing the wearable, parents should change the default password and encourage the child to do so, at least every three month. </li>
 <li><strong>Security Solution: </strong>Implement a security solution to keep family secure. For example, routers with an extra layer of security. </li>
 <li><strong>Awareness: </strong>Parents must aware their children about the difference between the real and virtual world and risks involved in sharing content with strangers. Enhance their knowledge on online privacy and security using various case studies happening in the society. </li>
 <li><strong>Parental Control Application: </strong>Parents should incorporate Parental Control applications on their children’s mobile devices. They limit screen time by using “Digital Wellbeing” options available on both Android and iOS devices. It filters the contents that can be viewed online and can restrict the download of applications that you don’t want your child to view.</li>
 <li><strong>Observation: </strong>Parents must observe the virtual friends with whom their children is interacting and spending time with, content that child is posting online whether on social media, e commerce or P2P site. Sweetly ask for login credentials of various social media sites, to observe chats and contents being shared with friends and strangers. </li>
 <li><strong>Spend Quality Time: </strong>Parents should spend quality time with children to ensure they don’t feel socially disconnected. </li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Report Cybercrime:</strong><br>
Reporting cyber crimes as and when they happen is very important. The best way to prevent cyber stalking, bullying, sexting etc is to report to police at the very first instance of occurrence. When crime doesn’t get reported, it encourages criminal to perpetuate it further. In India, one can report cyber crimes online at the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal having the URL – <a href="http://cybercrime.gov.in/" target="_blank">cybercrime.gov.in</a>.  </p>

<p><strong>Others: </strong></p>

<ul>
 <li>Place the computer/ laptop in your living room rather than in the child’s bedroom.</li>
 <li>Make sure your children doesn’t post personal details like phone number, email ID,  permanent address, photographs, school address etc online.</li>
 <li>Make them aware about basic cyber laws, to help understand the nature of cyber crimes. It also prevents them from committing cyber-crimes unknowingly. For example, from sending vulgar or obscene photos through messengers. </li>
 <li>School should conduct regular interactive sessions on cyber crimes, emerging online frauds and how to counter/ report them. </li>
 <li>Encourage children to report the first instance of abuse, harassment, online sexual favors etc, to control the issue before it escalates. </li>
</ul>
