These days it’s almost uncommon to find a child over the age of 13 who isn’t on social media or well-versed in using the Internet.

Children are introduced to the online world at primary school age or earlier, which raises concerns about how to keep a household safe from the cybercriminals who stalk their personal information.

Cybercrime is becoming more prevalent and parents need to use strategies to avoid exposing their families to the risk of identity theft – whether you are at home or on the road.

Veda has provided us with 3 tips for parents to help protect the whole family from cybercrime.

TIP 1: Put parental controls in place

It’s wise to use parental control software to monitor your child’s activity online. Find a service to suit your needs. They can block access to particular sites and programs, record keystrokes and get email alerts. Parental controls can also limit the time of day your child can access the Internet.

Don’t be afraid to put these in place. Liken it to protecting your child from vehicles in a busy city street or watching R-rated movies. Why leave them unsupervised on the Internet where there is so much unfiltered content? Explain the risks to your child and agree on the rules together.

TIP 2: Talk to your child regularly about how you expect them to behave online

Don’t be afraid to talk openly to your child about how you expect them to behave on the Internet and their social media sites.
Ask your child not to post any personal information such as their date of birth, the family address or detailed holiday plans that reveal the family will be away for a certain period. Explain to your child why hackers could find this information and use it for identity theft purposes or how your house could be robbed while you are away.

Ask to see your child’s list of friends or contacts in the websites they use. Ask them about people who look a lot older or younger than they are and how they met. Just like you would meet your child’s friends if they come over to play, it is good to know who your child is interacting with on a daily basis.

TIP 3: Stay current with online security tools

Learn about privacy settings for the websites your child uses, such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook or Twitter. Sit with your child and ensure they use the correct privacy settings, so they don’t have a public profile which could make them a target. This is like locking the front door at night-time to protect your family.

Get an alert service like Identity Watch so you will be told if your child’s email address is being traded illegally online. The online world is ever-changing and new tools to prevent identity fraud are continually emerging, such as Veda’s new cyber-monitoring service Identity Watch. Knowing how to use them can help you better protect your children in the digital age.

Stay safe with Identity Watch

Identity Watch is the first standalone cyber-monitoring service of its kind in Australia. Veda’s Identity Watch monitors your personal details, such as email address, passport number and bank account details, in online forums around the world and alerts you if your information has been compromised.  You could even consider including your children’s details to give you the peace of mind that if something does go astray with their information at least you can be notified.

The new Identity Watch service costs a total of $3.99 per month.

Head to www.identitywatch.com.au to find out more about how Identity Watch can protect you from cybercrime.

*** GIVEAWAY ***

You have the opportunity to win a 12-month subscription to this service, valued at $72, and prevent your family from being victims of cybercrime.

Simply tell us in 25 words or less what scares you the most about your children being online.

Competition entry from May 4 – May 10 via: Veda Identity Watch