WHAT ARE CYBER THREATS AGAINST CHILDREN AND HOW CAN WE PREVENT THEM?
Important Note
The info in this article and on this website is for general knowledge only. It’s based on some evidence from peer-reviewed papers from university researchers (you can scroll down to see which papers we’re using) but it’s not medical advice, and it shouldn’t be used to diagnose or treat any medical or psychological condition. If you’ve got questions about your mental or physical health, always check in with a qualified healthcare professional or a trusted adult - like your school counselor, parent, or classroom teacher :).
Read on!
Children today face a range of digital dangers as they navigate an increasingly connected world. These cyber threats against children not only jeopardize their safety and privacy but can also have lasting impacts on their emotional, psychological, and social development. As young users lack the critical thinking skills and experience to identify online risks, they are particularly vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation.
Taken from research by children’s online safety specialists, the following breakdown examines the most significant categories of cyber threats targeting children, detailing specific risks within each category.
Online Privacy Threats
Privacy on Social Media: Children often overshare personal information on platforms without understanding the long-term consequences or privacy settings.
Privacy of Smart Toys: Internet-connected toys can collect sensitive data through cameras, microphones, and GPS without adequate security measures.
Third party tracking: Companies collect information about children's online activities across multiple sites for targeted advertising without proper consent.
Online Harassment
Cyberbullying: Digital platforms enable persistent harassment through hurtful comments, spreading rumors, or sharing embarrassing content, causing significant emotional distress.
Cyberstalking: Involves continuous monitoring and harassment online, creating fear and anxiety as perpetrators track victims across digital platforms.
Stranger Danger
Cybergrooming: Adults establish trust with children online through manipulation with the intention of sexual exploitation or abuse.
Catfishing: Predators create fake online identities to trick children into emotional relationships or sharing personal information.
Impersonation: Malicious actors pretend to be someone the child knows to gain trust and access to personal information or manipulate them.
Social Engineering
Phishing: Deceptive messages trick children into revealing sensitive information like passwords or their parents' financial details.
Identity theft: Children's personal information is stolen and used fraudulently, often going undetected for years due to minimal credit monitoring.
Content-Related Risks
Inappropriate content: Children accidentally access violent, sexual, or disturbing material unsuitable for their developmental stage.
Pornography: Exposure to explicit sexual content can distort children's understanding of relationships and healthy sexuality.
Targeted advertisement: Marketers use children's data to create manipulative ads designed to exploit their vulnerabilities and lack of critical thinking.
Illegal content: Children may encounter or be manipulated into viewing content that violates laws, including extremist material or exploitation imagery.
Copyright: Children inadvertently infringe on intellectual property rights without understanding legal consequences.
Spam: Unsolicited bulk messages expose children to scams, inappropriate content, and malware.
Sexual Solicitation
Sexting: One of the most common cyber threats against children is sharing explicit images creates risks of distribution beyond intended recipients, leading to harassment and legal consequences.
Risky sexual behavior: Online interactions may normalize inappropriate sexual content or encourage unsafe offline meetings.
Cybersex: Digital sexual interactions expose children to exploitation and emotional harm from predators.
Technology-Based Threats
Malware: Malicious software infects devices through deceptive downloads, compromising personal information.
Virus: Self-replicating malicious programs damage systems and steal information when children click suspicious links.
Hacking: Unauthorized access to children's accounts leads to privacy breaches and identity theft.
Ransomeware: Malicious software locks children's devices or accounts, demanding payment for release of their data.
Legacy threats: Older but still effective security risks exploit children's lack of awareness about well-known dangers.
Spoofing: Fake websites or communications trick children into thinking they're interacting with legitimate services.
Spyware: Hidden software monitors children's activities without consent, collecting sensitive information and tracking behavior.
Economic Risks
Online gambling: Age-inappropriate betting games can lead to financial losses and potential addiction issues.
Financial scams: Fraudulent schemes target children through games or social media to steal money or financial information.
Internet Addiction
Internet addiction is a behavioral disorder that involves someone’s compulsive, excessive internet use that negatively impacts their life. A few key features of internet addiction:
May feel like an uncontrollable urge to spend excessive time online at the expense of other, in-person responsibilities and relationships.
Can include a wide range of online activities, like gaming, social media, video streaming, and general web browsing.
Over time, causes eye strain, poor posture, and disrupted sleep patterns from excessive screen time.
May contribute to anxiety, depression, loneliness, and low self-esteem, especially when online activities are used as an escape mechanism from real-life activities.
Can lead to decreased focus, increased procrastination, and poor school performance.
May lead to neglect of real-world relationships and social skill development.
References:
Laczi, Szandra & Póser, Valéria. (2024). Navigating Children's Cybersecurity Landscape: Understanding the impact of cyberbullying, online harrasment and identity theft on children. 1-6. 10.1109/SACI60582.2024.10619762.
