Norton Cyber Security Insights report reveals parents’ concerns about cyberbullying and the online world
KUALA LUMPUR: A report by Norton by Symantec released on January 19 sheds light on parents’ perceptions of cyberbullying and the preventative measures they are putting in place to protect their children.
The 2016 Norton Cyber Security Insights Report: Family Edition reveals that while 58 per cent of Malaysian parents have allowed children to access the Internet before age 11, many had a wide range of concerns. For example, 40 per cent of Malaysian parents believe their children are more likely to be bullied online than on a playground.
“Children today face threats beyond physical violence or face-to-face encounters,” said Chee Choon Hong, Asia Consumer Business, Symantec director. “Cyberbullying is a growing issue and parents are struggling to identify and respond to this threat. A concern for many parents is that cyberbullying doesn’t stop when their child leaves school – as long as your child is connected to a device, a bully can connect to them.”
In addition to cyberbullying, Malaysian parents’ chief concerns were that their children might:
Download malicious programmes or a virus (74%)
Disclose too much personal information to strangers (73%)
Be lured into meeting a stranger in the physical world (73%)
Do something online that makes the whole family vulnerable (64%), embarrassed (63%) or lured into illegal activities like hacking (62%)
Parents beginning to step up family cyber security
The Norton Cyber Security Insights Report: Family Edition shows that Malaysian parents are starting to
recognise how damaging cyberbullying can be for children and are putting in place preventative measures. For example:
53% of parents chose to check their child’s browser history
52% only allow access to certain websites
53% allow Internet access only with parental supervision; 42% review and approve all apps
before they are downloaded
49% enable Internet access only in household common areas
38% limit information their children can post on social profiles and 38% set parental controls
through home routers
One interesting finding from the survey is that parents from countries who had the strictest preventative measures in place, also had the lowest incidence of cyberbullying. The survey reveals that 6% of Malaysian parents fail to take any action to protect their children online.
“Many parents are still in the dark about how to recognise the signs of cyberbullying and what to do if their children are impacted. The first step for all parents is to educate themselves about the signs of cyberbullying and learn how to establish an open line of communication with their children,” added Chee.
Starting a conversation
The Norton Cyber Security Insights Report indicates that only 10% of Malaysian parents reported their child was cyberbullied.
While on the surface, this may seem like cyberbullying is not a problem, the reality is that many parents don’t know how to recognize the signs of cyberbullying, so the problem is likely under-reported. Additionally, many children choose to remain silent about cyberbullying due to a fear of losing access to devices and the Internet, or that parents will embarrass them or exacerbate the problem by contacting the bully’s parents or the school.
If you suspect or are worried about cyberbullying, the first step is communication. Cyberbullying is a sensitive subject, and starting a conversation can be difficult.
Signs of Cyberbullying
Some of the signs that indicate a child is being cyberbullied include:
They appear nervous when receiving a text/online message or email
Habits with devices change. They may begin avoiding their devices or using them excessively
They make excuses to avoid going to school
They become defensive or secretive about online activity
They withdraw from friends and family
They have physical symptoms such as trouble sleeping, stomach aches, headaches, and weight loss or gain
They begin falling behind in school or acting out
Their grades start declining
They appear especially angry, frustrated or sad, particularly after going online/checking devices
They delete social media or email accounts
To learn more about cyberbullying signs and tips to start an open conversation that is easier for both parents and children, visit http://norton.com/cyberbullying.