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Rabat – In a time when the rising generation have shown great interest in gadgets, Kaspersky, an international cybersecurity firm, has partnered with the Cadi Ayad school in Casablanca to organize a “Family Day” to educate children about the importance of information technology.
The event, which took place today under the “Together for a Better Online Protection of Children and Youth in Morocco,” included an interactive workshop delivered by the Kaspersky team. In the simulation, which sought to alert students to internet risks, parents played the role of online assistants at home.
“The goal is to sensitize these children on how to avoid internet risks when they possess smartphones later on,” Victor Martins Fidalgo, Kaspersky’s Consumer Global Account Manager, said during an interview with Morocco World News (MWN).
Gladys Salmouth warning against online risks
Director of the National Campaign Against Cybercrime, Youssef Bentaleb, also spoke to MWN during the event. “This is an occasion to convey the message that the internet is indeed a means of communication and entertainment, but it is also a tool full of online risks,” he remarked.
Cybersecurity in numbers
The Kaspersky enterprise’s aim was to signal cyberviolence content, and the presenters provided statistics concerning the lack of cybersecurity within society, based on a study conducted by the firm’s members.
One of the more notable stats listed is that nine out of ten children have daily access to smartphones, which showcased the relevance of this problem for the youth.
The students and parents in attendance
The presentation also reflected on some gap in knowledge and also concerns that parents hold concerning their children’s internet use. According to a Kaspersky study, 88% of Moroccan parents have never installed security softwares to control how their children navigate on the internet.
Cybersecurity is one of the issues that has been important for Moroccan lawmakers in the past few years. The Kaspersky team cited in their presentation Moroccan law N° 103-13, instilled in 2018, which outlaws cyber crimes in addition to discrimination against women, as well as sexual assault and harassment.
At the international level, the study showed that 92% of parents give their children a gadget to calm them down during trips when the children feel bored. Meanwhile, when it comes to providing children with instructive content, a similar 91% of parents worldwide also use gadgets as a tool.
Kaspersky’s Consumer Global Account Manager, Victor Martins Fidalgo
Based on these numbers, the presentation warned against the many dangers of internet risks, some of which are scamming and online harassment.
Kaspersky’s tips to be cyber safe
As a step forward to protect themselves from these dangers and explicit and unsafe content, presenters advised the students to make it a habit to inform their parents of any obscene or strange images or videos encountered online.
They also reminded them never to expose personal passwords, and provided tips to create a strong one of varying characters and digits, under parental supervision.
Activity on cybersecurity
Another crucial tip the Kaspersky team made to the students is to never trust inbound messages informing of intriguing news, such as prize awards, as there is a high risk of being swindled.
Last but not least, they advised to avoid “doxing,” which involves the sharing of personal information, be it photos, videos, or even documents online.
The safety tips were not limited to the virtual aspect, but also to the physical one, as they included advice against exposing one’s eyes to the screen and managing the time spent in front of it. To decrease the impact of the screen rays on the eyes, the presenters suggested that children balance their activities with ones that do not include gadgets.
Protection software for kids
The event ended with some advice directed at parents to not limit themselves to merely advise their children on best practices, but also engage with them through online games or other activities, in order to provide mutual learning.
Pupils also had a say in cybersecurity
Parents were also urged to filter web searches from explicit and unsafe content and use the Kaspersky Safe Kids, which is a parental control software to protect children from internet risks.
“Always protect your gadgets with a good antivirus software like Kaspersky and have them updated. Also beware the types of websites you navigate and do not share too much information on social networks,” Kaspersky’s Fidalgo advised.
Kaspersky’s Corporate Communication Manager, Gladys Salmouth told MWN that she recommends the Kaspersky Safe Kids software, noting it can keep children safe in multiple capacities. “It is also a tool for geolocalization protection by monitoring them [children] on a daily basis,” she added.
Read also: US Pledges to Support Morocco’s Position as Continental Leader in Cybersecurity
