How can parents encourage their children to use online technology safely and privately?
Today’s youth are digital natives. They have never known a world without the Internet or online technology. It is critical that they develop the skills and resilience to safely navigate these digital environments from an early age. Scientists at NIST conducted a study to find out how much these digital natives and their parents know about online security and privacy.
How can parents encourage their children to use online technology safely? Recent research from scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) suggests that it’s a good strategy to talk directly with your children about online privacy and security from early childhood through high school.
The research effort, which NIST team members describe as exploratory research, involved interviewing 40 parent/child pairs with children in grades 3 through 12. The aim was to understand their knowledge about online privacy, security and online risky behaviour, and how parents try to influence their children’s online activities and knowledge about privacy and security.
The NIST team’s initial findings and recommended strategies include:
- It’s never too early to talk to kids. Start when they first start using the technology. As early as elementary school, children knew about security, privacy and online risks and were interested in learning more about how to stay safe online.
- Talking to children helps them better understand how to navigate the digital world. Many parents were hesitant to talk about online privacy and security, often citing a lack of knowledge. But kids whose parents talked to them about online privacy and security were more knowledgeable. Conversations don’t have to be very technical. parents can discuss online activities and make good choices.
- Appreciate that children can see the digital world differently. Children saw online privacy and security as something they could control. They also felt that not all risks are the same, requiring an understanding of each situation. Parents, however, saw most online activities as too risky, often telling their children what not to do rather than what to do. It would be more useful to talk about the options for behavior and the possible consequences of each of them.
The team is presenting the findings in two papers, one at the International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction in July 2023 and the other at the Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security in August 2023. NIST also created this video to introduce the research to a general audience:
Olivia Williams et al. “They’re not risky” vs. “It could ruin your whole life.” How parent-child dyads differ in their perceptions of online risk. International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCII), July 23-28, 2023.
Olivia Williams et al. Young people’s understandings of online privacy and security. a dyadic study of children and their parents. 19th Usable Privacy and Security Symposium, August 6-8, 2023.