Kaspersky Research Finds Half of Parents Monitor Children’s Internet Activity

Woburn, MA – October 10, 2019 – A new global survey from Kaspersky found that when it comes to online security, many parents prefer to play it safe, rather than trust their child’s judgement. Despite more than two-thirds (67%) of parents at least somewhat agreeing that their children are fully aware of online risks, about half remain cautious by using various tools and practices to keep their kids safe when using the internet.

Children ages 7-12 often access many of the same digital services their parents use, such as video streaming websites, which can present online threats. Many parents are aware of this and are eager to communicate with their children about how to mitigate against any possible dangers.

Half (50%) of respondents said they manually check their children’s devices, such as reviewing browser search history, after they have been used. This could be due to their child previously having hidden internet activity or disobeying parental advice. Some parents use the technique of ‘digital grounding,’ where they ban their children from using devices if they have misbehaved. Half (52%) of parents also set time limits for their children’s use of internet-connected devices.

More than a third (35%) have installed parental controls on their children’s devices in order to restrict or limit internet usage or view surfing details. Nearly a third (30%) of parents use built-in parental controls, like those found in video games consoles, to keep their children safe. Similarly, 30% also use the settings in family Wi-Fi routers to turn off internet access after a set period of time.

“As almost every child now has access to an internet-connected device, there is a likely chance they will encounter inappropriate content or become affected by an online threat – such as grooming or identity theft,” said Marina Titova, head of consumer product marketing at Kaspersky. “Our research shows that parents are understandably wary that family conversations and advice may not always be enough to ensure their children appreciate the potential risks of browsing the internet. We encourage parents to put aside any assumptions they may have about their children’s online habits, and have an open dialogue with their kids about the need to control their digital activities and internet security.”

To help parents protect children and the rest of the family from online threats, Kaspersky recommends:

• Adopt automatic device blocking to help control the time that your child spends on their computer, smartphone, or tablet. It stops children from spending all of their free time in front of a screen and you can set the amount of time that you consider to be acceptable
• Social media is part of a child's personal space and might be a sensitive topic for some. Parents should look to be as involved as possible by discussing family guidelines for using social platforms and offering advice on such activities as making new friends or connections.
• By subscribing to the Family edition of Kaspersky Security Cloud, parents can benefit from a range of features to keep the whole family secure online. The service includes Kaspersky Safe Kids – which is specifically designed to protect children’s internet usage and safeguard private data

About Kaspersky

Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at usa.kaspersky.com.

Media Contact:

Sawyer Van Horn
781.503.1866
sawyer.vanhorn@kaspersky.com