Digital well -being and Internet safety for children

It is almost 11 February, and it can only mean one on the safety calendar on the Internet -safer Internet Day (SID). Every year, this event reminds us of the importance of promoting a safer, responsible digital environment for both children and young people.

In 2025, we focus on understanding the threats that children and adolescents face on the Internet to better equip them with the knowledge and tools needed for safety.

Understanding on the Internet for children and adolescents

Young people have countless opportunities to thrive on the Internet, but an increase in digitization and use on the Internet exposes young people to serious risks, including:

1. A fraud and social engineering

Everyone who goes online can be aimed at fraudsters, and children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable because of their trust in digital interactions. Social engineering tactics manipulates children about sharing personal information or pressing harmful links. Teaching them to recognize and avoid scams is crucial to prevent theft of identity and fraud.

How to be safe:

• Be skeptical of online propositions that seem too good to be true.
• Avoid clicking on unwanted links or downloading unknown investments.
• Use free security tools such as Bitdefender scamio and Bitdefender reference check identify harmful ligaments and scams with ease and real -time.

2. Misinformation

With the spread of social media, misinformation travels faster than anyone. Young users should be equipped with critical thinking skills in order to distinguish between real and fake news, preventing the spread of false information.

To stay well -informed, children should:

• Checking facts before exchange– A quick search can help you find fake news.
• Recognize misinformation—Anspect the keys and deceit headings.
• Check the sources—What information from a reliable and reliable source?
• Protect digital privacy—Dear on personal data and safety on the Internet.

3. The extortion

Many young people unconsciously share personal content, which makes them easy to go. For young people, extortion often has the form of online location, and the guilty threaten to expose intimate images if the requirements are not fulfilled.

How to be safe:

• Never share intimate images on the Internet, even with reliable persons.
• If you are threatening, do not follow – notify or lock the person immediately.
• Look for support from parents, teachers or police.

4. Loss of control over common contents

Once something is shared on the Internet, it may be almost impossible. Children and adolescents often underestimate how easy the private content can spread beyond their intended audience.

How to be safe:

• Think before you place or exchange content.
• Use privacy settings to limit who can view your contents.
• Regularly audit social media accounts and remove unwanted posts or relationships.

5. Care

Internet precisions use fraud and manipulations to establish relationships with minors, gaining confidence in how to exploit them. Recognition of preventive signs of care can help prevent dangerous situations. Warning signs include permanent messaging, secrets and pressure to exchange personal details or images.

How to be safe:

• Be careful about strangers who ask personal questions or try to transfer conversations to private platforms.
• Do not share personal details such as your full name, address and phone number with strangers on the Internet, even if they first seem friendly and reliable.
• Immediately notify and block suspicious users.
• Talk to a trusted adult and report it to the authorities.

6.

Cyber ​​-rigidity occurs when people use digital platforms for harassment, threats or humiliation of others. This can have serious emotional and psychological consequences, especially for young users.

How to be safe:

• Do not communicate with hooligans or not tell them instead.
• Keep records of cyber -tail treatment as proof, if necessary.
• Talk to a trusted adult when you are experiencing whether a cyber -rigid behavior is witnessed.
• Set up privacy settings to limit interaction with strangers.
• Promote kindness and respectful online interaction to facilitate a safer digital environment.

Trusted Resource: Bitdefender Cybersecurity Guide for Children

For further assistance to families and young users focus on Internet safety, Bitdefender has developed a comprehensive cybersecurity guide for childrenA wonderful resource that provides practical advice and easy to understand safety recommendations to enhance children and parents in creating a safer experience on the Internet.

Tip for parents and guardians:

Select a Bitdefender All-in -one Safety decision To protect up to 25 household devices from the most difficult cyber threats and protection of your family with unlimited VPN traffic, webcam and microphone protection, interplatform password dispatcher and parental control functions for filtration of inappropriate performance for online activity.

Learn more here.