As per the study, 83% of children in India aged between 10-14 years use smartphones. The percentage is 7% higher than the international average of 76%. This has led children in India to greater exposure of online risks. Around 22% of Indian children have experienced cyberbullying at some time. This is 5% higher than the global average of 17%, the study suggests. McAfee VP of marketing Sachin Puri said 90% of parents around the globe recognise their role as protectors online. He added that Indian kids are now among the youngest to reach mobile maturity. Additionally, they report one of the highest exposures to online risks. In fact, there is an alarming number of children in India who engage themselves in private conversations without knowing a person’s real identity. This number is 11% higher than the global average for children, according to the McAfee report. Considering this data, the company aims to educate Indian parents. They want to throw light on the actions parents can take to counteract online risks such as online identity theft, cyberbullying, and leaks of financial information. Also read: Should Kids Be Given Smartphones?
What measures do parents take for their kid’s safety?
Online exposure of children globally is different than the Indian average. About 73% of children reach out to their parents for any sort of help they need with online safety. Notably, the parents also take precautions when their teens and tweens are online. FOr instance, they use password protection and install antivirus software on their devices more so than their children’s. About 56% parents protect their phones with passwords and screen locks. Whereas, 42% of parents do the same for their kids’ phones as well. Indian kids often tend to hide their activities by deleting their browser history. This throws light on the immediate need to create some safeguards around online safety of children in India. This showcases the history of children and their behaviour online in India. Clearly, India needs a stronger cybersecurity framework, especially for children aged between 10-14 years.
