Working in the IT security field for many years where I am constantly protecting organizations and their customers from cyber crime and many other types of criminals, has increased my concerns on how many adults share too much online.
New emerging technologies connect us in so many ways that we don’t even have the time to understand the functionality of many of the devices or software we use.
The biggest risk
I see the biggest risk when we allow our children and minors to use technologies we don’t understand. As much as I love technology and I try to stay on top of things I am sure when Daniela is older, she will get to the point of understanding devices and software quicker and better than me.
Why do kids sometimes understand technology better than adults?
We will be writing a more detailed future post into some of the reasons why we understand kids keep up on technology better than adults so feel free to Subscribe to Papa Heroes via Email. Overall I have to say that kids have more time to sit down and understand a device. Most adults have so many things in their hands so they prefer to understand the basic functionality. This creates even larger risks of other functions the tool or device might have that we are not aware of.
Major Threats
Kids use technology and sometimes (just as some adults) asume that software was invented for good use and no harm can occur. For example we have smartphones and tablets with technologies to engage in video chat. Most of these devices have software to find random people. Do we really want our kids talking to strangers over a video chat?
Other situations are where devices or items like photos send out geo location of where we live or present location. Software like foursquare and Gowalla can share your location and places you visited in a public and open way. I am a huge fan of both but I rarely use it when I am home and I have other rules to make sure this software does not become a tool that will put myself or my family at risk.
The main purpose of creating this site was so it could be a central place where parents aspire to become Papá Heroes by sharing information that makes us all better humans in safeguarding our children.
I hope this post got you thinking on possible vulnerabilities that can be exposed and how to counteract them.
Does any current technology create a concern that you would like our Papá Heroes to address in future posts?
photo credit by fifikins
Standing ovation for this post, mafrén. Great topic to discuss at home and with parents everywhere. I look forward to the post where you explain why children come equipped with an upgraded chip that makes ’em geniuses with newer devices.
Upgraded chip.. did I say that… LOL .. will give it my best …