Is Your Kid Safe from the Evils of the Internet?
Our children are now living in the digital age. I can also say that my son is also a computer addict. He likes watching videos on YouTube, reading articles from Wikipedia, playing online games, and last year, he asked me if it is okay for him to have an Instagram account. He doesn't have a Facebook account because I told him that Facebook is for 14 years old and above and he understands it. When he is too consumed on using browsing the web using either his laptop, tablet, or mobile phone, I am having difficulty calling his attention for him to do his tasks. I always say to my friends that gadgets can be deafening, haha. One good thing about my son is that when I say that he doesn't have any gadget privileges he doesn't whine about it. I need to limit his gadget use so that he will study his lessons and play with his toys and read his books.
While the Internet has lots of benefits for our children, it also poses some dangers too. As parents, we should really monitor our children's activities online so that we will be assured of our kid's safety and privacy.
Last May 16, 2016, Kib and I were blessed to be invited to learn about Internet safety. The Internet safety is sponsored by Trend Micro. This event was held at The Crafters Marketplace in Rustan's Supermarket area in Shangri-La Mall. Trend Micro is a global leader in Internet content security that aims to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Trend Micro is a group of engineers, researchers, and solution makers with a secret superhero identity: they are cybercrime fighters! Their 25 years of experience in protecting computers, laptops, mobile phones, and servers all over the world has made Trend Micro a household name when we talk about protecting our computers from viruses, malwares, and firmwares. Trend Micro is a US company founded in 1998, its current headquarters is in Japan. However, the global technical support and research and development headquarters of Trend Micro is in the Philippines.
Currently, Trend Micro Philippines has a campaign called Click Right!, an initiative for Internet Safety for Kids and Families (ISKF) that aims to educate, inspire, and interact with parents, teachers, and kids to make the Internet safe use and secure. Click Right! campaign believes that the Internet can be a good place if we take responsibility for our own safety. Furthermore, Click Right! advocates understanding digital risks and practicing secure browsing habit and how to stay safe online.
In 2015, Trend Micro held a contest called "What's Your Story?". Kids all over the Philippines were asked to draw on how they can create a positive impact in the community through the Internet and using it safely. Kib joined this contest when Trend Micro set-up a booth at Greenfield Weekend Market. You can check my blogpost about it here.
During the seminar, my son proactively participated during the discussion.
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| Ms. Alma Ramirez of The Crafters Marketplace giving a children a talk about Internet safety |
Post-event, I asked my son what he learned from the talk. These are his 'tips':
- Never click on pop-up sites. Some of them might be spams.
- Never click on inappropriate sites or emails.
- Never trust strangers.
- Never believe edited wikis.
- Ask permission from your guardians before using the Internet.
- Trust only mom and dad.
- Don't be mean.
- Don't reveal your true identity.
- Only download software with permission.
After the talk, the kids were also taught how to do oil pastel painting to interpret what the kids learned about the talk on Internet safety.
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| Mr. Ian de Jesus giving children a lesson on oil pastel painting. By the way, he decorated the walls of The Crafters Marketplace, so nice isn't it? |
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| Kib is now translating his learnings about Internet safety into art |
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| Kib is really serious while drawing |
The kids really had fun during the activity and their take home is that they learned more about Internet safety.
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| And here's his finished artwork! |
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| Mommies and kids posing for a group photo |
Wishing that there would be more activities like this for our kids!
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