Like Time: 37% of Parents in the UAE Agree That Cute Photos With Kids Get More Likes

In current times during coronavirus pandemic people have to stay home with their families and kids. Staying at home usually also means spending lots of time using different gadgets, in particular spending time in social networks. It means that the urge to update one’s social account with a kid’s photo can be even stronger. When it comes to responsible digital parenting, it is hard to draw the line that defines the breach of children’s rights along with jeopardizing their safety and a safe sharing of photo- and video materials to keep memories. However, there actually are some basic rules to follow in order to make social media interaction as safe as possible.

Kaspersky, a global cyber security company, shed some light on the challenges that modern parents can face while interacting in a digital space, by creating a special survey for parents[1]. The campaign focused on different aspects of digital parenting including the sharing of photos, the discussions about children’s digital life, cyberbullying and its consequences, the usage of tracking tools such as geolocation.

According to the survey, the behavior of Emirian parents can sometimes be risky: for instance, all in all 49% of them post photos and information about their child in social media, 35% posting stories from their child’s life. Speaking about the reasons to post such personal information, the opinions vary: 59% of parents share because they want to keep memories, 53% are proud of their children’s achievements, 35% want to show their relatives how their child develops and grows, 24% state it is an important part of their life and 24% like how they look on the photo.

However, other opinions include thinking that photos with children gain more likes and comments than the ones without them (37%) and posting only those photos, which show that the author lives happy and successful life (41%).

«Sometimes the desire to gain social approval prevails and the parents take unjustified risks. However, it is crucial to understand that once published, the materials can fall into the wrong hands and bring unwanted consequences such as identity theft, cyberbullying, or just become potentially harmful digital footprints. What’s more, it is necessary to ask children if they want certain information to be published in social media: 51% of Emirian parents do not do this, but it is important and even compulsory» - states Maher Yamout, Senior Security Researcher at Kaspersky.

To safeguard our children’s data and share safely, Kaspersky strongly recommends following this advice:

1. Limit access to your social media profiles and make them visible to friends only (but always mind that you add to the list of friends the people you know personally). Do not forget about general safety settings such as two-factor authentication in the Instagram app and a secure password.
2. Do not share the materials that may cause any harm for your child – that includes personal photos and videos, other information that is not meant for public – the contacts of your child, the name of their school, etc.
3. Think about a reliable security solution like Kaspersky Total Security. It incorporates Kaspersky Safe Kids module and helps to guard your family and private data, plus protects your kids online and beyond. In these challenging times, staying safe is the top priority, so Kaspersky is now offering its best multi-device security free for 3 months.