This article was originally published in MSN News on 07.16.24 by Charlie Sander, CEO at ManagedMethods.
Almost 50% of American children between the ages of 3 and 4 use the internet at home, but unfortunately, the internet is not limited to a nice Pokémon Go community; there are a lot of malicious actors out there. As a consequence, about one million children experience identity theft or fraud every year. In the US alone, 1 in 50 children falls victim to these schemes because cybercriminals target their clean credit histories.
One way to combat this is to educate students in digital literacy as a foundation for recognizing and coping with cyber threats. By raising awareness about common cyber threats, such as social engineering tactics, phishing, online behavior, and so on, schools can create a more secure cyber environment. The fact is that cyberattacks aren’t just a monetary concern for organizations and governments; they can have a severe impact on individuals.
Children are so adept at learning new things, that teaching them a few basic cybersecurity skills can help reduce the problem. Let’s take a look at why cybersecurity is so important within the context of digital literacy and what measures can be taken to keep children safe online.
How Cybersecurity and Digital Literacy are Linked
Put simply, digital literacy informs better cybersecurity practices, while developing a cybersecurity mindset contributes to improved digital literacy. Teaching digital literacy to students, as well as to teachers and staff, helps them understand the consequences of their online activity. Not being aware of these consequences can negatively impact things like cybersecurity, data privacy, and personal safety.
