Kiddipedia
As the world eagerly looks on at the newly shared name and photos of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s first-born son Archie on Instagram, Norton LifeLock is issuing a timely reminder to all expecting and current parents to be conscious of the online identity they build for their child from the day they are born.
Given today’s generation will grow up as Digital Natives – having never experienced the disconnected world – their digital identity will play a pivotal role in reflecting who they are in both online and offline realms throughout their lives. Parents need to be mindful of posting images that will present their child in a positive way, and to not overshare personal information that may put their child at risk of identity theft.
Norton LifeLock by Symantec’s Senior Director and cyber security expert, Mark Gorrie says: “Your child’s online identity starts from the first moment you post a picture of them online. Take care with what you are posting and sharing about your child as they will never have the opportunity to take it down. Parents should ensure any information that is posted about their child, champions them in a positive light that won’t hinder opportunities for them in the future.”
“Many parents also don’t realise that, just like adults, children can be victims of identity theft with fake accounts and subscriptions set up in their name. This has the potential to result in financial and reputational damage that will linger for life,” says Gorrie.
Norton’s top tips to mitigate privacy and identity risks and concerns for your child include:
- Keep parent-child social media posts positive and be aware that what you post can never be taken down
- Be aware of over ‘Sharenting’– that is, posting too much information and content of your child online that may clash with the identity they choose to forge as young adults
- Avoid publicly sharing challenging timesthat come hand-in-hand with parenting if you think it may have a negative effect on your child in years to come
- Be conscious of the personal information you are sharing about your child– name, date of birth, place of birth, etc. to avoid identity theft threats
- Know who is in your network so images of your child don’t fall into the hands of strangers
- Ensure you have up-to-date security softwareon your personal devices to mitigate against cybercrime that will see your child’s personal information be compromised
For further information on tips to keep your Digital Natives safe online, visit Norton’s website: https://au.norton.com/internetsecurity-kids-safety-raising-digital-natives.html
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