A new study by Intel Security claims the rise of social networking sites in India has resulted in children creating Facebook accounts even before they turn 13, the minimum age to become a member. The investigation also revealed over half of the kids surveyed would agree to meet a stranger.
Intel Security recruited 2370 participants in the study, composed of 1185 parents and 1185 teens. 77% of the children said they had joined Facebook before they became 13. Interestingly, 81% in the age group of 8 – 16 years asserted they were active on social media compared to 70% in the US and Singapore.
Furthermore, 69% of the tweens stated they had put up images, 58% posted their email address, 49% published the name of their school, 46% their complete birth date, and 42% said they revealed their phone number. Notably, 82% of the children questioned claimed they were worried about protecting their privacy and personal information.
Intel Security Group Head of Operations Venkat Krishnapur explained that the accessibility of smartphones and laptops was leading to a higher level of personal data getting exposed online. To make sure of a safe digital space for these kids, Krishnapur thinks parents ought to be educated on possible threats.
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He also thinks adults should be made aware of tools like parental controls, content filtering and activity logs. Intel Security APAC Consumer Marketing Director Melanie Duca highlighted the fact that open talks between parents and offspring are being conducted now, but these need to go beyond casual conversations.
According to PTI, 44% of the tweens surveyed confirmed they would meet or have already met a person they first encountered on the internet. Duca notes this figure is down from last year’s 53%, but cautions it is still a serious risk.
The Intel Security study also found that 86% of the parents claimed they knew what their child was up to online. This is in contrast with 56% of the children saying they changed their activities on the internet when they knew their parents were watching.