Avoiding cyber crime

Could your child be a victim of cyber-crime? Nowadays, the Internet has become a playground for many kids and teens from which they get unlimited access to information on their celebrity idols, favorite TV shows, movies, music and online games. With all the attractive activities available online, it is often difficult for kids and teens to distinguish legal activities from illegal ones, making them easy targets for cyber criminals and unknowing victims of cyber crime.

Cyber crime is any illegal activity that makes use of the computer and the Internet. Its most common forms include illegal downloading of music, films and software; hacking; malicious attacks in financial transactions; and computer security.

Parents play a significant role in protecting young ones from being caught off guard by the dangers lurking in the cyber world. Besides monitoring the sites that young people visit, it is also important that parents are informed about the dangers of cyber crime to save their kids from getting into trouble.

The Business Software Alliance (BSA), an organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world, maintains a resource Web site called B4USurf (www.b4usurf.org), an educational site that helps parents become cyber-savvy and ensures a fun and safe cyber experience for their kids. B4USurf gives parents a list of cyber crimes that you should watch out for.

Illegal downloading

Illegally downloading music, movies and software is a form of cyber crime. Your kids may not know they are breaking the law when they download copyrighted files from the Internet such as photos and videos without permission from the owner, and posting them on their social network accounts. The Intellectual Property (IP) Code of the Philippines prohibits any form of illegal copying and distribution of copyright material without expressed permission from the owner.

In downloading from peer-to-peer networks, you have no assurance that what you are downloading is really what it seems. Beware; your kids might be trying to download songs from their favorite artists when in fact they’re downloading a virus. Oftentimes, cyber criminals trick Internet users into believing that they are downloading from a legitimate Web site. While sharing files can be exciting, remind your kids to make sure to keep it legal. Programs such as software are copyrighted property and should not be freely shared and/or distributed without permission from the author.

Hacking dangers

Hacking is the act of breaking into computers and networks. Hackers may try to break into your computer to access valuable files such as passwords, personal information and many others. If your computer is hacked, then you can become vulnerable to loss of privacy, financial risks and even identity theft. For example, a hacker can plant a bug into your computer so that any information you input can then be retrieved and used for fraudulent purposes, such as your credit card information.

To avoid getting “hacked,” always make sure that you and your kids only download from reliable sources and always use original software and media. Using legal software ensures that the program you are using is safe and does not come with any viruses that allow hackers to break into your computer. A legitimate software program will only contain files and updates that come from the software makers so you would not have to worry about files that can cause your computer to crash or makes you vulnerable to other cyber threats.

While the Internet can be a unique educational resource for children, parents should also be aware of its potential threat. Some of these include cyber stalking; harmful or inappropriate content including pornography and excessively violent or simply ‘adult’ content; privacy invasions; and aggressive marketing targeted directly at children. –Daily Tribune