October 14, 2021 | By Aadi Gupta

Risks For Teenagers

Covid has accelerated involvement of online services and social media not only in the daily life of adults, but also kids and teens. Often we teens are not as concerned with what is at risk when we spend time on our online devices. We often think that since we do not have much financial assets to protect, there is not much that we need to worry about safeguarding on the internet. Well you’ll be surprised to hear about many situations that pose considerable risks for any teen plugged into their devices.

Here I put forward a few basic threats that teens face day in and day out, some are my personal experience, having learnt from my mistakes and some gathered through the experiences of friends. Having the information on these daily common threats can keep kids and teens safe online. The most common mistake I have seen teens make is the use of a common login/password across all websites and services. This poses a sizable risk, since if one account is compromised, all other accounts become vulnerable as well. One thing I have seen firsthand is that many teens allow strangers to follow them on social media for the sole purpose of popularity, not realizing the permissions and information they are giving to a complete stranger. Often teens post personal information such as birthdays and school names, which can be a hint to their passwords, revealed to all who can access their public profile.

My friends and I have also encountered numerous malwares and viruses when looking for good deals on the newest games or items. These viruses can use data and personal information entered on the site to access computers, and multiple accounts. I recently had a situation in which I was sharing a computer with my mom, and had found a great ad blocker for free. Although I had not had any issues with it, when I told my mom to download it, she said it could be a danger to her information. Many teens today don’t realize the responsibility that comes with shared devices. Countless times I have seen friends and family alike being caught in the free games trap, leaving them with no option but to factory reset their computers.

The internet era has allowed for many remarkable things, including letting teens shop online from the comfort of their home. However, the lure of good deals has caused many teens to end up on sketchy websites, looking for their favorite accessory or entertainment. When the teen eventually puts their credit/debit card information in, they are told their package will arrive, which it unfortunately never does. In the process, the website also gains direct access to their bank account, stealing their information and earning easy cash. Many times this is executed so well, that the teenager won’t realize the situation until much later, when they are helpless to change anything.

Even with all these risks circulating, a basic cybersecurity education can lead to a safer online experience. The “Capture the Flag” initiative is building this very awareness among teens through fun filled exploration and activities.