Help kids identify online scams

As the digital world comes into contact with the real world, online survival skills must become essential competencies for the younger generation.

A part of today's youth has a life that is too full of material things but has poor knowledge of life because they rarely have contact with the surrounding environment, rarely work, and care little about others.

Meanwhile, children spend too much time on electronic devices, so their relationships are very narrow and their vision is limited, gradually forming a lifestyle of indifference to current events and ignorance of real life concepts. Therefore, when exposed, children easily believe that the information from there is true and are forced to follow the instructions of the subjects.

In particular, children are increasingly estranged from their families, sometimes even opposing them, while easily trusting strangers due to their shallow understanding and being easily manipulated psychologically. Meanwhile, current scams are increasingly sophisticated, often using tricks to make children leave their families and automatically fall into scam traps.

In fact, the basic skills children need to know come from life and legal knowledge. If they know the tricks that criminals often use and related knowledge, children will not be easily fooled.

There are two concepts that children need to know: First, there is no law that prohibits children from telling their parents if they are in legal trouble. Second, no one in this world will give you money for free.

It is important that parents remind their children many times to call their families no matter what happens. Families should have ways to communicate and text each other quickly and effectively.

In the context of strong technological development and social networks increasingly becoming an indispensable part, equipping students with knowledge and skills to use the Internet and social networks safely is extremely necessary.

The education sector and schools cannot stand aside. First, digital literacy and cyber safety education should be included as part of the curriculum or integrated into subjects. Children need to understand how to differentiate between real and fake information, protect their personal identity, identify online scams and have a sense of ethics when interacting in the digital environment.

In addition, teachers need to be trained in technology knowledge and skills to guide students to use social networks safely. Students cannot be expected to change if adults do not have enough knowledge to guide them.

Digital literacy education should not stop in the classroom but should be reinforced at home. As the digital world comes into contact with the real world, online survival skills must be an essential competency for the younger generation.

Parents should regularly discuss current events at home and abroad with their children. This provides knowledge in life, helps children broaden their horizons and have coping skills, prevent kidnapping and fraud. Respectful and fair communication will help children understand and connect with their parents more.