Cyber Security for Children and Young Adults

National Parents Council post primary have been invited by Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs to make a written submission on the topic of Cyber Security for Children and Young Adults which the Committee are currently considering.

We are inviting you to be a part of this submission by answering the following questions. Responses must be completed by 15th October as the submission must be made by 20th October

Question Title

* 1. Should online safety be formalised within the education system?

Yes

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. Who should have the main responsibility for cyber safety?

Parents

Schools

State - through regulation

Other (please specify)

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* 3. What is your main concern as a parent in relation to your children being online - Please rank in order 1 -6 with six being the of the most concern

That your child might become isolated from others when spending too much time online

N/A

Spending too much time online

N/A

That your child could be bullied online by other children

N/A

Your child might reveal personal or private information when using the internet

N/A

Seeing sexually/violently explicit images on the Internet

N/A

That your child could become a victim of online grooming

N/A

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* 4. What are the current challenges facing parents today as regards protecting their children online? Please rank from 1-6 with 6 being the most challenging.

Teens hiding their online behaviour

N/A

Talking with your teen about what they’re doing online?

N/A

Worry that your kids know more about technology than you do?

N/A

Setting boundaries for technology or Internet use?

N/A

Protecting our family computer and mobile phones from hacking or virus

N/A

Keeping up with evolving technology

N/A

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* 5. What education should be given to parents? Please select one or all answers

Campaigns promoting cyber safety explaining the use of filters and parental controls;

Initiatives promoting awareness through guidance on healthy limits of screen time and excessive internet use

Initiatives aimed at preventing exposure to pornography, gaming and other addictive behaviour

Online cybersecurity awareness education programs

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 6. What are the unique challenges that cyber-bullying represents for parents as opposed to traditional bullying? Rank from 1 - 6 with 6 being of the most concern.

Vast number of bystanders, which very often do not even know the victim;

N/A

Type of aggression which is not carried out face-to-face

N/A

The harm a single incident can cause to the victim even without its repetition over time.

N/A

The frustration that one person in the privacy of their room can perform acts of bullying on an unlimited number of victims with few transactions.

N/A

Victims feel imprisoned in their own homes

N/A

More secretive and unseen – anonymous

N/A

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* 7. What can be done to encourage parents to monitor their children’s online activity?

Question Title

* 8. What do you feel would be the best option to promote your child's safety online?

Education

Regulation

Other (please specify)