Protecting children from malware – resources and advice from the Industry Trust

To help children understand the dangers of malware that may be downloaded through pirated material or illicit streaming devices, the Industry Trust partnered with Into Film to create this educational video to support them. We’ve also offered tips for parents on how to protect children from the potential dangers of malware.

It is a well-known fact that young people are spending more and more time online than ever before, and begin to use technology and social media at an increasingly early age. By the time they become teenagers behaviours have often already been entrenched in their minds and the idea of internet safety becomes harder to teach.

Partner this with recent research which has shown that an increasing amount of young people are being exposed to explicit images & video or becoming victims of hacking as a result of malwares, and the need to educate them in how to stay safe online becomes even clearer. This is something that the Industry Trust has long been focusing on, whether it is through campaigns or research projects.

What the research says

Some recent research from the Industry Trust which looks into children’s awareness of malware (malicious software that causes harm through obtaining personal information) and its consequences raised some alarming findings as highlighted below:

It was with this mind-set that the Trust recently collaborated with the charity Into Film to produce a bespoke animation, ‘Meet The Malwares’, which features case studies detailing the all-too-real scenarios that young people can experience when it comes to the unwanted sharing of private images and online extortion.

Tips to protect your child from malware