Cybersecurity for Children: How We Lose Control — and How to Regain It

The internet has long ceased to be just a tool — it is a new habitat. Children grow up inside the network: they play, learn, make friends, and even argue online. But behind the opportunities lie risks. Algorithms still do not distinguish age properly, and digital platforms are often unable to protect young users from manipulation, aggression, or even criminals.

TikTok, Roblox, Discord — familiar names. But do you know what your child is doing there right now? In this article, our author — Medet Turin — analyzed what threats await children online, how to recognize them, and most importantly — how to protect them.

Medet Turin, city — Almaty, cybersecurity specialist, Instagram

Relevant statistics
According to UNICEF Kazakhstan Kids Online, 15% of children in Kazakhstan encounter unwanted content on the internet daily. 21% have been subjected to cyberbullying. 10% have added strangers as friends on social media, which increases the risk of online exploitation.

What is cyber resilience — and what does it have to do with a child

Cyber resilience is the ability to use the internet without risking oneself. It teaches how to keep personal data safe, avoid suspicious contacts, and respect others in the digital space.

In simpler terms, it is a set of rules that help children and adults not fall into a trap:

— do not tell anyone: where you live, your name, which school you attend, your parents' phone numbers

— trust, but verify: not all "friends" on the internet are real

— respect others: do not bully, do not leave insulting comments, do not forward offensive videos
— think twice before downloading anything from an unknown website
— do not click on links from strangers. Even if it is a "bonus in the game" or a "contest from a blogger".

And most importantly — always tell adults if something seemed strange, frightening, or just unclear.

If before we taught children not to talk to strangers in the yard — today we forgot to tell them this about the internet. And there are thousands of strangers there. And they are two clicks away from our children.

Cyberbullying is when one child or teenager, or even an entire group, bullies another child on the internet. It can be an insulting message, a post with mockery, spreading rumors, or all of the above. Most often, this happens in messengers, social networks, or in multiplayer games.

Why it is especially important for children to know the rules of digital security

Children and teenagers often act on emotions, not always assessing risks — which is why they become an easy target for online scammers. An attractive link, a "gift in the game," a friendly message from a stranger — all of this can be the beginning of a dangerous situation.

As digital activity grows, so does the number of threats. Notably, among cybercriminals, teenagers are increasingly appearing — those who know how to manipulate the trust of their peers. This means that even seemingly harmless communication in a chat can turn into pressure, blackmail, or deception. It is especially alarming that girls are almost twice as likely to become victims of cyberbullying compared to boys.

How the internet is dangerous for a child

1. Dangerous acquaintances

The internet is an ideal space for disguise. What seems like friendly correspondence with a peer may actually be contact with a representative of a radical group, an adult prone to online grooming, or simply a scammer. Children easily initiate contact and are eager to share personal information. It is especially worrying when virtual communication moves offline — there, control is lost completely.

The main rule: never meet internet acquaintances without adults. If someone asks you to hide communication from your parents — this is a red flag!

Cyber grooming is trusting communication with a child on the internet for sexual exploitation. Usually, criminals lure intimate photos and blackmail with them. "Pay us, or we will show the photos to your parents and friends." Criminals can spend years grooming a child online to eventually achieve their goal!

2. Thrill and pseudo-games

Slot and betting mechanics are increasingly penetrating online games and TikTok ads. Even if a child does not visit sites with obvious betting, they may encounter gamified lotteries, "wheels of fortune," and prize cases. A child's psyche is particularly sensitive to such "instant rewards." Often, without realizing it, we give children money when they ask us to donate to their games for another cosmetic modification — however, this is a sure path to instilling gambling habits in a child.

To avoid this, use parental filters, monitor payments in App Store/Google Play, and discuss the risks of "easy money" with your child. Set time limits on apps to reduce the influence of gambling mechanics.

Gambling addiction is a type of dependency that manifests as a pathological attraction to gambling and computer games. The child becomes aggressive, eats poorly, and falls behind in school.

3. Adult content

Access to violence, pornography, instructions for making drugs or explosives — all of this is one click away. Even with filtering, some of this content may "slip through" disguised chats, Telegram bots, or anonymous platforms.

It is important not just to block, but to explain why such materials are dangerous and that behind them often stand real criminals. Foster critical thinking: teach children not to believe everything they see on the internet.

Happyslapping — video recordings of scenes of real violence, beatings, bullying, and rape, their distribution on the internet or on digital media.

4. Malware and phishing links

Smartphones are just as vulnerable as PCs: viruses, phishing SMS, and dangerous apps can steal personal data. Children often become the "first victims" when they download a "modded" game or click on a link from a stranger.

Teach your child never to click on links from messages from unknown senders, to download apps only from official stores, and always to ask for permission before installing anything new. Because even this rule may not be enough. For example, scammers easily and quickly stole money from my acquaintances' crypto wallet because the child downloaded a program for "boosting likes" from Google Play Market. Currently, criminals manage to bypass protection systems to publish their viruses in official app stores.

Always be vigilant when downloading apps and grant exactly as many permissions to the program or game as are necessary for its operation.

Think about why a regular ringtone app needs access to your contact list?

5. Brainwashing through content

Unfortunately, today criminals are recruiting children through viral videos on social networks. Personally, I have dealt with cases during personal consultations where a child started watching educational content on TikTok, and six months later already knew all the names of radical militants by heart and admired their ideology. As a result, theologians and representatives of certain agencies came to the parents, because it turned out that the child was already reposting such videos and sending them to his classmates.

At the same time, children are offered quick earnings disguised as promoter work. In reality, children begin to distribute viral-narcotic content, often without even realizing it.

The distribution of certain types of harmful content falls under criminal liability in accordance with the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan:

Distribution of drugs on the internet

Article 299-1 of the Criminal Code of the RK — Propaganda or illegal advertising of drugs, psychotropic substances. This includes creating, posting, forwarding links, even if the content is "educational" or "humorous".

Punishment: imprisonment for up to six years depending on the circumstances and the age of the person.

Propaganda of terrorism, violence, or extremism

Article 256 of the Criminal Code of the RK — Propaganda of terrorism or public calls to commit an act of terrorism. This includes the distribution of radical content, including through social networks, messengers, and anonymous channels.

Punishment: imprisonment from five to nine years.

How and what to talk to children about so that they are safe on the internet

There is no universal instruction — one child loves Minecraft and memes, another is glued to TikTok, the third studies languages on YouTube. Everyone has different interests and, accordingly, different human vulnerabilities. But one thing remains common: they need to know how to protect themselves, and you — know how to talk to them about this without lecturing and scaring.

Here is how to start this conversation so that the child not only listens — but hears:

1. Use children's educational materials — together

Do not lecture, but learn together. Today, there are great animations, games, and comics on internet safety made for children. Watch a cartoon or go through an online quest, and immediately discuss what was the most important.

2. Set clear and honest rules

Explain: there are digital rules at home, just like traffic rules — they are not there to punish, but to preserve life and freedom. For example:

— never share your real address
— always show suspicious messages to parents
— do not chat with strangers, as in real life
— limited time with gadgets.

3. Talk not only about dangers, but also about opportunities

Safety is not fear. It is the freedom to use the internet wisely. Instead of "don't go there!" — tell them about useful and interesting places: educational games, podcasts, courses. Tell them that they can generate their own cartoons, music, and develop games.

The child should understand that the internet is not an enemy, but a tool. But with an instruction manual.

4. Build an atmosphere of trust

If the child is afraid of being scolded — they will stay silent, even if a serious problem occurs.

Simple lifehack: tell them directly: "I want to be the first person you tell if something worries you".

Create a space where they can ask even "stupid" questions. This is real safety.

5. Show that protection is not difficult

Antivirus, VPN, privacy settings — this is not only "for adults." Explain how these tools work. Show how to enable two-factor authentication or hide geotags on photos. Let the child feel control — as a superpower, not as a restriction.

We recommend checking out the checklist for parents, specially prepared by the The Tech editorial team together with the CitizenSec.kz team at the following link.

Conclusion

Being a parent is, perhaps, the most responsible role of all. We want children to freely explore the world, develop themselves, try new things — but at the same time be safe. Today this is more difficult than ever: we have to compete with the global network and all the characters present in it. How to be more authoritative for your child than any streamer or blogger — this is one task, the other is to protect them from recruitment by groups that distribute, at first glance harmless, but ultimately with a terrible message, viral videos on social networks. It is easy to miss this moment, and returning a teenager to normal life after "brainwashing" takes years of therapy. In any case, remember, children copy your behavior. If you yourself spend more time on your smartphone, especially in the evening during dinner, then children will copy you.