family them and then blackmails them by threatening to share the images with others unless the child gives in to their demands, like paying money into their accounts,” says Van Wyk.
In fact, there have even been a number of suicides linked to sextortion scams.
Other risks include cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, scams, and the increasingly blurred line between truth and falsehood online.
“ Although children might be techsavvy, they often lack the critical thinking and fact-checking skills to recognise false information,” she explains, adding,“ especially in the age of AI, where even a trained eye might struggle to differentiate between real and fake content.”
But at the end of it, Van Wyk says, the biggest mistake parents make is that they themselves don’ t know enough about online safety.
Start the conversation early
The online world has changed dramatically since the days of Mxit chat groups( the app, btw, got a reboot this year, and can now be downloaded online). Today’ s online risks for children aren’ t just bigger – they’ re stealthier. Private chats and vanishing messages have made threats more targeted and scalable than ever before.
And AI has opened up a whole new world to criminals.“ Children and adults often lack the critical‐thinking skills to assess the accuracy of AI results or recognise AI‐generated or manipulated visuals,” says Van Wyk.
There have already been cases of AI being used to create deepfake
www. babysandbeyond. co. za nude images that are then spread across schools and weaponised for bullying.
“ Another concern is around teenagers turning to AI for mental health or other advice while not understanding that these tools make mistakes and could be giving them wrong, even harmful advice,” says Van Wyk.
It’ s become even more important to have these conversations with your children at an early age.“ Parents should start talking to their children about online safety as soon as they begin using a screen or connected device,” says Van Wyk. A 2022‘ Be In Touch’( https:// beintouch. org. za /) survey found that while over 95 % of children in Grades 4 to 11 have regular internet access, 77 % go online without parental controls or filters.
Keeping them safe online
While no platform is entirely risk-free, some pose greater dangers than others.
“ We need to be careful of any app or platform that allows contact with strangers,” Van Wyk warns.“ If a social media, gaming or messaging app allows strangers to talk to your child, it can be used to scam, manipulate or harm them.”
You may be tempted to shut down all technology and move off-grid, and we wouldn’ t blame you. Seeing it in black and white can be scary, but banning social media isn’ t practical. Just remember how you were, growing up. Instead, Van Wyk recommends parents lead by example – and think before they post.
“ Parents should understand what one should and shouldn’ t share on social media. I recommend thinking twice about sharing any identifying information like dates of birth, your child’ s school and your address,” she says.
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