5 Ways to Protect your Kid’s Phone

Privacy and security go hand in hand. This is especially true with a kid’s mobile phone. Their phone contains lots of personal information that anyone who has access to it can see. In order to keep their information private, kids need to keep their device secure. With kids, the two big security issues are losing their phone or downloading a bad app.

According to Lookout, 30 billion phones are lost a year. In Seattle, we lose our phones on average twice a year. So far, my kids have not lost of device although one did go through the washer and dryer. But, at some point someone is going to lose a phone. Anyone who finds their phone will have access to their information such as contacts, pictures and messages as well as their open accounts such as Twitter, or Facebook.

The other threat kids may encounter is downloading a bad app. A report by McAfee found 1 in 6 mobile apps contain malware or spyware. Kids who love to download apps may end up with one of these characters. These malicious apps can do anything from sending annoying pop up ads to stealing personal information.

To protect privacy, make sure your kids are implementing these simple security tips.

Help Kids Keep Their Online Information Private and Advertisers at Bay

By Anne Livingston and Lynette Owens

Kids spend a lot of time online. They go online to find answers for homework, coordinate school projects, share events, play games and watch videos. While online, they may feel like they are sharing with just family and friends but companies are also listening.

Websites and advertising networks use tracking tools to record what kids and adults do online. The Wall Street Journal found that advertisers collect this information to build consumer profiles. These profiles do not include real names but include almost everything else: age, tastes, hobbies, shopping habits, race, interests and location.  Information that kids post and even the information they don’t post such as where they click, what they like, what they’re searching for – is valuable data to organizations who want to sell them something.

The Pew Center found 81% of parents are concerned about how much information advertisers collect about their kids. Kids are especially vulnerable since most do not realize advertisers are tracking them or that their information is used to send them the perfect ad. These ads are not simple banners displayed across the screen. Companies are developing ads that are interactive and utilize kids’ personal information in the ad itself.

To discover how information is generated and used, let’s look at the day of a typical teen: what she does online, how companies track her activities and how they use this information to market to her.

Do not open that link! How to avoid phishing scams

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Many organizations are tweeting, posting and talking about how to protect personal information and devices. It is not just about protecting your desktop. Viruses and scams via mobile networks are on the rise. With kids having their own devices, they need know how to recognize online scams.

Some scams are obvious. Most adults know not to send money to the Nigerian Prince or their neighbors stuck in Europe. But sometimes, these scams are more subtle. Emails from a trusted source may contain harmful links. This month, I received this email from my cable service.

Dear Comcast Member,

The credit card we have on file for your Comcast Internet service was declined when we attempted to bill you on 10/09/2012 for your most recent service fees.

For this reason, your service could be suspended. Please visit our Account Information pages,