The expert named the main safety rules for children when using a smartphone

The risks for children when using smartphones are associated not only with Internet content, but also with the basic functions of the devices - notifications, calls and messages with confirmation codes. Boris Lopatin, senior expert in the investigation of fraud incidents at MegaFon, told Izvestia about this on March 22.

"Talking about security alone is often not enough. In order for the child to understand how to act in such situations, it is important to support the family rules of using a smartphone with basic device settings and pre—agreed scenarios of behavior," he said.

According to him, for a child, the phone is perceived as a stream of applications and notifications, so important signals — for example, messages with confirmation codes — may not cause alertness. At the same time, such messages are used to log in to accounts and confirm transactions. The child needs to be explained in advance that SMS codes are a security element and should not be passed on to third parties under any circumstances.

The expert added that device settings also play a significant role. Parents are advised to limit the installation of apps from unknown sources, enable suspicious call detection, set up parental controls, and check which apps have access to notifications.

Lopatin drew attention to everyday scenarios that could pose a threat. We are talking about calls from intruders, messages with suspicious links, or attempts to establish trusting contact with a child through messengers and game chats.

"Scammers can use children as a channel of access to parents, for example, to obtain confidential information or convince them to make a money transfer," the expert noted.

According to him, bans are ineffective in such situations. It is much more important to explain the logic of the rules and form the child's habit of checking information before performing actions. The expert also stressed that the behavior of the parents themselves plays an important role. When adults follow the same safety rules, the child perceives them as a natural norm.

In July last year, psychologist Irina Merkulova called the dangerous consequences of conflicts with teenagers over gadgets. According to her, the main reason that motivates parents to violate their children's personal boundaries online is fear, which is completely justified. Adults are afraid that a child may become a victim of scams, bullying or fall under the negative influence of negativity available on the Internet.

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