- 2014 Security Report: The public expects cyber threats to grow
- Parents need to educate their children about online dangers
- Poverty in old age is the biggest worry
Many parents admit they don't really know exactly what their kids do online. They are especially worried that their children will divulge too much personal and private information. These findings were among this year's results of the annual Security Report for Germany that the Allensbach Institute (IfD Allensbach) prepares each year on behalf of Deutsche Telekom. Nearly half - 49 percent - of all parents surveyed admitted that they have a very hard time keeping up with what their children do on the Internet. On the other hand, a full 50 percent stated that they were well informed about their children's Internet activities.
The large number of the admittedly clueless is particularly surprising in that the great majority of parents are well aware of the risks that children face on the Internet. Parents' greatest concerns (two of all three persons surveyed) are that their children will reveal too much about themselves on the Internet and spend too much time online. A total of 62 percent of all respondents were concerned that criminals could try to contact their children via chatrooms or forums, and 58 percent were worried that their children might post pictures of themselves without their parents' knowledge.
At the same time, the parents' responses indicated that very few children have actually had bad experiences online. The concerns most frequently reported by parents include: their children spend too much time on the Internet (36 percent), are misled by false information they obtain online (28 percent), and reveal too much about themselves (23 percent). About one-fifth of all parents stated that their children have viewed pornographic or violent video material and illegally downloaded music and/or movies.
Parents have a responsibility The survey team found it disquieting that 43 percent of the parents who admitted to knowing too little about their children's Internet activities also felt that their children did not know enough about the dangers that lurk online.
When it comes to educating children and adolescents about Internet risks and dangers, the great majority (95 percent) of the population feels that parents have the primary responsibility. A smaller majority (63 percent) assigns the secondary responsibility in this regard to schools and teachers. Those who would assign the primary responsibility to children and adolescents themselves, or to providers of Internet services (such as social networks or e-mail services) are in the minority (18 and 24 percent, respectively). "For our children, the Internet is a very normal part of everyday life. However, it seems as if many parents do not take the risks seriously enough. A majority doesn’t know what their children may be doing online," stated Thomas Kremer, member of the board of Deutsche Telekom, responsible for data privacy, legal affairs and compliance. "We at Deutsche Telekom know we have a responsibility to help families use the Internet freely and safely."
Cyber risks are growing The 2014 Security Report is based on a total of 1,503 interviews with persons making up a representative cross-section of the general population aged 16 or older. In addition, parents with children between the ages of 6 and 17 were surveyed as a separate group. The survey focused on parents' general concerns and risk perceptions, as well as on cyber risks in particular. The results indicate that the public's general risk assessments have changed very little since last year's survey. The primary concerns voiced by respondents have to do with being poor in old age and requiring nursing care in old age. Nearly half of all persons surveyed expressed such concerns.
A full 91 percent of all respondents expect the four main cyber risks (fraud via the Internet; abuse of personal data by companies; abuse of personal data by other users in social networks; and computer viruses) to continue growing. In other risk areas, such as "regular" crime, terrorist attacks, and health risks from life-threatening diseases, unemployment and radioactive contamination, the majority of all respondents expect risks to stay at basically the same level or even to decrease.
Deutsche Telekom plans to hold the Cyber Security Summit again this year, and again in cooperation with the Munich Security Conference. The event, which will take place on 3 November, in Bonn, will give policymakers and industry leaders the opportunity to join with experts in discussing strategies and ideas for enhancing security in our increasingly networked world.
About Deutsche Telekom Deutsche Telekom is one of the world’s leading integrated telecommunications companies with over 142 million mobile customers, 31 million fixed-network lines and over 17 million broadband lines (as of December 31, 2013). The Group provides fixed-network, mobile communications, Internet and IPTV products and services for consumers, and ICT solutions for business and corporate customers. Deutsche Telekom is present in around 50 countries and has approximately 229,000 employees worldwide. The Group generated revenue of 60.1 billion euros in the 2013 financial year - over half of it outside Germany.