On the occasion of Father's Day, which was celebrated on Sunday, June 19, Kaspersky Lab highlights the ways in which dads care for their children online, checking whether their care extends from the real to the virtual world.
As it turns out, modern fathers pay close attention to their children's online activities and do their best to find the right balance between protecting and encouraging their interest in the Internet and modern gadgets.
According to a survey conducted specifically for Kaspersky Lab, the vast majority of fathers feel responsible for both the financial maintenance of their families and their digital security. This means that it is usually the father who installs security solutions on all household digital devices. Specifically, 86% of participants said they protect computers, 77% smartphones and 63% install anti-malware solutions on tablets.
Perhaps this is why dads are more willing than moms to allow children to use gadgets from a very young age.
For example, the number of fathers who give their children smartphones or tablets before their first birthday is at least twice as high as the number of mothers who admit to doing the same. In addition, dads tend to see the Internet as very important, both for themselves and for their children, according to two-thirds of the fathers who took part in the survey. Also, unlike mothers, fathers believe that the Internet has a positive effect on their children – on their physical and mental well-being, their performance at school, their future career prospects and their lives in general.
For example, 45% believe that their children feel more successful and comfortable with their friends because of the Internet, while over a quarter (29%) believe that the Internet helps children become more organized in terms of planning their time.
Furthermore, a father is much more likely to buy gadgets for his children so that they are not treated badly by their peers. For example, half of the dads provide their children with a computer or laptop, based on the above reasoning.
Fathers are also convinced that children should know how to use digital devices, with over a third of those surveyed (36%) saying they bought their children a tablet for this reason.
"Fatherhood is a complex and unique phenomenon, with significant consequences for the behavioral, emotional and intellectual development of children. While fathers communicate and interact with their children in distinctly different ways than mothers, at the same time, they contribute to preparing their children for the dangers of the real, as well as the virtual world. So, be a dedicated father, who will participate in his child's life. Encourage your children to have fun and take risks, but also teach them the importance of safety and protection," suggests psychologist Dr. Kyriaki G. Giota.
For all of the above, Kaspersky Lab has prepared a special video
