Securing our Digital Lives

Guest: Dale Rowe, Cybersecurity Expert and IT Professor at BYU  Kids these days are constantly plugged into the Internet through laptops, phones, and tablets. But with all of this access comes dangers: children stumbling onto dangerous or inappropriate websites, or losing valuable personal information with just a swipe or a click.  “It’s definitely an option,” says Rowe on filters. “For a desktop computers or laptops, it’s relatively effective. They’re fairly good at blocking deliberate searches. But, they are really just a first layer of defense. Sometimes it’s not just getting around, it’s the device as well. You might put a filter on your laptop but there might be 6 or 7 other device in the house that might not be protected.”  “Have a good relationship,” advises Rowe. “It’s really about if you can feel comfortable talking to your kid, if they feel comfortable talking to you. Don’t make them feel condemned about finding something” on the Internet.  “My four year old has been playing on tablets since he was two. He didn’t know what he was doing at two but now he’s four. It’s kind of startling how fast he gets there. We told him ‘Okay, it’s time to get off.’ We tried to take the tablet away from him and he threw a fit. They’re a good way to relax every now and then but they shouldn’t be a way of life,” says Rowe.