Most children in Europe are at risk online

A Kaspersky survey on online safety for children in Europe found that 72% of young people surveyed cannot identify one or more phishing attempts and cannot distinguish a fake email from a legitimate one. In addition, 39% of children (11-15 years) interviewed who claim to be informed¹ have been phished victims themselves, highlighting growing concern that Gen Z overestimate their knowledge of online safety and end up in danger.

Although many young people under 18 consider themselves “cyber aware”, Kaspersky research reveals that over half (55%) still admit to posting personal information such as their name and date of birth on social media. 54%³ he said he would also be willing to reveal his pet’s name (often used as a password) and favorite TV show in online questions.

This naivete collides with their alleged level of computer knowledge: online games and quizzes are often used by cybercriminals as tools to collect as much information about users as possible.

Research reveals that less than half (42%) of adults surveyed are helping their children or youngsters identify phishing scams.

In fact, 40% of the adults involved in the research, by their own admission, are not informed at all² when it comes to online safety, and nearly a fifth (19%) admitted to having been the victim of phishing scams, rising in Italy to 32%. This suggests the need for more online education and information for all ages to help every generation feel safe online.

Kaspersky Research”Too Safe and Too Exposed: Are Kids Safe Online?”, conducted by Censuswide, interviewed 6,382 children (1,013 in Italy) and 6,665 adults (1,000 in Italy) in 8 European countries (United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy). The research asked respondents about their knowledge of online safety, whether they knew what a phishing attempt was, how much information they shared online, and who they trusted to identify potential threats. Censuswide respects and cooperates with representatives of the Market Research Society, which is based on ESOMAR principles.