Ekaterina Gainullina, Security Vision
Introduction
The modern digital world is full of opportunities, but also threats. Children grow up surrounded by smartphones and the Internet from an early age, and parents are often worried: How can you protect them online without turning their lives into total control? Friendly security is a new approach to security technologies that puts user comfort and trust first. Its goal is to protect us in a digital environment without intimidation, paranoia, and overly complex rules. Imagine that security systems work like a caring friend, rather than a strict security guard at the entrance to the network.
It is important for parents not just to "turn on the filter" or "ban TikTok," but to build long-term trust, skills, and a culture of dialogue. That is why in recent years there have been initiatives aimed at helping families in this task. One of them is the educational section on children's digital security on the Security Vision website. He offers recommendations, explained in understandable language, and tools that can be applied in everyday life: from checklists to scenarios for talking to a child about risks on the Internet.
What is "friendly security"?
"Friendly security" implies a human-centered approach to protecting the Internet. This is when technology protects us imperceptibly and unobtrusively, without creating unnecessary stress. Unlike the old methods based on fear and inhibitions, the friendly model strives to teach and support. For example, instead of constantly scaring viruses and hackers, she shows how you can be safe while remaining a confident user of the network.
The researchers note that excessive intimidation and complexity can have the opposite effect. Today, the cybersecurity industry often sells solutions through fear ("Hackers will steal your data!") or suggests that the user is to blame for all the troubles if something happens [1]. This tactic leads to people feeling helpless and overwhelmed by technical details. Instead of feeling secure, techno-stress and fatigue from constant warnings arise. Over time, this leads to apathy: since threats are inevitable, many people prefer to simply ignore them and stop following even basic security rules [1].
Friendly security offers the opposite - empathy and convenience. According to experts, "a user-oriented approach creates a balanced environment where security and daily life coexist harmoniously" [2]. In other words, protective measures adapt to people's behavior and needs, not the other way around. If security tools are made clear and accessible, users will feel confident and actively participate in protection. Security will become a natural part of life, not an externally imposed responsibility.
A simple example of friendly security: parents and child learn the rules of digital hygiene together in a comfortable atmosphere. Technology is a helper, not a source of fear.
Disadvantages of traditional protection methods
Why is there a need for a new approach? The fact is that classical cybersecurity methods often do not take into account the human factor and psychology, especially when it comes to children and ordinary users.
Let's look at a few typical problems:
Complex passwords and rules
The traditional advice to come up with long passwords with numbers, symbols, and different case forms is actually a puzzle. It is difficult for adults to remember dozens of such passwords, let alone children. As a result, users start to simplify: they use simple combinations, dates of birth, or one word for all accounts. Research shows that although children know the basic rules for creating passwords, they still often violate them - they share passwords with classmates, come up with passwords based on personal data, or repeat the same password everywhere. It turns out that the excessive complexity of the requirements pushes for unsafe behavior, instead of really protecting.
Frightening warnings
Many people are familiar with pop-up windows with menacing messages: "A threat has been detected! Update the protection immediately, otherwise...". For an inexperienced user (especially a child), such warnings are a source of fear. But the paradox is that when there are too many horror stories, they lose their effectiveness. More than 70% of people admit that they simply close annoying warnings, especially if they are busy with their own business [3]. Constant reminders of risks cause fatigue and dull alertness. As a result, the user either lives in a constant state of anxiety, or begins to ignore any danger signals - both have a bad effect on security.
Technical limitations and total control.
The traditional approach to protecting children online is often based on strict restrictions: websites are blocked, filters are installed, and online time is strictly limited. Of course, parental control is necessary, especially for toddlers, and 2/3 of parents admit that it is necessary to monitor children's online time [4]. But if security is based only on prohibitions, without explanations and trust, teenagers begin to perceive it as an enemy. Statistics show that only 10% of adults are willing to give their children complete freedom in the digital environment, while the rest control their online lives to some extent. However, excessive control is fraught with rebellion: children can create secret accounts, look for ways to circumvent blockages, and most importantly, they do not learn independent responsibility. Technical barriers are important, but they are not omnipotent: even the strictest filters will not replace the child's ability to make the right choice.
Thus, the old methods run into the human factor. Fear and pressure do not foster awareness - rather, they either paralyze or encourage cunning. Complex requirements without taking into account the user's capabilities lead to errors and violations of the rules. All this points to the need for a more gentle, friendly approach to security.
The younger generation in the face of online threats
Children and teenagers today are the most "digital" age group, and therefore the most vulnerable to cyber threats. Almost every teenager is active on the Internet: according to surveys, 97% of boys and girls have an account in at least one social network - this is a record among all ages. The vast majority have their own smartphones: by the age of 12-14, 90% of children get a phone. Moreover, young people spend a lot of time online - 44% of children aged 8-16 are online almost constantly, especially in entertainment applications and social networks. No wonder 73% of teenagers cannot imagine life without a smartphone and even sleep next to it [5].
Such immersion in the digital environment brings not only the benefits of communication and learning, but also real risks. According to a Kaspersky Lab study, 37% of children have already encountered online dangers, from cyberbullying to financial fraud and viewing unwanted content. About 40% of children disclose confidential information on the Internet, such as their address or personal photos, not realizing that they can be abused by intruders. One in three young users admits that they pretended to be older online (lied about their age), which opens up access to services and communities beyond their age.
Why is it so important to consider the behavior of young online users? The fact is that children and adolescents are inherently less likely to take precautions. They are characterized by gullibility, thirst for new experiences, and a tendency to experiment - thus they can unwittingly ignore the danger where an adult is wary. In addition, research shows that children do not always fully understand why safety rules are needed. For example, NIST scientists (USA) have found that many schoolchildren do not realize the true purpose of passwords and the consequences of their leakage. Hence the frivolity: the password is perceived as a formality that, if necessary, can be shared with a friend, and not as a key to personal data.
Teenagers often strive for independence online before they have time to internalize the norms of digital hygiene. That is why they become "easy prey" for cybercriminals who use social engineering (trust manipulation), lure through games and communities, and spread viruses under the guise of free content. Young people greedily consume content and new experiences, but they also form critical thinking - this imbalance creates a security gap.
Family digital safety: why children's actions matter to everyone
The online risks that children face are not just about themselves - the family and society as a whole are at risk. First, children often serve as "digital pioneers" in the home. It is no coincidence that it is said that children are the main agents of digitalization of families: 98% of households with minors are connected to the Internet (for comparison, only 80% of families without children are such). In other words, it is the presence of a child that encourages the family to use the network and new devices more actively. Children bring new technologies into the house, whether it's a trendy app, game, or gadget, and sometimes parents don't have time to figure out how to secure it. As a result, the whole family depends on the digital literacy of the younger ones. If a child downloads an infected game to a shared computer or clicks on a phishing link, both parental data and family finances may be affected.
Secondly, personal boundaries are blurred in the digital age. Children, without realizing it, can reveal information about their family on social networks: place of residence, wealth, daily routine. Such pieces of the mosaic are only to the advantage of intruders. There are cases when scammers collected information for theft and scams through the pages of teenagers, because parents' profiles can be closed, and children's profiles are open to the entire Internet. In this sense, security is a team game: it is enough for one family member to "open the door" to a threat, and everyone is at risk.
Thirdly, the behavior of young people influences the culture of safety in society. Today's children will soon become adults who will determine the norms of digital interaction. If they get used to ignoring security from a young age, tomorrow it will be more difficult to ensure cyber protection in both work collectives and in the state. On the contrary, raising a generation for whom cyber hygiene is as natural as brushing their teeth means having a more secure digital space for everyone in the future.
Do not forget about the emotional safety of the family. When a child is confronted with bullying, blackmail, or other online attacks, the whole family suffers: the atmosphere of trust deteriorates, parents feel guilty or powerless, and children feel lonely. It is possible to overcome such situations only together, openly discussing the problem. Thus, digital security is not an individual issue, but a family and social one. And the participation of children in its provision is extremely important: they are not passive objects of protection, but full-fledged participants who need to be involved in the process.
Growing digital threats: why a new security culture is needed
The world of cyber threats is becoming not only bigger, but also more creative. Modern attacks are less likely to look like crude hacks — the attackers are acting smart, beautiful and friendly. This is especially dangerous for young people who are accustomed to visually appealing content, trust online messages, and may not always recognize substitution.
A real-life example: "You're lucky!"
Fig. 1. An example of a phishing message in Telegram: visually designed as a gift with a unique code and link, but leads to a fraudulent website
Here is one of these messages that came to Telegram today. It is designed in the style of official notifications: bright emojis, the word "gift", a personal ID, a unique code, and even a supposedly secure link with support from @random. Everything looks like it's legal, even cute — and that's the main threat. Such messages are often hidden by phishing sites that steal account data, or smart contracts that steal cryptocurrency when connecting a wallet.
Such attacks are especially dangerous for teenagers and young users who:
· interested in NFT, games and cryptocurrencies;
· perceive visually beautiful messages as "real";
· do not read small text and do not check the URL.
By the way, this is not an isolated case — scammers are increasingly writing to Telegram personally with offers to "buy your gift" or "get an NFT" using the user's name, photo, even links to his activity. This is social engineering 2.0 masquerading as real interaction. Previously, it was possible to "leave the toxic platform," but now the threat is migrating to the user.
New technologies, new schemes
With the development of AI, much more sophisticated schemes have emerged. For example, deepfakes of children are created - forged images that are used for blackmail. There have been cases when attackers generated photos based on a child's open social media accounts and sent threats to parents demanding money.
Such attacks became possible precisely because:
· Children and teenagers publish too much personal information in the public domain;
· parents do not always know where and how the child's face is used;
· There is no culture of privacy checks and restrictions.
Why a new approach is needed
All of this is strong evidence that traditional security strategies are outdated. A simple "install antivirus" no longer helps, because most attacks are carried out not through viruses, but through psychological vulnerabilities: trust, haste, greed, loneliness.
We need a new culture of digital security:
· not frightening, but educational;
· not formal, but empathetic;
· not isolated, but familial.
Without it, even the most beautiful interface can turn into a trap, and the most advanced teenager can become a victim. And vice versa: with it, even a child will be able to recognize a fake, as he recognizes someone else's voice on the phone.
Conclusion
The world remains unfriendly in places, especially online, but this is not a reason to turn life into a besieged fortress. Friendly security offers a different way: to build protection on trust, understanding, and convenience. This is a long road that requires the involvement of parents, teachers, children themselves, and technology companies. But it creates a conscious generation that is not afraid of digital threats, but knows how to counter them.
We see that fear tactics in cybersecurity are becoming obsolete. Bullying users only pushes them away and inspires a sense of helplessness. It's time to replace fear with empathy and education. Children should not be afraid of the Internet - they should understand its rules and boundaries. Instead of the mantra "don't trust anyone on the web" - healthy critical thinking: trust, but check; instead of total censorship - an informed choice of content together with parents; instead of imposed complex measures - smart and flexible technologies that work for the user.
In the end, friendly security benefits everyone. The child feels supported and becomes more responsible rather than secretive. Parents are calmer, because they have established a dialogue with their children and are confident that they will be the first to find out about the trouble. Society gets more literate digital citizens, and the level of cybercrime decreases, as there are fewer "easy victims" who grew up in ignorance. And even technology companies benefit from this approach - users' trust is growing, they are ready to use new services without fear that they will be deceived again.
In an unfriendly world of cyber threats, we need a humane security face. This is a culture where safety is not an annoying prohibition, but a natural part of life, like a seat belt in a car: familiar, not interfering, but saving at a critical moment. The way to achieve this lies through cooperation between generations: children, parents, teachers, engineers - everyone should do their bit. Only together will we create a digital environment in which we can grow, learn and communicate without fear, with confidence that we are being taken care of and that we know how to take care of ourselves. Such a world is the goal of friendly security - and it is quite possible to achieve it if you start today, with small steps towards each other.
Sources:
1. Selling Fear: Marketing for Cybersecurity Products Often Leaves Consumers Less Secure
2. Understanding Human Factors in System Security Engineering - Enhancing Cybersecurity
3. Most People Are Ignoring Cyber Security Warnings
4. Children's online labor is protected
5. How to teach your kids about cybersecurity
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