Staying safe online as an Australia Teenager: Thoughts from our WiCyS Social Media Coordinator

As an Australian teenager navigating the ever-expanding digital world, I've come to realise the importance of cybersecurity and the potential risks it poses to my generation. In this article, I'll shed light on the prevailing cybersecurity knowledge gaps among Australian youth, discuss relevant dangers, and propose actionable steps to address this issue.

To gather a consensus on the general knowledge my peers possess about cybersecurity, I asked a small group of them three questions:

1. What is cybersecurity?

The majority responded with the notion that it's a set of measures ensuring your technology and personal information is secure on the internet, to keep you safe online and prevent you from being hacked.

2. What cybersecurity dangers are relevant to teens today?

Most common answers provided: Getting your email/social media/financial accounts hacked; falling victim to scams; identity theft; getting doxed; and privacy breaches. (doxing, for the uninitiated, is the act of revealing identifying information about someone online, such as their real name, home address, workplace, phone, financial, or other personal information)

3. How do you protect yourself online?

The most common answers provided were: Not clicking suspicious links, avoiding downloading unverified files, using different passwords, not entering credentials into shady websites, and never sharing private photos

(Disclaimer: This is in no way, shape, or form an accurate representation of the average knowledge accumulated by an Australian teenager about cybersecurity. This was gathered from a minute group of my friends / classmates.)

It seems from the small amount of responses I gathered that teenagers are generally aware of unauthorised access/hacking, ransomware, malware, phishing, identity theft, and privacy breaches. However, upon observation, I noticed that the least talked about matter for teenagers is digital footprints and the dangers an unmanaged digital footprint can present. For those who aren't familiar, a digital footprint refers to the trail of data left by an individual when they engage with digital platforms and online services. It encompasses the websites visited, social media activity, online purchases, comments, and any other interactions conducted. Essentially, it's the mark we leave behind as we navigate the internet. You'd be surprised at how young it starts. According to the Australian government's eSafety research program, upper primary school students between the ages of 12 and 13 will each have 3.1 social media accounts. Growing up, I saw social media become prevalent during year 4. The majority of students had Musically (Tiktok), Instagram, and Snapchat accounts. Kids posted photos and videos of them publicly for the whole world to see. Some parents, like mine, regulated their children's online activity, but they were the minority. This was due to the lack of awareness among parents during that time. In high school, everyone roams the internet freely. Content is more dominant and encouraged. Social pressures from classmates and friends made you the odd one out if you don’t have an online presence. People began getting more reckless with what they posted. In extreme cases, you could publicly view personal information, where people went to school due to uniforms/school logos, live location, content of students partaking in illegal activities, private photos, and worse ect. Not only does this behaviour put students safety as minors in jeopardy, but it also creates a number of persistent threats to teenagers’ safety:

Privacy Concerns: A significant risk associated with digital footprints is the potential compromise of personal information. The information we share online, knowingly or unknowingly, can be collected, aggregated, and viewed/used by bad actors to endanger or exploit teenagers.

Reputation Management: Teenagers aren't aware that the things they do or have done in the past online can affect their reputation. Lots of content is shared without considering the consequences, which can have far-reaching effects. Inappropriate or offensive posts seen by peers, teachers, potential employers, and university admission teams, potentially leading to an impact on that individual’s future.

Cyberbullying and Harassment: The trail of data left behind can be used as a tool for cyberbullying. Information shared online can be manipulated and used to harass, embarrass, or blackmail students. Even seemingly harmless comments or posts can be taken out of context and used to target individuals.

Targeted Scams and Phishing: Cybercriminals can exploit information from digital trails to launch targeted scams and phishing attacks. This is done by tailoring messages based on online activity, increasing the chances of successful deception and fraud.

Cyberstalking: Cyberstalking involves the persistent and unwanted tracking or monitoring of individuals online. Teenagers may become victims of cyberstalking through constant updates on social media platforms or other digital channels.

Identity Theft: A well-documented digital footprint can provide cybercriminals with valuable details to impersonate teenagers. From social media accounts to email addresses and phone numbers. These accounts can be used to catfish other teens into revealing vulnerable information.

We can enrich Australian teenagers with the knowledge needed to protect themselves by:

Incorporating cybersecurity education into the curriculum: To empower Australia's youth with cybersecurity knowledge, it is imperative to include cybersecurity as a core part of the school curriculum. Safety lessons, workshops, and interactive schemes from primary school to high school could empower and protect Australian kids from these dangers. Additionally, a cybersecurity subject offered in VCE could enable students to consider pursuing a career in the field.

Fostering peer-to-peer learning: Organising cybersecurity awareness campaigns led by fellow teenagers to engage students within their community, create leadership opportunities, provide educational resources, and establish a safe space to share personal experiences.

Utilising social media: What better way is there to reach younger demographics who maintain an online presence than social media? We need to leverage these platforms to share cybersecurity tips, news, resources, and real-life examples.

Promote cyber competitions: Encouraging and hosting cyber competitions in schools can pique younger audiences’ interest. Additionally, participating in such activities not only develops valuable skills but also raises awareness about potential threats and vulnerabilities.

Engage parental involvement: Educating parents about cybersecurity is equally important. Regular newsletters for parents can help them understand the digital world their children inhabit and enable them to guide and support them in navigating online risks.

Legislative measures: Governments and law enforcement agencies have the power to enforce existing laws and create new ones to protect teenagers from cyber threats.

Support from tech companies: Social media and online platforms should work to create safer online environments, including stricter privacy settings, clear reporting mechanisms, and robust age verification processes.

Joining an Organisation such as WiCyS: Joining an Organisation like WiCyS and attending their talks, networking events, reading newsletters, and other content encourages and develops a healthy level of knowledge and awareness of the risks associated with having an online presence.

While these changes in society on a broader level can help the general population, the buck stops with teenagers to rise to the occasion ourselves and learn safe internet practises. Here are some simple tips (For more detailed information and practises, refer to (insert website)):

Regular Audits: Periodically review your digital footprint by searching for your name online and removing or reporting any unwanted content.

Privacy Settings: To control who can access your information, regularly review and update your privacy settings on social media, e-commerce, email, search engines, web browsers, etc.

Secondary email addresses: Set up a secondary email address that isn't attached to your primary one, so your personal information isn't associated with it and your digital footprint doesn't link back to you.

Think Before You Post: Before sharing anything online, consider the potential impact on your reputation and the permanence of the digital record.

Limit Personal Information Sharing: Be cautious about sharing sensitive information, such as full names, addresses, phone numbers, and school details, on public platforms.

Strong Passwords: Use strong and unique passwords for each online account to minimise the risk of unauthorised access.

Delete unnecessary accounts: Some websites don't remove personal information unless you send them an email. However, websites such as forums and social media platforms, allow you to alter your information and/or delete your account completely. 

Most of today's teenagers have a decent sense of how to protect themselves on the internet; however, they lack the initiative and knowledge to act in their interest to preotect themselves. We as a society need to do more to educate our younger population on the importance of cybersecurity by implementing it into curriculums, engaging parents, promoting cyber competitions and utilising social media to spread awareness. We also need to enforce safe internet practices through better legislation and support from technology and social media companies. 

But in the meantime, it's our duty as teenagers to ensure we're doing everything we can to secure ourselves online. The resources to do so are available at our fingertips. So start now. Or are you waiting till you get hacked?  

Mariam Almezaiyin, Social Media Coordinator, WiCyS Australia